COVID-19 Response: T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile Launch Cheapest Plans Ever

Marisa Crane
Marisa Crane
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Mar 26, 2020

T-Mobile just launched some cheap prepaid wireless plans called T-Mobile Connect, and the carrier gave Metro by T-Mobile’s most affordable plan a massive price cut too. While the Un-Carrier had originally planned to launch the T-Mobile Connect plans after they successfully merged with Sprint, the company recognized the need for affordable plans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

T-Mobile Connect Plans

T-Mobile Connect gives customers the carrier’s most affordable options yet:

  • T-Mobile Connect $15 Plan: Unlimited talk and text, 2GB of high-speed data.
  • T-Mobile Connect $25 Plan: Unlimited talk and text, 5GB of high-speed data.

Both prepaid plans include access to T-Mobile’s 5G network for anyone with a 5G capable device. It’s important to note that these are hard data caps—once you use your allotted data, you’ll be cut off for the remainder of the month. If you get in that position, you can always add more for an additional fee or wait until your next billing cycle. Chances are, though, if you’re practicing social distancing, utilizing in-home WiFi, and only leaving the house for necessities, that these data allowances will suffice for the time being. However, if you do choose to stay with T-Mobile for the long haul, you’re in luck—T-Mobile will give T-Mobile Connect customers an extra 500MB of monthly data every year, for the next five years.

Temporary Metro by T-Mobile Plan Pricing

T-Mobile has cut the price of Metro by T-Mobile’s most affordable plan in half. For $15/month, customers can get:

  • Unlimited nationwide talk and text
  • 2GB of high-speed data (hard data cap)

This deal will be available from March 25th until around May 25th, as it is in place to help customers stay connected during the coronavirus pandemic.

Other Metro by T-Mobile limited-time perks include:

  • Free 8” tablet (through a rebate) with the purchase of a $15/month tablet data plan.
  • MetroSmart Hotspot devices are half-off, and the $35/month hotspot data plan will include 20GB (instead of 10GB) of data for 60 days.

How Does T-Mobile Connect Compare to Other Low-Cost Plans?

While the new T-Mobile Connect prepaid plans offer customers an incredible deal, it’s also important to know that there are a lot of comparable cheap plans out there. Most of the cheap plans you find will be from MVNOs, but some of the Big Four carriers have good deals too.

For example, Sprint’s Unlimited Kickstart Plan gives you unlimited data, talk, and text for just $35/month. However, it’s important to note that Sprint offers 30% nationwide 4G coverage compared to T-Mobile’s 62% 4G coverage.

AT&T also offers a great 8GB/month prepaid plan that costs $25/month. The only catch is that you need to pay for it one year in advance—$300 upfront, which may not be feasible if you’re trying to save money during the pandemic. That said, AT&T offers 6% more nationwide coverage than T-Mobile, and you’re getting an additional 3GB of data each month compared to the T-Mobile Connect $25/month plan.

If you don’t need that much data, Mint Mobile’s 3-month introductory offer gives you 3GB of high-speed data, plus unlimited talk and text for $15/month. Mint is on T-Mobile’s network too, but you need to pay for all three months in advance which comes to $45 upfront. After the introductory 3-month period, the pricing increases to $25/month, which is still a decent deal.

If you want to keep the price at $15/month, you’ll need to switch to a 12-month plan. It’s the same network and same monthly price as T-Mobile’s Connect 2GB plan, but it gives you 1GB of data more each month and you’ll need to pay for an entire year upfront.

Take a look at other low-cost plans listed below, or if you’d prefer to customize your search results, head over to our search engine to find your next plan today.

Other Ways T-Mobile is Responding to COVID-19

T-Mobile has signed the FCC’s pledge to help Americans stay connected through this challenging time. The Keep Americans Connected Pledge states:

  • Mobile services will not be turned off as a result of a customer’s inability to pay.
  • All late fees will be waived.

In addition to the Keep Americans Connected Pledge, T-Mobile has added the following 60-day promise to its customers, starting March 13th and ending around May 13th:

  • Customers with postpaid limited data plans will get unlimited data.
  • T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers with a mobile plan that includes hotspot data will get an additional 20GB of hotspot data (10GB each month).
  • Students in the EmpowerED program will get at least 20GB of data per month.
  • Lifeline customers will get 5GB of free data per month.
Marisa Crane
Written by
Marisa Crane