Frequently asked questions

• Every price comes from a live carrier, MVNO or affiliate feed in US dollars.
• We calculate the total monthly cost from the plan's advertised monthly rate multiplied by the number of lines you select.
• If a plan has promotional pricing, autopay requirements, or line-count tiers, we show those conditions next to the price so you can compare the real amount you will pay.

• Coverage area describes the geographic region where a carrier's network is filed with the FCC.
• We match each plan to the carrier's underlying network (for example Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile) and show the latest 4G/5G coverage percentage for your state from the FCC Broadband Data Collection.
• A higher percentage means more of that state has reported coverage, not a guarantee of signal at your exact address.

• Activation fees, SIM kit charges, taxes and regulatory fees are added to a plan only when the carrier or feed discloses them.
• If we do not have a documented fee, we do not guess: the price card shows the base monthly cost and any known extras in the 'What you actually pay' section.
• Always check the carrier's checkout page for the final total before you complete an order.

• A verified plan is one that we have matched to a live source — either an approved affiliate feed or the carrier's own public pricing — and checked within our refresh window.
• Verified plans display a verification date and source link.
• Plans without a current source are hidden from rankings until they can be confirmed, so you are not shown stale or invented offers.

• Our 4G and 5G coverage figures come from the FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC), the official US government dataset that carriers file on a regular schedule.
• Tower and structure information comes from the FCC Antenna Structure Registration (ASR) database.
• We do not estimate coverage ourselves — we only display what has been filed and verified.

• Some carriers or MVNOs have not filed BDC coverage data for every technology, speed tier or geographic area.
• When no filing exists, we show 'Not filed yet' instead of making up a number.
• You can still check the carrier's own coverage map or use our tower lookup to see registered structures near you.

• Use the coverage checker on /coverage or any carrier page.
• Enter a ZIP code and we translate it to the corresponding state, then show the latest filed 4G/5G percentage for the networks that serve that area.

• Not necessarily.
• A registered structure shows where equipment has been reported to the FCC, but it does not prove that a specific carrier leases space on that tower or broadcasts from it.
• Always confirm real-world coverage with the carrier before switching.

• We participate in affiliate programmes, including the Awin network.
• When you click a tracked link on our site and sign up or purchase from a carrier or retailer, we may receive a commission.
• This does not change the price you pay.

• Links that start with /go route through our own redirect before sending you to the carrier or retailer.
• They carry an anonymous click reference so the network can credit the sale back to us if you complete a qualifying purchase.

• Only approved and joined Awin programmes can pay commission.
• If an advertiser has not approved us yet, the link still takes you to the right page but no commission is tracked.
• Our deals page and footer disclose when a placement is sponsored.

• Read the full disclosure on our Affiliate Disclosure page.

Affiliate disclosure →

• Carriers, MVNOs and phone retailers can apply through our partner programme.
• Once approved, you receive a partner dashboard where you can view your tracked links, clicks and reported earnings.

Partner programme →

• If you are already an Awin publisher, visit the Approvals section in our admin tools to see every US wireless advertiser we track and open the Awin merchant directory to apply.
• We also run a nightly sync that automatically imports offers once an advertiser approves us and enables a product feed.

• Partner applications on PhonePlanCompare are reviewed manually, usually within a few business days.
• Awin advertiser approvals are handled by each advertiser and can take anywhere from a few hours to several weeks.

• Email us at contact@phoneplancompare.com for support, press or partnership questions.

• Open your phone's data settings and look at the last three months.
• Most people use far less high-speed data than the plan they pay for, because unlimited is sold as insurance rather than need.
• Write down the highest month, not the average.
• That is the number your plan needs to cover comfortably.

• Coverage is decided by the towers, not the brand.
• A $25 MVNO plan on Verizon towers uses the same masts as a $65 Verizon plan; what differs is data priority during congestion and extras like hotspot.
• Ask neighbours or colleagues which network works in the places you spend most time, then filter to plans on that network.

• Check whether taxes and fees are included, whether the price assumes autopay and paperless billing, and whether the first months are a promotional rate that later rises.
• For families, compare the total monthly bill for the number of lines you actually need, since per-line pricing changes with line count.

• Confirm the plan supports your handset, whether it needs a nano-SIM or offers eSIM, and that you can keep your number. eSIM plans can usually be activated within minutes, which makes trialling a cheaper carrier low risk.

• Light use — messaging, maps, email and some music — usually lands between 2 GB and 5 GB a month.
• Moderate use with daily social media and occasional video is typically 10 GB to 20 GB.
• Heavy use, streaming video on mobile data daily or tethering a laptop, is where unlimited plans start to earn their price.

• If you are on Wi-Fi at home and at work, your mobile data need is usually a fraction of what carriers assume.
• Downloading playlists and maps over Wi-Fi before you travel can cut monthly usage substantially.

• Capped plans usually slow to around 2G speeds rather than charging overage, which is usable for messaging but not video.
• Unlimited plans have a high-speed threshold too — after it, you may be deprioritised when the local tower is busy.

• An eSIM is a SIM built into your phone that is programmed by software instead of by swapping a plastic nano-SIM card.
• Most iPhones since the XS and most recent Android flagships support it, and many phones can hold several eSIM profiles at once.

• You can activate a new carrier in minutes, often while keeping your old line active, which makes testing coverage before you commit painless.
• Travellers can add a local or regional data eSIM without losing their home number.

• Your phone must be carrier-unlocked, and some prepaid brands still require a nano-SIM for the first activation.
• Transferring an eSIM to a new handset needs a carrier-issued QR code or transfer flow, so keep account access handy.

• Postpaid carriers lower the per-line price as you add lines, so four lines often cost less than twice the price of two.
• Prepaid brands more often charge a flat per-line price, which can still beat a discounted postpaid family plan.

• Not everyone in a household needs the same plan.
• Pairing one unlimited line with three small capped lines is frequently the cheapest correct answer.
• Separate accounts on different carriers can save more than a bundled family plan, at the cost of managing more than one bill.

• Prepaid plans are paid up front, need no credit check, and are usually cheaper for the same data.
• Postpaid plans bill in arrears, may require a credit check, and bundle perks like device financing and streaming subscriptions.

• During congestion, postpaid customers on premium plans are typically served before prepaid and MVNO customers on the same towers.
• In most places and most hours this is not noticeable; at a stadium or a festival it is.

• Do not cancel your old service first.
• Porting your number automatically closes the old line at the right moment.
• Collect your account number and transfer PIN from your current carrier, and make sure your handset is unlocked.

• Activate the new eSIM or SIM and start the port request with your existing number and details exactly as your old carrier holds them.
• Ports usually complete in minutes and legally must complete within one business day for wireless numbers.

• On iPhone, open Settings, General, About and look for an EID number.
• If an EID is listed, the phone can hold an eSIM. iPhone XS and later support it; iPhone 14 and later sold in the United States have no physical SIM tray at all.
• On Android, open Settings, About phone or Network and internet, and look for an EID or for Add eSIM under SIM options.
• Pixel 3 and later and recent Samsung Galaxy S and Z models support eSIM.
• The phone must also be carrier-unlocked.
• A handset still being paid off on a contract is often locked until the balance is cleared.

• Not every operator offers eSIM on every plan, and some support it for new lines only, not for a line moved across from a physical SIM.
• Each plan page on this site states whether the plan supports eSIM, taken from the operator's own listing.
• Where an operator has not stated it, we leave it blank instead of assuming.
• Prepaid brands riding the big three networks usually support eSIM; a few smaller MVNOs still ship physical SIMs only.

• Keep your old SIM active while you set the new one up.
• Nothing is cancelled until the number transfer completes.
• After buying, the operator sends either a QR code or an activation code.
• On iPhone, go to Settings, Cellular, Add eSIM; on Android, Settings, Network and internet, SIMs, Add eSIM.
• Scan the code over Wi-Fi.
• Activation usually takes a few minutes.
• Some carriers ask you to confirm your identity or enter a confirmation code first.

• You need your current account number and transfer PIN from the old carrier, plus the billing name and address exactly as they hold them.
• A mismatch is the most common reason a port stalls.
• Start the port from the new carrier, never by cancelling the old one.
• Wireless ports normally complete within minutes and must legally complete within one business day.
• Once the port completes, the old line closes by itself.
• Only then remove the old SIM or delete the old eSIM profile.

• With two lines active, name them (for example Personal and Work) so calls and messages go out from the right number.
• Set the default line for mobile data.
• On a travel eSIM this matters most — leaving your home line on data abroad is how people come back to a roaming bill.
• Turn off data roaming on the line you are not using, and check that Wi-Fi calling is enabled on the line you want for calls.

• Reset the data counter when the new plan starts so you can see real usage against the allowance you paid for.
• Most people use less high-speed data than they expect.
• If you finish the first month well under the allowance, a cheaper tier is usually available.
• If you go over, check what the plan does next: some slow you down for the rest of the cycle, others charge per gigabyte.
• Plan pages here state which, where the operator publishes it.

• No service after activation: restart the phone, then check the new line is switched on and set as the data line.
• Port stuck: almost always a mismatch in the account number, transfer PIN or billing address.
• Correct it with the new carrier — the old carrier cannot push the port through for you.
• Deleted the eSIM by accident: profiles cannot always be re-added from the same QR code.
• Ask the carrier to reissue one; most do this free.