AT&T vs Tello: Which carrier is best?
We compared AT&T & Tello Mobile plans, coverage & customer ratings: Which cell phone service is best for you?
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About Rob
Rob has 15+ years experience running price comparison & review websites that empower consumers to find the cheapest cell phone services, cell phone deals, home phone, and internet providers available. He has been published in Forbes, US News, Entrepreneur, Huffington Post, Inc.
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5G wireless networks, cell phone plans, cell phone deals, MVNOs, internet services, tablets, comparison shopping, money saving, reviewing telecom products & services
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About Amanda
Amanda has 20+ years of experience as an educator. Her teaching career, paired with her love for research and technology, has led her to MoneySavingPro. Her personal experience with eSIMs and MVNOs after switching her entire family away from big wireless in the last few years has taught her the ins and outs of the industry. And saved her hundreds per month.
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Writing, editing, proofreading, researching, blogging, collaborating, communicating, CMS, eSIMs, MVNOs, 5G home internet & comparison
Last updated on October 13th, 2023
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Looking to switch carrier but not sure if Tello or AT&T is better?
Within this guide, you'll be able to compare Tello and AT&T coverage, features, plans and prices side-by-side, so you can decide for yourself which carrier offers the best deal.
AT&T vs Tello: Coverage & Plan Comparison 2023
Tello vs AT&T plans
Tello 0GB
- T-Mobile 5G & 4G LTE networks Tello operates on the T-Mobile 5G & 4G LTE networks. This allows you to receive the same wireless coverage but at a fraction of the cost.
- Unlimited talk and text
- 0GB data
- $804 in annual savings Savings are calculated comparing the cost of the Tello 0GB vs an unlimited data plan from T-Mobile, AT&T or Verizon over the first 12 months.
$8/mo
Tello phone plans keep things simple with their wireless service. None of those hidden fees or long-term contracts that'll leave you feeling trapped.
With free international calls to 60+ countries on all plans, including Canada and Mexico, and a range of data allowances suitable for light to heavy users.
Pros
- T-Mobile 5G & 4G LTE wireless coverage
- Free international calling to 60+ countries
- Free mobile hotspot included
- Excellent score on Trustpilot
- eSIM compatible
Cons
- No international roaming
- No multi-line discounts
- Not only are their plans affordable for all budgets, but you can build your own plan. Depending on your usage, you get to choose how much data, minutes, and texts you need, so you're not paying for stuff you don't use.
- It's always worth checking your data usage as a set data plan could save money and help restrict excessive phone usage.
- Mobile hotspot is available with a limit of 5 GB of data.
- Tello doesn't offer any discounts if you purchase multiple lines, so if you're looking to get a plan for another family member, each line is billed as a single line at full price. However, you can still save money due to the low cost of their individual plans.
- Being online-based means that activation of an eSIM plan can take just a few clicks, or you can have a SIM card mailed to you.
Compare AT&T unlimited plans
| Plan | Data | Monthly Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Unlimited Starter | Unlimited | $65 | $780 |
| AT&T Unlimited Extra | Unlimited | $75 | $900 |
| AT&T Unlimited Premium | Unlimited | $85 | $1,020 |
AT&T vs Tello comparison
Keep your AT&T phone, number & coverage: Save $600 per year
| Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G/5G Data | Price | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | AT&T 4G & 5G | Unlimited | $75/mo | $900/yr |
| Tello | AT&T 4G & 5G | Unlimited | $25/mo | $300/yr |
| Savings | $50/mo | $600/yr | ||
Tello vs AT&T coverage
Tello is powered by T-Mobile. Coverage can vary depending on your location. You can check their availability in your area by using our coverage checker.
Tello coverage
Tello is powered by T-Mobile 5G & 4G LTE wireless networks.
AT&T coverage
Find the cheapest cell phone service in your area
Enter your ZIP code below to find the best cell phone service in your area.
Tello vs AT&T plan features
| Carrier Features | Tello | AT&T |
|---|---|---|
| Networks | T-Mobile | AT&T |
| Data Speed | 5G & 4G LTE | 5G & 4G LTE |
| 3G Network | GSM | GSM |
| Mobile Hotspot | ||
| Bring Your Phone | ||
| Keep Your Number | ||
| Contract | No - prepaid | No - Postpaid |
| Credit Check | ||
| Customer Service | 24/7 | |
| Money Back Guarantee | Yes - 3 days | |
| 5G | 0 | |
| Taxes/fees included | ||
| VoLTE | ||
| WiFi Calling | ||
| Visual Voicemail | ||
| Multi-line Discounts | ||
| Multi-month Discounts | ||
| International Calls | Yes - Includes Mexico, Canada & China | |
| International Roaming |
Tello vs AT&T customer service
Tello customer service
Contact Tello customer care
Call (866) 377-0294
Tag @tellomobile on Twitter
AT&T customer service
Contact AT&T customer care
Call (800) 331-0500
Tag @att on Twitter
AT&T vs AT&T FAQs
AT&T is an MVNO with T-Mobile 5G & 4G wireless coverage, they offer cell phone plans starting at $8/mo. While AT&T's phone plans start at $65/mo.
AT&T is powered by the T-Mobile network, they offer much cheaper cell phone service than AT&T. However, because AT&T is an MVNO, data speeds may be slowed during peak times.
Most recent AT&T phones should work with AT&T as long as the device is unlocked. Before signing up, you can check your device's compatibility on the AT&T website.
No. AT&T operates on the T-Mobile 5G & 4G LTE wireless networks.
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