Ting is one of dozens of carriers in the United States called Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs).
This carrier, headquartered in Ontario, Canada, and Starkville, MS, was founded in 2012 on the concept of only charging its customers for exactly what they use.
If you think that sounds different from most mobile carriers, you're right. And that's not the only way Ting differs from other wireless service providers. The vast majority of MVNOs offer prepaid service.
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Ting's no-contract plans are postpaid - meaning you are charged at the end of your billing cycle instead of at the beginning. This allows you to pay only for the actual minutes, texts, and data you use rather than paying a high price for a huge plan you don't use up.
Another major advantage of Ting is that your calling minutes apply to 60+ countries in addition to the United States. Plus, they offer international roaming for people who travel outside the country. And because Ting operates on both Sprint and T-Mobile service you can bring either a GSM or CDMA phone to your plan.
Sound good so far? Then keep reading to learn more in our full Ting review.
In This Guide
Key Considerations When Choosing Ting
There are a few very important things to ask yourself before you make a final decision on Ting mobile cell phone plans:
- Is my location within the Ting coverage area?
- Do I need a large data bucket or will 3 GB or less be plenty?
- Which do I favor more heavily - talking or texting?
- Do I frequently call outside the US?
- Am I bringing my own device or buying another one?
Ting Pricing: Is It Competitive?
One thing you need to know upfront is that this provider is best for people who don't need an unlimited data plan. Light users will be pleased with the affordability while heavy users will find their bills adding up quickly.
For light to medium users the pricing is very competitive because your calls, texts, and data are measured before you're billed. This means, for example, if you only use 100 minutes, that's all you'll pay for.
If you use more than 3 GB of high-speed data per month (you can determine how much you need with our data usage calculator) you'll find lower pricing with some of our other featured MVNOs, like Mint Mobile.
Coverage
As we said earlier you'll have your choice of cell service through one of two networks. Once you decide which one is best for you, you'll sign up for service and order a Ting SIM card (at a cost of $1).
Let's take a look at the coverage offered on these two networks.
According to OpenSignal, Sprint customers get a 4G signal 85.7% of the time. This places them fourth among the big four wireless networks, although only by a couple of percentage points. As long as you don't live in a remote rural area you should get a strong signal. Check out the Sprint coverage map to see if this is an option in your area.
T-Mobile is known for its strong 4G LTE service in metropolitan areas. It's no slouch across the rest of the nation either, just be sure you've verified that there's service in your location before signing up.
Ting Phone Options
As with most other MVNOs, you can easily bring your own device to Ting. There's a high likelihood it'll be compatible because of the fact that this provider uses both GSM and CDMA networks.
As far as buying a new phone, Ting does sell a decent range of devices. They also offer to finance through a company called Affirm. We typically advise against this option as interest rates vary and can be high if you don't have great credit.
The most affordable option outside of keeping your current phone is to buy a refurbished phone compatible with Ting. Reputable online sellers save you over 50% off retail on the most popular smartphones like Apple iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy series.
Any way you choose to go you can keep your own phone number. You may need to adjust some settings in your device, however. We make it easy with our guide to Ting APN settings.
Recap
As we mentioned, Sprint's pricing is the same as Ting for the same amount of data, but with unlimited talk and text.
If you've determined that an unlimited plan is more your speed, we've got plenty of affordable options for that as well. Check out some of the other Sprint MVNOs and T-Mobile MVNOs to find the best features and rates to fit your needs.
Upgrading to a new phone? Save at least 50% by going with a used or refurbished device.
Finally, if you'd like to read real feedback from people who use this carrier, head over to our Ting customer reviews.
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