Is the $45 dollar plan unlimited data?
The $45 phone plan is one of our favorite bundles for people looking to get a good data package without having to spend much. However, we often find ourselves answering one specific question – is the $45 plan unlimited data? Let's break it down.
The Benefit of the $45 Plan
First, let's look at what you get with the $45 monthly phone plan
- Specifically unlimited talk and text
- An embed with 10 GB of 4G LTE data
- Mobile hotspot capability
- Nationwide coverage
- No annual contracts
Thus, at $45 per month, you get practically no limited calls and texts which is quite reasonable nowadays. To me, the important component is the 10GB of high-speed data. This helps you enjoy video streaming, music, social networks, and the internet without worrying about going over your allotted data usage. 10GB is quite reasonable and a good average size that would suit most people comfortably.
The 10GB of data is not limitless, hence once one passes the limit, the internet connection rapidly slows down and streaming films or downloading files almost becomes impossible. The moment you cross this 10GB limit within the billing cycle period, your data speed reduces to 3G speed. Thus it can be said that it is not an unlimited plan in the strict sense of the term.
Even though it is used widely, the term ‘unlimited data’ is rather ambiguous for most people and has several meanings.
When a phone provider tells you you may use as much data as required, it usually does not mean the user will be able to use as much 4G LTE as they like. At least from what I have seen so far, it would be too great of a demand on networks and is difficult to provide.
Unlimited plans, however, give you full data speeds until you reach a limit, where your subsequently limited or “throttled” speeds remain for the rest of the billing cycle. It also varies depending on the carrier and plan and there is a minimum deductible that has to be met before the insured is reimbursed.
Thus, unlimited data simply means you will not be charged any extra fees for your additional consumption. Your data access is not infinite as commonly referred to in most of the cloud hosting services.
Comparing Unlimited Data Plans
With the unlimited plans, Verizon and AT&T Internet offer you 22GB of data for high-speed LTE. You get to 3G speeds after you use up to 22GB of data.
T-Mobile and Sprint are also different in that they have very distinct ways in which they operate their business and manage their affairs. They ‘prioritize’ data for those who consume up to 50GB, and this means that the more traffic you consume, the slower you will be in zones where many people connect.
While our $45 no-contract plan can be said to provide customers with unlimited high-speed data, it is not entirely accurate. However, given the volume and type of data, it is fairly affordable and that puts it among the most attractive plan options for individuals. For this reason, if you require as much data as is stated above at full speed, be ready to pay roughly $65-$85 with the big boys.
The Bottom Line
But using the term “unlimited” for the phone plans is not completely off the mark these days as there are certain limits to it. It is important to note that few providers provide unlimited full-speed data. That is always true, there were strings attached, and there are always some kind of thresholds that enable the carriers to have some management capability over the networks.
However, when comparing plans strictly based on their unlimited data provisions, certain nuances should be taken into account. Find out the broad restrictions and the specific 4G LTE banning and restriction rules. And that will enable you to keep your expectations in check.
Here the $45 prepaid deal comes with a good 10GB of High Speed data which we deem enough bandwidth for most users. Although it might be rare, if you ever exceed it one month, your speeds just slow down to 3G speeds for that month. In that way, while not unlimited, it is very flexible and a great value.
Okay, I think that clears up what unlimited data means for carriers and why our $45 plan looks like it does. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!
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