Spectrum Mobile Review: Plans, Pricing, Features, & More

I want the most value when using internet and cellular services. My journey to find the best plan has led me to Spectrum Mobile. I compiled a bunch of information to help you determine whether it’s worth getting.

Read along, and you’ll learn about the following:

• Pros & cons
• Packages, pricing, & hidden fees
• Coverage
• Available phone models
• Deals & promotions
• Customer service
• How to get started
• Internet-only package plans & pricing
• Spectrum Mobile vs. the competition

Keep reading and determine this service’s worth.

Spectrum Mobile Pros & Cons

Here are the pros and cons of Spectrum Mobile:

Pros:

• Great trade-in bonus deals
• Uses Verizon’s towers
• Wide selection of modern phones

Cons:

• Only accessible for customers with a Spectrum broadband internet plan
• No free calling or data when in Mexico & Canada

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Spectrum Mobile Plans & Pricing

Charter Spectrum cellular plans include the following:

Tier	Price	Soft Data Cap	Speed After Exceeding Cap
Unlimited	$29.99/mo. per Line	30 GB per Line	1.0 Mbps (DL) 512 Kbps (UL)
Unlimited Plus	$39.99/mo. per Line	20 GB per Line	1.0 Mbps (DL) 512 Kbps (UL)
By The Gig	$14 per GB	5 GB per Line	256 Kbps (DL & UL)

Spectrum Mobile plans compared.

Spectrum Mobile offers 2 plans. Unlimited and by the gig. Pay an extra $10, and you’ll have an additional 10 gigabytes (GB) added to your soft data allowance.

Not worth the upgrade, in my experience.

Additional tidbits to know include:

• Plans are contract-free
• Share data with up to 110 lines with By the Gig
• Data isn’t shareable with Unlimited plans
• Spectrum allows you to bring your own device
• Only usable if you have a home internet plan

What can you do with 1 gigabyte (GB) of data?

Spectrum’s Gig mobile plan landing page has a great illustration [1]:

Take those numbers as a grain of salt. But use them as a benchmark.

“HD” refers to 720p HD resolution. Not 1080p FHD.

Double the amount of video you watch by sticking with 480p SD. It’ll give you an extra hour of video streaming [2].

I don’t recommend By The Gig if you intend on streaming videos. Or even using the Unlimited plans. Because you still have the soft data caps.

Soft data caps refer to throttled data speeds after exceeding a data allowance. I covered those numbers in the previous table.

If you want to stream videos while away from home, use Spectrum’s free Wi-Fi hotspots. I’ll talk about these a bit when I cover Spectrum’s broadband internet plans later in this guide.

Spectrum Mobile Hidden Fees

Additional fees for Spectrum Mobile include:

Charge	Amount
Activation Fee	$10
By The Gig Additional Data	$14 per GB

Spectrum Mobile additional fees.

You’ll only have to worry about the miniscule activation fee. Otherwise, By The Gig customers will pay an additional $14 per GB they use.

Check out Spectrum’s international rates for talk, text, and data.

Spectrum Mobile Roaming & International Data Rates

International rates will vary by country. Here are some benchmarks to help you determine Spectrum Mobile international pricing [3]:

Service	Rates to “X” Country	Rates from “X” Country
Talk	Up To $0.47 Per Min.	Up To $0.17 Per Min.
Text	Free	Up To $0.02 Per Message
Data	NA	Up To $0.04 Per Megabyte

Examples of Spectrum Mobile international rates.

“To ‘X’ Country” refers to calling or texting someone in a different country. For instance, I’m in the U.S. and want to call someone in Sweden.

“From ‘X’ Country’ refers to me being abroad and calling or texting someone. Another example. I’m in Australia and want to call someone in Belgium.

Using data abroad will quickly add costs. Watch an hour’s worth of YouTube in 720p HD, and you’ll have used 870 MB. You’ll have spent around $35 in data.

You’re better off using Wi-Fi or getting a SIM card in a different country.

Visit the link above the table to get to Spectrum’s international rates tool. Type in the country you want to inquire, and you’ll find the talk, text, and data rates.

If you’re in the U.S., you can text any country for free.

Find text(able) and callable locations in the U.S. on Spectrum Mobile plans.

Spectrum Mobile Coverage

Spectrum Mobile uses Verizon’s cellular towers and have coverage in these areas [4]:

Here’s coverage in Alaska (no 5G here) and Hawaii:

The dark blue represents 4G LTE coverage. Light blue correlates with areas you can access 5G.

Here’s a link to the FCC’s map for Verizon’s coverage. Verizon submitted the map to them, so you may find a bit of bias. But having this information may help you learn more about Spectrum’s overall mobile coverage.

iPhones You Can Get From Spectrum Mobile

Spectrum Mobile offers the following iPhone models:

iPhone SE	iPhone 13 mini	iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 11	iPhone 13 Pro Max	iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 12	iPhone 14	iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 13

iPhone models Spectrum offers.

What Spectrum Phones Support eSIM?

The following Spectrum devices support embedded-SIM (eSIM):

• iPhone 12
• iPhone 13
• iPhone 13 Pro
• iPhone 14
• iPhone 14 Pro

You can also bring your own eSIM -compatible devices.

Android Phones You Can Get From Spectrum Mobile

Here are the Android phones Spectrum offers:

Galaxy Z Fold3 5G	Samsung Galaxy A03s	Google Pixel 6a
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G	Samsung Galaxy A13 5G	Motorola Moto G Pure
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G	Orbic Journey V	Samsung Galaxy A03s
Galaxy A53 5G	Galaxy Z Flip4	Galaxy S22+ 128 GB
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G	Galaxy S22 128 GB

Android phone models Spectrum Mobile offers.

Many of these phones have fantastic trade-in bonus offers. I’ll emphasize in the following section.

Spectrum Mobile, Phone, & Data Plan Deals

Get 1 line of a Spectrum Unlimited plan and a Wi-Fi router rental free for 1 year when ordering any Spectrum internet-only plan.

Once the promotion expires, you’ll pay the following standard prices:

Tier	Promo. Price	Post Promo.	Percentage Increase
Internet 300 Mbps	$49.99/mo.	$109.98/mo.	75%
Internet 500 Mbps	$69.99/mo.	$129.98/mo.	60%
Internet Gig	$89.99/mo.	$149.98/mo.	49%

Spectrum One price after 12 months.

“Post Promo.” prices factor in the $5.00 Wi-Fi router rental fee, the standard internet packages, and the $29.99 Unlimited line price.

Trade in old phones and get the phone’s trade-in value PLUS an extra $100–$500. The bonus trade-in credit will depend on the Spectrum Mobile phone you’re getting.

I created tables covering what bonus credit value their phones provide in a separate guide.

If you have an Apple Smartwatch, Spectrum will give your device a free data line for 3 months. These come in the form of $10 account credits [5].

In reality, Spectrum’s just giving you credit to keep you in their ecosystem.

Do you have a complaint about Spectrum Mobile? Find out who to talk to and how to reach them.

How To Reach Spectrum Mobile Customer Service

Spectrum Mobile users will need to call 833-224-6603 to reach Spectrum’s cellular customer service.

If that method doesn’t yield any results, try one of the following channels:

• Tweet at @ask_Spectrum
• Post a question on facebook.com/Spectrum
• Log in to your Spectrum account and use their online chat room

Ready to use Spectrum? Learn how to get started.

How To Get Started With Spectrum Mobile

Follow these steps to get started with Spectrum Mobile:

1. Order a Spectrum internet-only plan online or in-store
2. Buy a Spectrum phone OR
3. Bring Your Own Device
   1. Visit spectrum.com/mobile/byod-eligibility-check to ensure your phone’s eligible
   2. Backup and unlock your phone: skip this step if you have an unlocked phone
   3. Transfer your phone number: visit this link to learn how
4. Order your SIM card or eSIM card
5. Activate your service

Find available internet plans and determine whether it’s worth the effort to have access to Spectrum Mobile.

Spectrum Broadband Internet Packages, Pricing, & Features

Spectrum home internet plans include the following:

Tier	Promo. Price	Max. Speed (DL/UL)	Best For
Internet	$49.99/mo.	300/10 Mbps	Gaming & video streaming
Internet Ultra	$69.99/mo.	500/20 Mbps	Remote collaboration & price
Internet Gig	$89.99/mo.	1,000/35 Mbps	Livestreaming, remote workers, & downloading large files frequently

Charter Spectrum home internet plans.

Spectrum residential internet plans use hybrid coaxial/fiber connections and have asymmetric speeds (unequal DL/UL).

All plans work great for homes that stream any resolution videos frequently. Or download large files daily.

But they’re not the best plans for remote professionals who upload many large files for clients. Or for anyone who manages cloud storage setups.

Features for Spectrum’s home internet plans include:

• No hard data cap: use data to your heart’s content
• Free antivirus suite
• No contract: back out of your plan whenever
• 30-day money-back guarantee: helps you test Spectrum
• Free modem
• Over 500,000 free Wi-Fi hotspots

The antivirus suite doesn’t offer much value. It’s only for Windows and doesn’t offer anything that would convince (at least me) to switch from Windows Defender.

It’s nice to have a free modem. But it’s not a gateway. You’ll have to pay for a wireless router if you want Wi-Fi.

It’s $5.00 monthly. Eliminate this fee by buying a third-party router.

All Spectrum broadband internet plans have a $19.99 self-installation fee. There’s no avoiding this.

The Wi-Fi hotspots allow you to connect to any Wi-Fi access points named ‘Spectrum’ for free. These have varying speeds and give you the means to reduce the impact you make on your mobile plan’s soft data cap.

I talk about the Wi-Fi hotspots more in a separate guide.

For now, I want to talk about Spectrum Mobile’s competition.

Spectrum Mobile vs. The Competition

The following sections will compare Spectrum Mobile to competing cellular providers.

Spectrum Mobile vs. Verizon

Spectrum’s cellular service wins in these areas:

• No contract required
• More affordable

Otherwise, Verizon’s a better mobile provider in these spots:

• Complimentary perks like free Apple Arcade (or Google Play Pass) for 6 mo.
• More data plan options
• Higher soft data cap
• Offers discounts for some groups

Spectrum Mobile’s a better option if you have fewer than 5 people on your plan and want Verizon’s coverage.

If you have 5+ people on a Verizon Welcome Unlimited package. It’s $25 per line per month when you use more than 5 people. With this plan, you’ll also get unlimited talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada.

But the soft data cap isn’t as large as Spectrum’s.

Spectrum Mobile vs. AT&T

Times when Spectrum Mobile dominates include:

• More affordable
• More 4G LTE coverage

AT&T reigns as a better provider in these realms:

• Unlimited free talk, text, and data in Mexico & Canada
• Faster 5G

Choose Spectrum Mobile if you have less than 5 lines, want more 4G LTE coverage, and to have a high(ish) soft data cap.

If you need data, texting, or calling in Mexico or Canada, you’re better off choosing AT&T. Nurses, physicians, teachers, veterans, and those in the military will also find AT&T more beneficial.

They’ll only charge these groups $27 monthly per line if you get 4 lines.

Mint Mobile vs. Spectrum Mobile

Here’s why you’d want Spectrum Mobile:

• More 4G LTE coverage in rural areas

Choose Mint Mobile in these scenarios:

• Doesn’t require Spectrum internet plan
• Uses GSM network technology

Choose Spectrum Mobile over Mint if you’re getting a Spectrum broadband internet plan. And if you want more 4G LTE coverage in rural areas.

Since Mint Mobile uses T-Mobile’s towers, you won’t get as much coverage. Since Verizon has more 4G LTE coverage. But you’ll have more options regarding unlocked phones. Since they use GSM technology.

No having to buy a new phone.

If you don’t use Spectrum internet, pick Mint. If you do use the ISP, select Spectrum Mobile.

Spectrum Mobile vs. T-Mobile

Choose Spectrum’s cell phone plans if:

• More 4G LTE coverage
• Costs less

Go with T-Mobile in these scenarios:

• Faster data speeds
• Free Netflix subscription
• Military, senior, and first responder discounts
• 100 GB soft data cap

Spectrum Mobile works better than T-Mobile if you’re not a service member and have less than 4 people in your mobile package. It’s also a great alternative if you don’t have as much access to Wi-Fi when you’re away from home.

T-Mobile offers much better value since you get over triple the soft data cap, a free Netflix account, and cheaper prices for certain groups.

Google Fi vs. Spectrum Mobile

Spectrum Mobile wins in these areas:

• More 4G LTE coverage
• More phone options
• More affordable

Google Fi claims the crown in these areas:

• Unlimited international data
• Costs less per additional gigabyte on their by-the-gig plan
• Free VPN

Choose Spectrum Mobile in every scenario, except for if you frequently travel. Or if you’re an expatriate (expat).

Google’s Unlimited Plus plan has a whopping 50 GB soft data cap, unlimited hotspot tethering, and free data and texting in over 200 countries. The price per minute with calling, though.

It’s awful. $0.20 per minute.

FAQs: Spectrum Mobile

Read on to find commonly asked questions about Spectrum’s mobile service.

Wrapping up

Spectrum Mobile offers broadband internet customers a great value with their contract-free plans that have great 4G LTE coverage throughout the U.S. The provider only accepts unlocked CDMA phones, but they offer plenty of phones.

And they have a great trade-in program to help you get cheaper phones.

Learn more about all Spectrum’s services by checking out a separate review I wrote. See whether it’s worth integrating into your home.

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