Do I Have To Change My Cell Phone Number If I Move

Switching wireless providers isn't like shooting fish in a barrel. Although there are three major networks in the U.s., the bodily number of wireless carriers and plans is significantly college. Sifting through all of the confusing mess can overwhelm the all-time of us. Nosotros want to help make this process a fleck easier. Hither's a guide to how to cull a cellphone programme in 2022.

Read more: Best Unlimited Phone Plans in 2022

Which network works best for you lot?

Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile logos on smartphone screens — Sarah Tew/CNET

In the US there are three major networks: AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. All 3 offer services directly and accept robust nationwide networks that offer 4G LTE and 5G.

The most of import aspect of choosing a network is finding one that works in your surface area. This makes it very difficult for us to give a coating recommendation of any one carrier. For example, T-Mobile'due south service in New York may be excellent, only if yous're in rural Iowa, Verizon is more reliable.

While your mileage may vary, the good news is that these networks are growing and improving all the time, particularly every bit the three major players race to coating the US with 5G. It's quite possible that a decade ago you lot left a network complaining about its sparse service, only now it has beefed itself up considering of that artillery race to acquire customers.

Read more: Best Prepaid Plans in 2022

If you know any friends or family in your area that already employ the carrier you lot are because, inquire about their experience. You could likewise go to a carrier's shop and see if it offers any free means to try out the service before switching over, such equallyT-Mobile'southward Exam Drive. Those interested in trialing Verizon's service can do so through Visible'due south similar program (so long equally you have an unlocked iPhone).

Here is a comparison of how some of the latest plans from AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. For this chart, nosotros focused on each carrier's cheapest plan equally well as their respective "centre" options that we call up could brand sense for most people.

Information technology is worth noting that some plans, like T-Mobile's Magenta and Verizon'south Play More, include streaming perks similar Netflix or the Disney Bundle (Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu).

Verizon Play More and AT&T Unlimited Premium also don't crave you to have every line on the same programme, and then if merely i of your family unit programme'south lines needs extra hotspot data, you tin drop the others downwards to cheaper options and save a piddling at that place (Verizon but needs one line on an account to exist on Play More for you to be able to get its Disney perks).

Wireless Plans Compared

	Total data	Price for one line (with AutoPay)	5G	High-speed hotspot	Cost for iv lines (with AutoPay)
T-Mobile Base Essentials	Unlimited	$45	Yes	Yes (but at "3G speeds")	$120
AT&T Value Plus	Unlimited	$45	Yeah	No	North/A
Verizon Welcome Unlimited	Unlimited	$65	Yep (5G nationwide just)	No	$120
T-Mobile Magenta	Unlimited	$lxx	Yes	5GB per line	$140
AT&T Unlimited Extra	Unlimited	$75	Yeah	15GB per line	$160
Verizon Play More	Unlimited	$fourscore	Yep	25GB per line	$180

Know the smaller and prepaid players

Logos for Visible, Mint Mobile and Google Fi on smartphone screens — Visible, Google Fi and Mint Mobile are just a few of the many MVNOs that rely on larger networks.
Sarah Tew/CNET

While AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon operate the major networks, there are a number of smaller wireless providers that offer service on their airwaves. First, there are the prepaid brands each carrier owns. Verizon has Visible, AT&T has Cricket and T-Mobile has Metro. All utilize their parent's respective networks for service.

As for smaller players, they too rely on the larger networks for service. Mint Mobile and Google Fi, for example, use T-Mobile's network, while cable companies Comcast and Spectrum rely on Verizon for their respective Xfinity Mobile and Spectrum Mobile brands.

Boost Mobile, which is now owned by Dish, uses a combination of T-Mobile and AT&T, while Dish builds out its own 5G network.

The benefit of these smaller carriers -- many of which are known equally something chosen MVNOs (or mobile virtual network operators) -- is that you can get access to the larger provider'due south service at a more affordable rate. If you found that Verizon works best where you alive merely its service is too pricey, switching to Visible, Spectrum Mobile or Xfinity Mobile could potentially permit yous to continue similar coverage but pay a fleck less (though you lot may lose out on another perks like free streaming services).

We've broken down a few of these providers, including who uses which network and some of the trade-offs you'll desire to keep in mind.

Know how much yous owe on your installment plan

iPhone 13 Pro Max — Getting a new iPhone at a deep discount from a carrier often requires a big commitment.
Patrick Kingdom of the netherlands/CNET

Two-yr contracts take thankfully largely disappeared from the US wireless market. Unfortunately, they now seem prepare to exist replaced past increasingly longer installment plans.

With the iPhone 13 deals, AT&T required agreeing to a 36-month installment plan every bit part of its terms to become a free device. T-Mobile has been request for a commitment of 30 months to get its deals while Verizon experimented with going from 24 months to 30 months.

Verizon has since followed AT&T and only offers 36-month installment options. T-Mobile still has options for 24 months, though pricier devices like Samsung'southward Milky way Z Fold 3 would need a 36-month plan should y'all want to finance it monthly.

With these longer timelines you can get a pricey new phone for significantly less, but y'all need to stay on that carrier (and potentially with a pricier unlimited plan) for two or 3 years. If you leave before that fourth dimension has passed you risk needing to pay out the balance owed on the telephone, which some providers require before they "unlock" the device to exist used on other networks.

A good thing, even so, is that the major carriers often offer several hundred dollars when you switch to subsidize the modify. But you lot will want to check your account online or go into your carrier'due south shop to find out how much you might still owe on your phone before y'all leave.

Decide if you should keep your current phone

The modernization of phones and networks means that your existing phone will probably piece of work just fine on a new carrier and all the major wireless carriers offer a similar array of the latest devices, peculiarly when it comes to the iPhone and the Galaxy lines.

To make the most of whatsoever switch y'all'll probably want to take this opportunity to upgrade your device especially if it'southward a few years one-time and lacks modern features like 5G. There are often extra deals when adding or opening a new line to help pay off any installment programme or get you a improve device.

If you'd rather keep what you take, your existing device will probably work just fine so long as it is unlocked from your prior provider.

Know your discounts

Proceed in mind that all of the carriers offer additional savings that you could be eligible for depending on your employer, armed forces condition, student status or even age. If you're on a family unit plan, perhaps a family member qualifies even if yous don't.

First responders, military members, veterans, nurses and teachers, in particular, tin go discounts from every major carrier. Verizon offers discounts for students, while T-Mobile's Work perk could knock $10 a month off a Magenta Max plan and AT&T offers a like programme for its Unlimited Elite plan that information technology calls Signature.

If you're 55 or older, you may also be eligible for a discounted plan: T-Mobile offers discounted plans nationwide for equally low as $55 a month for ii lines, while Verizon and AT&T offer similar options but simply for Florida residents.

We break down the discounts in greater particular here: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile.

This could save you money if you switch, or potentially lower your current rate a bit and save yous the hassle of changing providers.

Empathize the perks

If you lot have the right Verizon program yous could become gratuitous Disney Plus.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Many of the major carriers bundle in perks for using their higher-terminate unlimited plans, specially streaming services. Verizon offers the Disney Bundle (Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus) to those with its Play More than and Get More than unlimited plans and T-Mobile offers Netflix, Paramount Plus and Apple Tv set Plus with its Magenta and Magenta Max offerings. The Paramount offer is also available even to those with older T-Mobile or Sprint plans.

Fifty-fifty prepaid and smaller carriers like Cricket (HBO Max with Ads), Metro past T-Mobile (Amazon Prime Video) and US Mobile (a multifariousness of options) offer perks with their unlimited plans.

Read more: Best Streaming Service Deals

In addition, some Verizon plans (like the elevation Get More option) include Apple tree Music, while T-Mobile'due south Magenta and Magenta Max too offer in-flight Wi-Fi and unlimited data abroad. T-Mobile'south Metro offers 100GB of Google One storage likewise as an Amazon Prime membership. AT&T gives six months of free gaming with Google's Stadia Pro and Nvidia's GeForce Now.

If you're already paying for i or more of these subscriptions, switching to the right provider could be a way to aid you lot save even more than.

We'll proceed to update this with more cellphone programme tips.