Simple Mobile Review (Coverage, Customer Support, and Phones)
There are multiple factors to consider when shopping for cell phone service, but coverage tops the list of factors, and a suitable cell phone plan at the right price is just as important.
Simple Mobile background
Simple Mobile was founded in 2009 and acquired by America Movil as a TracPhone subsidiary in 2012. America Movil is one of the largest telecommunication corporations in the world and has over 20 million subscribers.
Simple Mobile operates on the T-Mobile MVNO network and advertises unlimited and international plans.
Simple Mobile coverage review
When shopping for cell phone service, shop for coverage first! After all, you no one wants a cell phone service with bad coverage.
Is Simple Mobile coverage any good? The answer to this question depends on geographic location. Some carriers have good coverage in certain areas and bad coverage in other areas.
I have activated many Simple Mobile sim cards for customers in the past, and I always check the coverage map to gauge the coverage strength.
The Simple Mobile coverage map shows strong coverage in some areas but does not seem to represent the actual coverage when you are in the area, as reported by some customers.
However, sometimes the lines are congested, and even though coverage can be reliable, heavy network traffic is the culprit, but that’s common amongst service providers.
According to Simple Mobile, you can optimize coverage by turning off your cell phone weekly for ten minutes. Doing so will help resolve network connectivity issues, loss of signal, and application freezing.
Simple Mobile tends to recommend this step for all connection issues when a customer calls customer support. This troubleshooting step resolves minor connection issues, but it is not intended to resolve internal network issues or lrovide better coverage when the lines are congested.
A closer look at Simple Mobile's coverage map
Simple Mobile’s coverage map shows reliable service in almost every state except for Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska.
Take a look at the Simple Mobile coverage map and see if it shows coverage in your area by zooming in and inspecting the areas you use your phone the most. You can also ask friends who have Simple Mobile service in your area about their experience.
The takeaway is that Simple Mobile’s coverage is not the best, but it’s good enough. It’s fairly decent and does not differ much from other prepaid service providers.
Is Simple Mobile truly unlimited?
Almost all service providers will slow down your connection when you exceed your data capacity, typically anywhere from 22 to 30GB in each billing cycle. On the other hand, Simple Mobile's $50 and $60 plans are truly unlimited.
For example, Boost Mobile will deprioritize data after 23GB in a billing cycle. T-Mobile and MetroPCS deprioritize data after 30GB, and AT&T and Verizon deprioritize data after 22GB.
Keep in mind that network speed will ultimately degrade if the network workload is larger than the network's capacity.
Does Simple Mobile Work in Mexico
Yes, Simple Mobile works in Mexico. All Simple Mobile’s 30-day plans include the following features:
- Unlimited Talk & Text in the U.S.
- Unlimited Global Text
- Unlimited International Calling to landlines in 64 countries (up to 15 unique numbers). See if your country is supported by using this tool.
- Unlimited International Calling to mobiles in Mexico, Canada, India, China, and 16 more countries (up to 15 unique numbers)
You can use any of Simple Mobile’s 30-day plans in Mexico the same way you would use your service in the U.S.
What you should know about international calling plans: According to Simple Mobile, “Each account is allowed to dial up to 15 unique international telephone numbers during a 30-day plan cycle, which resets each time a new plan is redeemed. Unlimited international calls are available to landline and mobile numbers in select destinations only, which are subject to change at any time. Calls must originate from the US, Puerto Rico, or Mexico.”
Always refer to Simple Mobile's latest terms and conditions for up to date details.
Are Simple Mobile phones unlocked?
All phones sold on Simple Mobile’s website are unlocked and priced competitively compared to eBay or Amazon. Additionally, you can use any T-Mobile or ATT&T/GSM unlocked device on any Simple Mobile plan.
Note that even if you have an unlocked phone, you still have to program the APN settings to connect to the internet. Programming the APN settings is different for each version of Android or IOS operating device.
Simple Mobile Customer Support
Customers tend to forget to consider good customer service when they find a cell phone plan that’s within their budget or when they are enticed by a limited-time promotion.
When the price is the only considered factor for choosing a cell phone service, the buyer ends up disappointed when customer service problems arise.
Consider this when you encounter a problem with your cell phone service: How fast do you expect the problem to get fixed? What’s the longest time period you are willing to be left on hold? All these questions should be considered before choosing a cell phone provider.
Simple mobile customer service agents are available 7 days a week, 8 AM until 11:45 PM EST. They can be reached at 1-877-878-7908, but expect longer wait times compared to other prepaid service providers. Call Simple Mobile customer support and see how long it will take to connect with a live representative.
A drawback to Simple Mobile’s customer service experience is that they don’t have a 24-hour online chat.
Activating your Simple Mobile SIM card
Simple Mobile charges .99c for their sim cards. Some providers give away their sim cards for free, but 99c is not a hefty price to pay for a sim card.
To get a better deal on your sim card purchase and the first month of service, you can buy a preloaded SIM card on eBay or Amazon for a fraction of your plan’s price.
Activating a Simple Mobile SIM card is straightforward. You can do it by yourself or have a Simple Mobile representative do it for you. Either way, you will need to choose a plan beforehand.