Frugal Cell Phone Provider; My Honest Tello Mobile Review

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tello Mobile. All opinions are my own. I will receive compensation from purchases made through links in this post.

Read my Tello Mobile Review to learn everything you need to know about this awesome phone provider!

A few months ago my husband and I decided that my oldest needed a cell phone number. This was honestly not an easy decision to come to. The problem was that we didn’t want to add a lot of money to our already expensive cell phone plan. I really didn’t want to spend another $40 a month! But then, I heard about Tello Mobile. “It’s awesome!” My friend told me, “It only costs $5 a month! His phone is still locked down, but he at least has a way to reach us, and it hardly costs us anything!” Immediately I knew this was exactly what we needed! To my happy surprise, Tello emailed me the very next week and asked me if I would like to try out their service for one month in exchange for a review. I was so excited to give it a try! This is my completely honest Tello Mobile review.

What is Tello Mobile?

Tello Mobile is an MNVO (Mobile Virtual Network Provider), meaning it rents space on a larger provider network and sells it to the consumer at a discount. This gives us, the consumer, an affordable option on high quality cell phone providers, which is amazing for all of us!

Tello uses the Sprint Network to offer 4G LTE coverage throughout the entire United States. This network is prepaid, meaning no contracts and no hidden fees (a huge plus in my book!). If you are looking for a no strings attached cell phone plan, Tello is where it’s at!

Tello Mobile FAQ

What plans can I choose from?

Tello offers two different types of plans, a “Build Your Own” plan or a “Pre-Built” package.

The Build Your Own plan offers a huge variety of options, making it easy to customize for your individual needs. The choices are endless! Feel free to choose from no minutes or up to unlimited talk and text. You can choose a no data plan or unlimited everything plan! Once you reach the 25GB limit your 4G LTE data will be reduced to 2G speeds! The sky is the limit when it comes to these plans, so feel free to choose what is best for you!

If you don’t want to customize your plan, the pre-built packages are a great option! Tello offers four packages to choose from and these plans vary from $10/month and up to $39/month.

We opted for a “Build Your Own” plan. Our plan consists of 1 GB of data and unlimited minutes with free texting. This plan is only costing us $10 a month! Seriously, ten bucks!

How much is the activation fee?

Zero! That’s right, there is no activation fee! As a matter of fact, there are no hidden fees whatsoever! With Tello Mobile what you see is literally what you get.

Can I call international?

Yes! But, there are some limitations.

Calls within the United States, Mexico, Canada and China are included with your Tello Mobile plan.

However, if you want to make a call to another country you will need to add pay as you go credit to your account. Use the Tello website to check all of the international rates.

Related: How to Cut Your Budget; When There is Nothing Left to Cut

Will I be able to keep my own phone?

Yes! If your phone is compatible with the Sprint network you can totally keep using it with your Tello Mobile. My phone is meant for use with Verizon, so Tello provided me with a $10 SIM card to use. This was such a cheap, easy way to keep my phone while switching providers.

However, if you want a new phone, Tello can totally set you up with that as well! They have a wide variety of different types and models of phones (yes! both android and iphone!) to choose from.

How is the coverage?

Because Tello uses the Sprint Network, you can count on coverage similar to Sprint. We haven’t had a single dropped call or problem. The data has been a little slow from time to time, but for the most part it hasn’t felt any different than our old cell provider.

If you’re feeling unsure of the coverage quality, be sure to use Tellos website to check the coverage in your area. It’s super easy to do, just enter your address and Tello will tell you exactly what type of coverage you can expect in your area.

Can I keep my same phone number?

Absolutely! Simply contact customer service and they will transfer your phone number to your new plan. Easy peasy!

What type of contract should I expect?

Because Tello is a prepaid service there are absolutely no contracts!! This means if you are unhappy with the service you can cancel, upgrade or downgrade your plan at anytime! I love that with Tello I am not stuck in a 2 year contract I can’t get out of. I love that it gives me the freedom to change my plan when I want and how I want.

Tello Mobile Is For You If You:

Are looking for a low priced cell service. The cheapest plan is just $5/month.
Don’t need a lot of data or minutes.
Have good Sprint coverage in your area.
Are looking for a good starter phone plan for your teen.

Tello Mobile is Not For You If:

Sprint Network has poor coverage in your area.
You use a lot of data on your phone.
You travel internationally and you need roaming services.

So, what is my honest Tello Mobile review?

Our one month trial is officially complete and I can honestly tell you that I have loved Tello Mobile. I kept expecting something to go wrong with the phone service, but it just never did! It truly hasn’t felt any different than our much more expensive phone provider. Tello has been exactly what we needed! I love that I have been able to provide my daughter with a phone number without having to spend a lot of out extra money If you are looking for a more frugal friendly cell phone plan I highly encourage you to look into Tello Mobile today!