MVNOs Where You Can Take Your Sprint Handset And Save Some Money

So you are thinking of getting out of Sprint, but you don't want to give up the handset you purchased from this major wireless carrier? Not to worry -- Sprint happens to lease some its network to mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs). These are smaller wireless providers that make use of Sprint's network but offer significantly less expensive plans than the major carrier. Listed below are some of the MVNOs that will allow you to use your Sprint smartphone on their plans.

Boost Mobile

Let us start with Sprint's own prepaid brand, Boost Mobile. It offers unlimited calls, unlimited text messaging, and unlimited data on all its prepaid plans. Prices start at $40 every month. However, the unlimited data offered is not always high-speed. As a matter of fact, if you sign up for a $40 plan, you get 1 gigabyte at 4G LTE speeds, but any data used beyond the 1 gigabyte threshold is automatically throttled. 

Boost Mobile does offer more data in higher-tier plans. For instance, the $50 plan gets you 5 gigabytes at high speed, while the $60 plan gets you 10 gigabytes at high speed. If you decide to pay automatically via AutoPay, you can enjoy a $5 discount monthly.

Ting

Ting is unique among MVNOs in the sense that it does not require its customers to lock in a specific amount of calls, text messaging, and data every month. Instead, it structures its pricing according to pre-set blocks of call minutes, number of texts, and number of bytes uses. After each month, customers are billed only for whatever price bucket their actual usage belongs to. 

If you consume, say, a thousand minutes of calls ($18), 4,800 texts ($11), and 2 gigabytes of data ($29), plus the $6 service charge for your handset, that is equivalent to $64 per month. 

FreedomPop

The FreedomPop Free Talk and Text app runs mainly on Wi-Fi, but in the absence of Wi-Fi, its service utilizes uses Sprint's 3G and 4G networks. FreedomPop's basic plan comes with 500 megabytes of data, 200 minutes of calls, and 500 text messages per month. If you want to get an unlimited plan (1 gigabyte is at full LTE speeds), FreedomPop offers the Unlimited Everything plan, which costs $19.99 every month.

ROK Mobile

If you are into music streaming, then ROK Mobile is the MVNO for you. It offers unlimited talk, text and data (with 5 gigabytes at 4G LTE speeds) for a monthly fee of $49.99. This plan also provides unlimited access to the ROK Music service, which gives listeners unlimited streaming of more than 20 million songs, plus radio stations and customized playlists.

Those who want to try ROK Mobile before committing to anything can sign up for a free 14-day trial, or a 7-day trial of the ROK Music service.

RingPlus

RingPlus allows its customers to make calls over Wi-Fi instead of the usual 4G and 3G LTE networks. RingPlus's plans start at $1.99 every month, and already comes with domestic and international text messaging. The $1.99 Kate Plan offers 50 minutes of calls and 10 texts, with overage charges at $0.04 every minute.

Red Pocket Mobile

Red Pocket Mobile actually offers plans on several major wireless carriers in the United States, which includes Sprint, of course. No activation fees or setup fees are needed to get started on a Red Pocket Mobile plan. Plans start at $39.99 every month, and you get unlimited calls, unlimited text messaging, and unlimited data.

TextNow

TextNow offers three plans that start at $18.99 every month and already includes unlimited text messaging and incoming calls, 750 minutes of calls, and 500 megabytes of data on the Tall Plan. Those with extensive wireless needs can get the Trenta plan, which costs $59.99 and offers unlimited text messaging and incoming calls, 2000 minutes of calls, and 2 gigabytes of data.