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Tello Mobile Review: Affordable And Customizable Cell Service

By Peter Anderson 10 Comments - The content of this website often contains affiliate links and I may be compensated if you buy through those links (at no cost to you!). Learn more about how we make money. Last edited February 25, 2021.

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I‘ve written a decent amount on this site about finding ways to cut your regular recurring expenses by finding alternative services that give the same or better service, for a lower price.

One way we’ve saved hundreds of dollars over the years was by cutting our mobile phone costs and home phone costs.

ABC put out a report a year or two ago that stated that the average American spends about $1,000 a year on his or her cell phone bill.

Analysts estimate that 80 percent of American wireless subscribers are paying service providers $200 a year for excess minutes, messages, and mobile data. That adds up to over $52 billion of wireless waste a year!

For years now we’ve been big proponents of low-cost no-contract cell providers, and we’ve reviewed several of our favorites here on this site. This past week I discovered another low-cost provider that promises to be even more affordable, Tello Mobile.  They have customizable plans that can come in starting at $5/month, depending on your needs!  Today I thought I’d do a quick post talking about Tello Mobile, who they are, what they have to offer, and how you can use them to save.

UPDATE: Read my updated review along with an unboxing of my new Tello phone.

View this video on YouTube

Quick Navigation

  • Tello Mobile History
  • Tello Mobile – How It Works
  • Build Your Own Calling Plan – And Save
  • What Phones Can I Get?
  • Pros & Cons

Tello Mobile History

Tello Mobile is a wireless communications service provider that was just launched in the US market in the past year. It has been available in the UK since 2014, and both the US and UK versions of the company are offshoots of KeepCalling, an international telecommunications company registered in 2002 in the USA.

KeepCalling has been listed by Inc 5000 as one of the fastest-growing companies in the United States for 5 consecutive years.

So while they’re new(ish) to the wireless provider game, they’ve been around for over a decade as a company – so they’re no flash in the pan.

Tello Mobile – How It Works

Tello Mobile is an MVNO, a mobile virtual network operator, which essentially means they do not own and operate their own wireless network infrastructure.  They rent space on a mobile network from an existing mobile network operator, typically one of the big companies like Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.

Since they don’t have to keep up the network and are only renting space on the network, they are able to get wholesale rates on the network and pass some of the savings on to us.

Tello Mobile was an MVNO on the Sprint network, but when T-Mobile acquired Sprint in 2020, the network is switching to T-Mobile’s GSM network in 2021. For me is great since I’ve been with other Sprint and T-Mobile MVNOs in the past and we get great coverage in our area with both.  If you’re wondering if you get good coverage with Tello in your area, click on the link below and then click on “support/coverage” to view a coverage map.

  • Tello Coverage

Build Your Own Calling Plan – And Save

So what are the plans that are currently available on the Tello Mobile network, and how affordable are they?

Their plans aren’t your traditional “choose a set calling plan” type plans, they’re based on the idea of building your own calling, texting and data plan that fits your specific needs – and budget. They call it, “Build Your Own Plan”.

Tello Mobile Review Build Your Own Plan

The cost for a plan can start at a minimum of $5/month for 100 minutes of talk, unlimited texts, and no data, and it goes up from there depending on what your needs are.

For example, if I built my own plan based on my average current mobile usage (which is pretty low), I’d likely end up with a plan costing me about $7/month for 100 minutes of talk, unlimited texts and 1GB of mobile data.

The plans do go all the way up to $39 for an unlimited talk, text and data plan.

Tello does also have some predefined calling plans that you can just choose to make things easier. They include:

Tello Mobile ready made plans
  • $10/month unlimited talk, unlimited texts, 1GB of data
  • $14/month unlimited talk, unlimited texts, 2GB of data
  • $19/month unlimited talk, unlimited texts, 4GB of data
  • $39/month unlimited talk, unlimited texts,unlimited data. (25GB of 4G LTE data, unlimited 2G data.)

With whatever plan you choose you’ll get no contract, no hidden fees whatsoever, and you can reconfigure your plan at any time with no extra fees.

Plans renew automatically every 30 days, and you can cancel your plan at anytime, without any charges.

What Phones Can I Get?

Currently, I see 5 new and 13 refurbished phones available for purchase from Tello on their site. They range in price from $29 for an old-style flip phone, all the way up to $649 for a new Apple iPhone 7.

Samsung Galaxy cell phone on Tello

New And Refurbished Phones Available On Tello

  • Motorola Moto G Fast $219
  • Apple iPhone 8 $319
  • Alcatel Go Flip 3 $89
  • Samsung Galaxy J2 Core $79
  • Apple iPhone 7 $239
  • Samsung Galaxy S9 $399
  • Apple iPhone 6s $199
  • Apple iPhone SE 2 $359
  • Apple iPhone XR $519

Bring Your Own Phone

Another nice thing is that you can bring any GSM device free of contract, developed for the T-Mobile network over to Tello, you don’t have to buy a phone through them.  Also, some select phones made for other carriers – as long as they’re unlocked – can be used as well.  To find out if your phone will work, Go to the Tello site and click on “Shop/Bring Your Own Phone”.

  • Tello Bring Your Own Phone

Pros & Cons

What are the pros and cons of cell service with Tello Mobile?  Here are a few:

Pros

  • Low cost – super affordable: Depending on your needs your service will be anywhere from $5-$39/month, never more.  Much cheaper than the average $83/month phone bill mentioned above!
  • Flexible, build your own calling plans: Every person has different calling, texting, and data usage habits.  For me, I hardly ever call so for me putting together a plan that has few calling minutes, but more data makes sense. Others may want more texts. Whatever your needs, you can create a mobile plan that fits you.
  • Ability to switch plans whenever you want: If you want to upgrade your data allowance, calling minutes, or the number of text messages, you can do that at any time with no fees. Never pay for more than you need!
  • Free tethering: Tello phones offer free tethering to your other devices, which most MVNOs don’t offer.
  • Good phones available: The service has everything from iPhones to Galaxy smartphones available.  If you don’t need a fancy phone, there are cheaper alternatives available as well!
  • Make calls on WiFi – even in your basement!:  If you typically can’t make cell phone calls in your basement, or at your job – as long as you’ve got a WiFi signal you can now make calls using the My Tello app!
  • Make international calls, as long as you have good WiFi: I remember paying through the nose for calling cards when my family took a cruise a few years back. Now, as long as you have WiFi you can make calls to the U.S. with the My Tello app, even if you’re overseas.
  • Port your existing number: You can port your existing phone number to the service and keep your existing number.
  • 24/7 friendly Customer Service:  You can reach out b phone, email, or get a call back24 hours a day.

Cons

  • No roaming: According to Tello, “we do not offer roaming services or national roaming at this time“. That is disappointing, but to help offset this, they do offer the My Tello app which allows you to call over WiFi.
  • Nicer phones can be expensive when not subsidized: When buying phones from Tello, you’ll likely be paying full price as the phone cost isn’t being subsidized by expensive calling plan costs and long-term contracts. You can abate this a bit by buying a used and unlocked phone elsewhere and bringing it in.
  • Setup snags: I have heard from a friend that the initial setup was a bit frustrating with Tello, but that they’re happy with the service after all the setup confusion was resolved by their friendly customer service.

Tello Mobile seems like a good up-and-coming non-contract cell service option.  It ends up being cheaper or comparable in cost to most of the other services that I’ve looked into, and what I’ve heard from others is that they’ve got great customer service. Plus since they’re on a recognizable national mobile network, you’re likely going to get good coverage as we do.

I’d definitely recommend checking Tello out if you’re looking to cut back on your expensive smartphone bill.

Find out more about the service and sign up via the link below.

Get More Details About Tello Mobile

Are you using Tello Mobile?  How has the service worked for you? How much are you saving?

Disclosure: links on this page are affiliate links and we may receive a referral fee if you purchase through our links.

Moble Virtual Network Operator (MVNO)Mobile NetworkMinimum Plan PriceFree TetheringReview
Gen MobileSprint$5 (Unlimited Text - No Talk, No Data) $10 (300 Min Talk & Unlimited Text - 1GB Data) Discounts if prepaid for 3 months.YesReview
TelloSprint$5 (100 Min Talk & Unlimited Text - No Data)YesReview
TwigbySprint, Verizon Wireless$9 (300 Min Talk & Unlimited Text - No Data)YesReview
TingSprint, T-Mobile$9 (100 Min Talk & No Text - No Data)YesReview
Red Pocket MobileVerizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile US, Sprint$10 (500 Min Talk & 500 Text - 500 MB Data)Yes
Republic WirelessSprint, T-Mobile$15 (Unlimited Talk & Text - No Data)YesReview
Mint MobileT-Mobile$15 (Unlimited Talk & Text - 3GB Data) If prepaid for 1 year. Prepay in 3,6, 12 month increments. Buy 3 Months, Get 3 Free)YesReview
Unreal MobileAT&T$15 (Unlimited Talk & Text - 3GB Data). Prepay in 3,6, 12 month increments.YesReview
TracFoneVerizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile US, Sprint, U.S. Cellular$15 (200 Min Talk & 500 Text - 500 MB Data) If put on auto-renew save 5%.No
Google FIT-Mobile, Sprint, U.S. Cellular$20 (Unlimited Talk & Text - No Data)Yes
Total WirelessVerizon Wireless$23.70 (Unlimited Talk & Text - No Data) $25 without auto-pay.Yes
Cricket WirelessAT&T$25 (Unlimited Talk & Text - No Data)No
BoostSprint$35 (Unlimited Talk & Text - 3GB Data)No
Straight Talk WirelessAT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon$35 (Unlimited Talk & Text - 2GB Data)No
VisibleVerizon$40 (Unlimited Talk & Text - Unlimited Data)YesReview

Tello Mobile

Tello Mobile
8.7

Affordability

10.0/10

Technology

8.0/10

Performance

8.0/10

Customer Service

9.5/10

Setup

8.0/10

Pros

  • Low cost
  • flexible calling plans
  • 24/7 customer service
  • Great phones available
  • WiFi calling, free tethering

Cons

  • No roaming
  • Non subsidized phone cost
  • Initial setup snags
Sign Up For Tello
Tello Mobile Review: Affordable And Customizable Cell Service

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Last Edited: 25th February 2021 The content of biblemoneymatters.com is for general information purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Visitors to biblemoneymatters.com should not act upon the content or information without first seeking appropriate professional advice. In accordance with the latest FTC guidelines, we declare that we have a financial relationship with every company mentioned on this site.

This article is about: Review, Technology

About Peter Anderson

Peter Anderson is a Christian, husband to his beautiful wife Maria, and father to his 2 children. He loves reading and writing about personal finance, and also enjoys a good board game every now and again. You can find out more about him on the about page. Don't forget to say hi on Pinterest, Twitter or Facebook!

Comments

    Share Your Thoughts: Cancel reply

  1. Aaron says

    Hey Peter. Excellent rundown of Tello’s benefits and offerings. Just this year I finally switched from Republic Wireless to Tello. So far, I like it better than RW because of a few things: 1) their customer service is second-to-none and 2) love the build-your-own plans and ability to go up or down in services as you need them. I pay about $11/mo w/ the taxes for my plan and it is more than enough.

    Reply
    • Peter Anderson says

      Aaron, thanks for the actual user review! :) Tello definitely sounds like they’ve got a lot going for them when it comes to the customizable plans and customer service – those are the two things I keep hearing about. Looking forward to giving them an in depth try!

      Reply
  2. Catherine A. McClarey says

    I am one of thousands of RingPlus “refugees” porting out to Tello this week. Hopefully the process won’t get too complicated by all the RingPlus accounts being migrated over to Ting. I was a Ting customer before switching to RingPlus, and loved Ting’s customer service; however, I can craft a much more budget-friendly plan from Tello’s options, even after factoring in Ting’s $35 credit vs. Tello’s 50% off the first month of a Tello plan.
    Bless you for sharing this review of Tello; it’s one of the few reviews I’ve been able to find of this MVNO!

    Reply
    • Peter Anderson says

      Glad I could help Catherine! If folks are looking for the Tello deal for RingPlus customers, you can find the 50% off your first month deal for RingPlus customers at the link. Good luck, I hope it works well for you!

      Reply
  3. bob teatow says

    Pennies per month!

    For cheapskates and for spare or “emergency” phones, you can set your Tello plan to “no plan” and establish a “Pay as you Go” or PayGo balance. Then you just pay a flat 3 cents/minute or 1 cent/text or 2 cents/MB. Which is the same rate as the lowest tiers of Tello’s plans. So if you’re in the bottom tiers, you’re better off with “no plan”… Try it!

    I like to have several phones all active with Google voice – so my one number rings whichever one is in my pocket or auto or sitting on my desk. You can pick up Sprint compatible phones for cheap on ebay.

    Reply
    • me says

      cheapskates??? that’s rude.
      not all of us can afford high priced plans
      that does not make us cheapskates

      Reply
  4. Chase says

    This is how wireless service should be done! Tello is hands down the best prepaid provider I have ever used. I used Ting for a short while before switching to Tello and let me tell you … Ting is a RIP OFF!

    My phone bill ended up being DOUBLE what it use to be when I switched to Ting because of their promise for a lower bill. That was a joke!

    Tello has been a life saver. They are extremely transparent when it comes to fees and usage. Their prices simply can’t be beat and the activation process was a breeze.

    My partner is the one using Tello and as soon as I can get my Straight Talk phone unlocked I am also switching. Until another provider can compete with Tello’s low prices and great service I foresee myself a Tello customer for life.

    Reply
  5. Ed Gullo says

    I’m trying Tello for a month, I like the idea of picking and choosing minutes, texts and data to suit my needs…or the ECONOMICAL 3 cent a minute plan!

    One drawback–there is no visual notification when you receive a voicemail.
    You must call VM to check for messages.. or warn people leaving a voicemail to text or call you to get a quick response.
    I checked with Tello and they confirmed this.

    Reply
  6. Enrique Ramirez says

    Just recently Unreal Mobile (AKA Freedom pop) sprint accounts were transitioned over to Ting Mobile but I did not like what Ting Offered because it ended in 2019. After 2019 you would see a price change. Many threads were stating that Tello Mobile had a better offer. It actually does have a good offer! Unlimited Talk and Text and 1 GB of Data for $10, or with 2 GB of Data for $14 is great. You also get calling to Canada, China, and Mexico for free (from within USA.. I think). Another bonus that I liked was that once your Data was used up you don’t get cut off but throttled to 2G speeds! This is ideal for my High School kids and my wallet.
    They offer other international features at an extra cost for those that need it.
    Here is a referral so you get $10 once you sign up.
    https://tello.com/account/register?_referral=P3GQK4RC

    Porting took 2 days but can take up to 5 I think….

    Reply
  7. Corey says

    Hello,

    Receive a $10 credit for signing up for Tello through the following link:

    https://tello.com/account/register?_referral=P3DJXQPK

    Reply
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