Why I Left Mint Mobile

For almost a decade, TracFone was my cell phone carrier. Because I often use Wi-Fi and have a Google Voice number, I didn’t need to spend much money on a cell phone plan. Gradually, other pay-as-you-go options emerged that offered better rates, especially for data. 

At the beginning of 2024, I switched to Mint Mobile because of this promotion for new customers: buy three months of service and get three more for free. I chose their 15 GB data plan with unlimited talk and text. That cost just over $84 (approximately $12/month). Mint Mobile’s service had been okay. However, I didn’t like the requirement of a large upfront payment with greater discounts for longer commitments. I prefer a month-to-month plan. Another turn-off is having to pay increased rates to keep their service. 


In July 2024, I called Mint Mobile to request my Port PIN and account number so I could change carriers. A rep named Ace kept pressuring me to stay with them. Normally, that would be reason enough to cancel. However, I had a flight from Minneapolis to Buffalo scheduled the same day my Mint Mobile account was set to expire. I didn’t want to risk experiencing interrupted cell phone service. So I accepted Ace’s offer to “buy four, get two months free.” I kept the 15 GB plan but had to pay $113.28 (just under $19/month).


15 GB/month was way more than I needed for the first four months of my new billing cycle. Every place I stayed at had Wi-Fi. The data was only necessary for using GPS, checking emails, and posting on social media while traveling. In mid-November, I returned to a missionary house in Tampa that didn’t have Wi-Fi access. The extra data came in handy so I didn’t always have to go online at a public place like a restaurant or the library.


On December 3rd, I noticed large drops in my data balance. Early that morning, I briefly used the hotspot function to go online with my laptop. Despite avoiding websites like YouTube that eat up chunks of data, my phone’s available balance went from 6.0 GB to 4.1 GB. Hours later, after mostly surfing on Wikipedia with my phone, the data balance experienced more drastic drops. It went down to 1.1 GB. So I called Mint Mobile’s customer service number to complain. The rep didn’t offer a solution. He twice pointed out I would have “a fresh tank of data” within three days. That didn’t make up for my lost data. Unlike TracFone and other pay-as-you-go carriers, Mint Mobile’s unused data doesn’t roll over to the next month. If I wanted more data before the refresh date, I would have to pay $10 for just 1 GB.


On New Year’s Eve, I called Mint Mobile again to request my Port PIN and account number. The rep I talked to was hard to understand. She asked why I was leaving and tried convincing me to stay. I offered to remain with Mint Mobile if they gave me their current promotion: $45 for three months of unlimited talk, text, and data. In response, she questioned why I wanted unlimited data and offered a small discount on my current plan. I politely but firmly told her “No.”


Mint Mobile could be good for people who know they will be in the same geographical area for an extended period. As a traveling missionary, I prefer a cell phone plan with more flexibility. Another disadvantage I learned about Mint Mobile is they don’t support the Apple Watch (I don’t own one but may do so in the future). The only prepaid carrier that currently offers Apple Watch support is Visible. 


I may eventually switch to Tello, which offers flexible data plans that can be changed monthly. In the meantime, I’m trying out Helium Mobile, which has unlimited talk, text, and data for $20/month plus tax. Unfortunately, they and Tello have a 5 GB/month hotspot limit (Mint Mobile has 10 GB). 


I don’t like wasting money. We are supposed to be good stewards of the finances God blesses us with.


“Be diligent to know the state of your flocks…” - Proverbs 27:23

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