If you haven’t tried a new carrier in a while, better coverage and performance may be a good reason to switch. When you switch carriers, you’ll compare plans, decide whether to port your phone number to the new carrier, and call customer service when you have questions. However, trying a new network doesn’t mean canceling your old plan while you decide if switching is the right choice. AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon offer free trials with eSIM, so you can see if the network is a good fit where you live without compromising your current coverage.
The Big Three carriers offer free trials
Try a new carrier on your current phone with eSIM
T-Mobile’s Network Pass was one of the first of its kind. It offers a simple eSIM-based trial, plenty of data, and enough time to decide if T-Mobile is a good choice. T-Mobile’s Network Pass comes with three months of service and unlimited data. Three months gives you enough time to make sure T-Mobile’s data works well in the places you go, such as home, work, relative’s homes, and on vacation.
T-Mobile Network Pass works on eSIM-compatible phones that work on the T-Mobile network, which includes most Android phones. You can get the trial with the T-Life app on Android or iPhone. Your phone needs to be unlocked to add a competing eSIM. If you’re coming to the end of a 24-month or 26-month payment plan, it’s worth waiting a week or two to see if your current carrier is the best choice before upgrading. There’s also a solid chance that you can save on a new phone by switching carriers.
AT&T and Verizon have free trials for 30 days with eSIM. Verizon’s trial is easy to access, with most eSIM Verizon-compatible phones working with the trial. You’ll need the myVerizon app on Android or iPhone to get it. You get 100GB of premium data to use on the network. Streaming is limited to 480p on LTE and nationwide 5G, but the limit is lifted with Ultra Wideband 5G.
AT&T’s trial is similar, with 100GB of data and 25GB of hotspot data. Talk and text in Mexico and Canada are also included, with texting to more than 230 countries. AT&T’s trial is only available to iPhones with eSIM support and the myAT&T app. While plenty of Android phones, even budget Android phones, support eSIM, you’ll need an iPhone to try AT&T without a commitment.
Try out other networks if you’re looking for a cheaper carrier or want to downsize your plan. AT&T’s Cricket Wireless and Verizon Visible offer free trials. While it’s more of a learning period than a trial, MobileX has a free learning period with no commitment.
Trials like these are nice because you don’t need to give up your phone number or add payment details to try them out. If they don’t work out for you, there’s no calling customer service or speaking to some salesperson trained in customer retention. If you signed up for a new service, and it isn’t working out, or you aren’t sure, money-back guarantees can be a solid option.
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If you’re not switching carriers when you upgrade your phone, you could be losing money
Take advantage of new-line deals
Don’t forget about money-back guarantees
Don’t stick around if you change to a new carrier and aren’t happy with it. Each carrier is different, but most carriers have 14-day or 30-day money-back guarantees. If you want to take a chance with a carrier, like Boost Mobile, you have 30 days to make sure it’s the right fit before staying with it for years, thanks to Boost’s new phone promotions.
You might be able to get a better deal without leaving your network
Even if your carrier is the best fit, new plans could be a better deal
If you stay with your current carrier, check out your plan and make sure it’s the best fit. If you’re on a grandfathered plan, a newer plan could give you all the features you use for a lower price. You could have an expensive plan that you needed to take advantage of a special deal, such as a new device savings tied to high-end plans, like Verizon or T-Mobile, requiring their most expensive plans to get the best savings on a new phone.
Whether you want to stick with your current network or try a new one, you have plan options. For example, many of the best value data plans available are on a prepaid carrier or an MVNO that uses one of the Big Three networks. Carriers like US Mobile let you choose the network that works best for you, while Boost Mobile uses its own coverage with roaming partners filling in the gaps. Whether you’re on the best plan or want to switch carriers, free network trials give you better information for your personal use than any coverage map can.
