List of mobile virtual network operators in the United States
| Company type | Various |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Wireless voice and data services |
Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) in the United States obtain wireless voice and data services by leasing capacity from the four leading cellular providers—AT&T Mobility, Boost Mobile, T-Mobile US, and Verizon—delivering a range of free and paid plans for talk, text, and data. As of April 2019, MVNOs in the U.S. collectively served 36 million active users.
Voice and data service providers
MVNOs operate devices compatible with their host Mobile Network Operator's (MNO) infrastructure, predominantly utilizing 4G LTE, LTE Advanced, and 5G NR technologies since legacy 2G and 3G networks have been retired. Numerous MVNOs offer older handset models discontinued by their host carriers, which may restrict access to the latest technology features. The BYOD ("Bring Your Own Device") policy permits customers to use existing compatible phones; however, MVNOs frequently limit supported device models to align with network agreements. Providers that support multiple host networks generally assign a single network per device, with the exception of Google Fi Wireless, which automatically switches between networks based on signal quality.
MVNOs cater to various customer segments such as business users, lifeline (low-income) participants, and individual consumers. Lifeline plans meet Federal Universal Service Fund mandates but differ by state regarding provider participation and program specifics.
The majority of MVNOs offer voice, messaging, and data services for mobile phones; some also provide data-only options for tablets or mobile broadband devices like Wi-Fi hotspots. Native Wi-Fi calling functionality allows users to make voice calls over Wi-Fi networks without relying on third-party applications.
Several third-party websites collaborate with major carriers to present discounted plans and devices through streamlined enrollment processes and additional incentives such as free shipping or warranties. Nonetheless, consumers should exercise caution due to the risk of fraudulent schemes.
... [Table continues with similarly concise entries for other MVNOs] ...| Company | Host network(s) | Market | Phone service | Modem service | BYOD | Unlimited fast data | Unlimited slow data | 5G access | Tethering / phone hotspot | International | Native Wi-Fi calling | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access Wireless | T-Mobile | Lifeline: CA | Yes | No | Possibly; compatibility must be confirmed | No; limited to 6 GB in California | No | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Operated by i-wireless. | |
| Affinity Cellular | Verizon | Personal | Yes | No | Yes | Yes; unlimited plan throttled after 35 GB usage | No | Yes; requires compatible devices | Unknown | No international coverage; excludes Alaska | Unknown | Benefits available for AAA members. |
| Airvoice Wireless | AT&T | Personal | Yes | Modem service unconfirmed | Possibly; verify device compatibility | No; discretionary throttling possible | Yes; unlimited plan throttled to 128 kbit/s | Unknown | Possibly; select plans include unlimited international calls | Unknown | Operated by Airvoice Wireless. | |
| Allvoi Wireless | AT&T | Personal | Yes | Modem service unconfirmed | Yes | No; capped at 15 GB | Yes; unlimited plans offered | Unknown | Possibly; unlimited plans include international calls | Unknown |
Wireless mobile broadband providers
The following table outlines wireless mobile broadband providers along with essential business information.
| Provider | Underlying network(s) | Target market | Voice service | Modem offerings | BYOD | Unlimited high-speed data | Unlimited reduced-speed data | 5G availability | Tethering / mobile hotspot | International coverage | Native Wi-Fi calling support | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DataJack | Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon | Consumer | No | Yes | Template:Dunno | N/A | N/A | |||||
| Get Mobile | AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon | Consumer, Corporate | Yes | Yes | Available | Plan-dependent | Plan-dependent | Yes | __ | |||
| Internet on the Go | Sprint | Consumer | No | Yes | Template:Dunno | N/A | N/A | Operated by TruConnect. | ||||
| Karma Mobility | T-Mobile | Consumer | No | Yes | No | No | Possibly no | Template:Dunno | N/A | N/A | ||
| NetBuddy | AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon | Consumer | No | Yes | N/A |
N/A |
||||||
| NetZero | Sprint | Consumer | No | Yes | N/A | N/A | ||||||
| Never Throttled | AT&T | Consumer | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | Template:Dunno | N/A | No | N/A | Concentrates on rural broadband; no fees for setup, no contracts or credit checks; guarantees no price hikes for current customers. |
| OTR Mobile | T-Mobile | Consumer | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | Template:Dunno | N/A | Possibly no? | N/A | Terms & conditions not publicly available as of latest update. |
| Ladybug Wireless | AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon | Corporate, Consumer | Possibly no ("Check back soon") | Yes | Possibly no ("Check back soon") | Potentially yes (restricts HD streaming, large downloads, hosting) | No | Template:Dunno | No | No | No | Established to deliver high-speed Internet to rural areas. Limits tethering and international usage. |
International SIM voice and data providers
All MVNOs listed support BYOD unless otherwise indicated.
| Provider | Host network | Wireless standards | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| POND Mobile | T-Mobile | UMTS, LTE, 5G | |
| ChatSim | AT&T, Sprint, Verizon | UMTS, CDMA, LTE | 'Unlimited messaging across 10 apps in over 160 countries. |
| Flexiroam | AT&T, Sprint, Alaska Wireless | UMTS, CDMA, LTE | 'Worldwide Apple eSIM compatibility. |
| get Mobile | 'Varies by region' | 'LTE, 5G' | 'Supports Apple, Android, Windows devices and Connected Car eSIMs; flexible payment options by day, week or month; multi-region coverage. |
| 'KnowRoaming' | 'Telna' | 'GSM' | |
| 'OneSimCard' | 'AT&T & T-Mobile' | '2G/3G/4G/5G' | |
| 'Telna' | 'Telna' | 'GSM' | |
| 'TravelSim' | 'AT&T / T-Mobile' | 'UMTS / GSM & UMTS' | |
| 'Truphone' | 'AT&T / T-Mobile' | 'UMTS / GSM & UMTS' | 'Worldwide Apple eSIM support. |
| 'Ubigi' | 'Various networks' | 'Various technologies' | 'Supports Apple, Android, Windows and Connected Car eSIMs; subsidiary of Transatel. |
| 'Saily' | 'Various' | '4G/5G' | 'Compatible with Apple, Android and Windows devices in more than 190 countries. |
IoT service providers
The Internet of Things (IoT) involves cellular network connections for tangible devices.
| Company | Host network | Wireless technology | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aeris Communications Inc | AT&T, Sprint, Vodafone | CDMA, LTE, GSM, UMTS | |
| Datablaze | AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Rogers | LTE, 5G, LTE-M | |
| get Mobile | AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon | LTE, 5G | |
| KORE Wireless | AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, Vodafone, Rogers, Telstra, Telefónica | CDMA, LTE, GSM, UMTS | |
| MasTrack (Mobile Asset Solutions) | AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile | CDMA, LTE, GSM, UMTS | |
| NTT DOCOMO USA | AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Telstra, NTT DOCOMO | CDMA, LTE, GSM, UMTS | |
| POND Mobile | "?" | GSM, UMTS, LTE, LTE-M, 5G | |
| OneSimCard IoT | AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Bell, Rogers, Telus | "2G/3G/4G (Full LTE & Cat-M and NB-IoT), 5G" | |
| Sierra Wireless | AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Rogers, Telefónica | CDMA, LTE, GSM, UMTS | |
| Solve Networks | AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile | CDMA, LTE, GSM, UMTS | |
| Telit | "AT&T", Verizon", Sprint", T-Mobile", Rogers", Tele2", Telefónica" | "CDMA", LTE", GSM", UMTS" | |
| "Telna" | "?" | "GSM" | |
| "Twilio" | "T-Mobile" | "CDMA", LTE", GSM", UMTS" | |
| "US Mobile" | "T-Mobile", Verizon" | "CDMA", LTE", GSM", UMTS" |
Defunct, merged and acquired operators
| Company | Market | Host network | Wireless technology | End date | Notes | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7-Eleven Speak Out Wireless | Personal | AT&T, Sprint | CDMA, GSM & UMTS | 2010 | |||||||||||||||
| Amp'd Mobile | Personal | Verizon | GSM & UMTS | 2014 | |||||||||||||||
| Aio Wireless | Personal | AT&T | GSM & UMTS | 2007 | Owned by AT&T. | ||||||||||||||
| AirLink Mobile | Personal | Sprint | CDMA | ? | |||||||||||||||
| Blue Jay Wireless | Lifeline: CA | Sprint, Verizon | CDMA & LTE | 2018 | No longer operational. | ||||||||||||||
| Brightspot | Personal | T-Mobile | GSM & UMTS | December 2015 | |||||||||||||||
| Boost Infinite | Personal | Boost Mobile, AT&T, T-Mobile | LTE & NR | July 2024 | Integrated into Boost Mobile as of July 17, 2024. | ||||||||||||||
| Budget Mobile | Lifeline: CA | Sprint, Verizon | CDMA & LTE | April 2017 | Discontinued. | ||||||||||||||
| BYO Wireless | Personal | T-Mobile, Verizon | CDMA, GSM, UMTS & LTE | 2015 | |||||||||||||||
| BZRMobile | Personal | Sprint | CDMA & LTE | ||||||||||||||||
| Caffee Communications | Personal | Verizon | CDMA & LTE | March 2018 | |||||||||||||||
| Charge | Personal | Sprint | CDMA & LTE | June 2017 | |||||||||||||||
| Circle-K Talk-and-Go | Personal | AT&T | GSM & UMTS | 2011 | |||||||||||||||
| Cloven | Personal | Sprint | CDMA & LTE | ||||||||||||||||
| Comcast | Personal | Clearwire, Sprint | CDMA | 2011 | |||||||||||||||
| Common Cents Mobile | Personal | Sprint | CDMA | 2011 | |||||||||||||||
| Cox | Personal | Sprint | CDMA | 2012 | |||||||||||||||
| DataPass | Personal | Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon | CDMA, GSM, LTE & UMTS | March 2019 | Ceased operations. | ||||||||||||||
| Disney Mobile | Personal | Sprint | CDMA | 2007 | |||||||||||||||
| EarthLink | Personal | Sprint | WiMAX | 2015 | |||||||||||||||
| Embarq | Personal | Sprint | CDMA | 2009 | |||||||||||||||
| enVie Mobile | Personal | Verizon | CDMA & LTE | March 2017 | |||||||||||||||
| Español Mobile | Personal | Sprint | CDMA & LTE | ? | |||||||||||||||
| ESPN MVP | Personal | Sprint | CDMA | 2006 | |||||||||||||||
| Expo Mobile | Personal | Sprint, Verizon | CDMA & LTE | ? | |||||||||||||||
| FamilyTalk Wireless | Personal | AT&T, Sprint, Verizon | UMTS, CDMA & LTE | 2017 | |||||||||||||||
| FeelSafe Wireless | Personal Lifeline | AT&T | UMTS,GSM & LTE | 2020 | |||||||||||||||
| FordMobile | Personal | MarkFordMobile | GSM,LTE & UMTS | 2018 | |||||||||||||||
| Firefly Mobile::Personal::AT&T::GSM & UMTS::2012:: | |||||||||||||||||||
| FMP Wireless::Personal::Verizon::CDMA & LTE::2017:: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Fuzion Mobile::Personal::AT&T::GSM & UMTS::2013:: | |||||||||||||||||||
| GIV Mobile::Personal::T-Mobile::GSM & UMTS::31 January 2016:: | |||||||||||||||||||
| GTC Wireless::Personal::AT&T::GSM & UMTS::2009:: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Hello US Mobile::Personal::T-Mobile ,Verizon::CDMA,GSM,& UMTS::?:: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Helio::Personal::Sprint::CDMA::2010:: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Infinium Wireless::Personal::Sprint,T-Mobile ,Verizon::CDMA,GSM,LTE,& UMTS::2017:: | |||||||||||||||||||
| iQ Cellular::Personal::AT&T,Sprint ,Verizon::CDMA::2014:: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Itel UTel::Personal::Sprint::CDMA & LTE:::: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Jaguar Mobile::Personal::T-Mobile::GSM,LTE,& UMTS::?:: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Jump Mobile::Personal::Cricket::CDMA::2010:: | |||||||||||||||||||
KDDI Mobile::Personal::AT&T (originally Sprint)::GSM::January 2019::
- Acquired by Locus Telecommunications; U.S. MVNOs migrated to h2o Wireless. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Lucky Wireless::Personal::Verizon::CDMA::2011:: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Mi Gente Mobile ::Personal ::Sprint ::CDMA & LTE ::2013 :: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Mingo Wireless ::Personal ::Sprint ::CDMA ::2012 :: | |||||||||||||||||||
| MOSH Mobile ::Personal ::Centennial Wireless ::GSM & UMTS ::2012 :: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Movida Wireless#Movida ::Personal ::Sprint ::CDMA ::2012 :: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Omni Prepaid ::Personal ::::::2012 :: | |||||||||||||||||||
Millenicom ::::::Personal ::::::Verizon,T-Mobile ,AT&T ,US Cellular ::::::5G ,4G ,LTE ::::::Current ::
- Provides terabyte-scale high-speed data access simultaneously across four leading carriers. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Next G Mobile ::::::Personal ::::::Verizon ::::::CDMA ::::::2013 :: | |||||||||||||||||||
The People's Operator USA ::::::Personal ::::::Sprint,T-Mobile ::::::CDMA,LTE ::::::February 2019 ::
- Discontinued following financial and legal complications. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Phonata ::::::Personal ::::::AT&T,Sprint ,Verizon ::::::CDMA,GSM,& UMTS ::::::2013 :: | |||||||||||||||||||
| PrepaYd Wireless ::::::Personal ::::::Sprint ::::::CDMA ::::::2014 :: | |||||||||||||||||||
| PTel Mobile ::::::Personal ::::::T-Mobile ::::::GSM & UMTS ::::::31 January 2016 :: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Pure Mobile ::::::Personal ::::::Verizon ::::::GSM & UMTS ::::::2012 :: | |||||||||||||||||||
Pure Unlimited ::::::Personal ::::::AT&T ::::::GSM ::::::? ::
- No longer active as a data MVNO; users redirected to sister brand Pure Talk. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Qwest Wireless ::::::Personal ::::::Sprint ::::::CDMA ::::::2010 :: | |||||||||||||||||||
Red Stick Wireless ::::::Personal ::::::Sprint,T-Mobile ,Verizon ::::::::CDMA,GSM,LTE ::
- Around February 2019; website inactive by August the same year. | |||||||||||||||||||
Republic Wireless ::::::::Personal ::::::::AT&T,T-Mobile ::::::::GSM ,UMTS ,LTE ::
- Concluded service in 2023; subscribers moved to Boost Infinite. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ring Plus Inc ::::::::Personal ::::::::Sprint ::::::::CDMA,LTE ::
- Ended operations February 21st 2017; customers taken over by Ting Mobile. | |||||||||||||||||||
Roam Mobility ::::::::Personal ::::::::T-Mobile ::::::::GSM,LTE ::
- Closed June 30th 2020. | |||||||||||||||||||
ROK Mobile ::::::::Personal ::::::::AT&T ::::::::GSM ::
- Ceased providing Sprint and Verizon services May 2018; website offline October same year. | |||||||||||||||||||
Shaka Mobile ::::::::Personal ::::::::Sprint ::::::::CDMA ::
- No specified termination date. | |||||||||||||||||||
Simple Freedom ::::::::Personal ::::::::Alltel ::::::::CDMA ::
- Subscribers in multiple states migrated to Verizon prepaid or AT&T Mobility in 2007. | |||||||||||||||||||
SkyView Wireless ::::::::Personal ::::::::AT&T ::::::::GSM ::
- No new sign-ups since July 2019; site only provides login portals for affiliated services. | |||||||||||||||||||
Solavei ::::::::Personal ::::::::T-Mobile ::::::::GSM & UMTS ::
- Operations ceased December 2015. | |||||||||||||||||||
Spot Mobile ::::::::Personal ::::::::T-Mobile ::::::::GSM & UMTS ::
- Service ended September 7th 2014. -|- |
STi Mobile ::::::::Personal ::::::::Sprint ::::::::CDMA ::::
-|- |
SWT Mobile::::(personal)::::AT&T::::(GSM & UMTS)::::2013 ::::
-|- |
TalkForGood::::(personal)::::Verizon::::(CDMA)::::2013 ::::
-|- |
Total Call Mobile::::(personal)::::Sprint::::(CDMA)::::? ::::
-|- |
Touch Mobile::::(personal)::::Sprint::::(CDMA & LTE)::::? ::::
-|- |
Trumpet Mobile::::(personal)::::Sprint::::(CDMA)::::2013 ::::
-|- |
TúYo Mobile::::(personal)::::T-Mobile::::(GSM & UMTS)::::2012 ::::
-|- |
Univision Mobile::::(personal)::::T-Mobile::::(GSM ,UTMS & LTE)::::2017 ::::
- Absorbed by Ultra Mobile July of that year. -|- |
UppWireless::::(personal)::::T-Mobile::::(GSM & UMTS)::::2016 ::::
-|- |
UVA Mobile::::(personal)::::T-Mobile::::(GSM ,UMTS & LTE)::::2017 ::::
-|- |
UWT Mobile::::(personal)::::AT&T,Sprint,T-Mobile::::(GSM ,CDMA ,UMTS & LTE)::::? ::::
-|- |
Value Wireless::::(personal)::::T-Mobile::::(GSM)::::? ::::
- Website mostly incomplete or placeholder content. -|- |
Venn Mobile::::(personal)::::Sprint::::(CDMA & LTE)::::2020 ::::
- Terminated customer accounts June 2020 due to unpaid balances above $60K; cited the Sprint/T-Mobile merger as cause. Related company Teltik also stopped accepting new clients. -|- |
Virgin Mobile USA :(personal)::Sprint:(CDMA):(February 2020)::
- Service discontinued; users migrated to Boost Mobile. -|- |
Voce :(personal)::AT&T:(GSM & UMTS):(1 February 2008)::
-|- |
Votel Mobile :(personal)::Sprint:(CDMA):(2014)::
-|- |
Voyager Mobile :(personal)::Sprint:(CDMA):(2015)::
-|- |
Wireless Services US :(personal)::Verizon:(CDMA & LTE):(July 2017)::
- Ceased business operations. -|- |
WOW Mobile PCS :(personal)::Sprint:(CDMA):(2012)::
-|- XCellular USA :(personal)::Sprint:(CDMA & LTE):(25 July - - - - - - - - - - - - - - See also
References |