Unlike the majority of their competitors, NET10 Wireless doesn't have any gimmick fees, which is a breath of fresh air.
All you get as far as customer service is call center representatives and live chat support that fails miserably at answering even the simplest inquiries. It is the worst customer service we have ever had the displeasure of dealing with.
NET10 offers a reliable phone service with no catch-22 fees. However, you will regret your decision to pick them as a wireless carrier as soon as you have to contact them.
Compare NET10 Wireless plans below or on the NET10 plans comparison page, or read on for the rest of the review.
| Phone | Plan | Minutes | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Phones Available | Unlimited Minutes | 2 GB 4G LTE data, then slowed | $ 35 /mo + $0.99 Upfront Link not provided | |
| 28 Phones Available | Unlimited Minutes | 4 GB 4G LTE data, then slowed | $ 40 /mo + $0.99 Upfront Link not provided | |
| 28 Phones Available | Unlimited Minutes | 8 GB 4G LTE data, then slowed | $ 50 /mo + $0.99 Upfront Link not provided | |
| 28 Phones Available | Unlimited Minutes | 10 GB 4G LTE data, then slowed | $ 60 /mo + $0.99 Upfront Link not provided |
NET10 Wireless is a prepaid phone company that is perplexing. They offer a variety of plans that don't charge fees for device activation or returning a device (provided it is within the acceptable return timeframe). However, both their pay-as-you-go and month-to-month plans are more costly than many other services. They offer customers connectivity on just about every cell phone tower in the country, due to having connections with all of the four big carriers. Their customer support representatives can take a class or two in actually providing assistance, as they actually hung up on us twice when we called them. They are some of the poorest that we have ever had the displeasure of interacting with.
While researching NET10, we attempted to discover what the actual cost of sending a text or downloading data for a pay-as-you-go customer. A prospective customer would have to pay upfront for a certain number of minutes that can be used over the course of 30, 60, 90, or 180 days. As one would assume, the more minutes purchased equal longer time in which one could use them. NET10's website was dull when we referred to it, so we enlisted the help of one of their live chat associates. There was an apparent language barrier and conflicted themselves repeatedly. When we tried calling in to clarify, the representative disconnected the call after putting us on hold, twice in a row.
Related: Best phone plans of the year
Without taking their horrific customer support into account, NET10 Wireless does feature some decent cell phone plans that don't require a contract. Their cheapest plan is $40, with a $4 discount if the customer sets up auto-pay; this will pay for unlimited talk, text, and 3GB of 4G LTE data. The $50 plan offers unlimited talk, text, and 5GB of data. Switching to automatic payment will reduce that cost to $45. Unlimited international cellular plans are available beginning at $65 monthly, and upgrade offers in which a customer can work up to flagship phones they could purchase with a discount.
These upgrade plans are actually justifiable for a prospective customer to consider, as NET10 has many devices to choose from, including the Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 Edge at the top of the list and the LG G4, which is still a superior but less expensive choice. For someone who has their heart set on one of the pricier smartphones, they can lease to own one. Less expensive devices come free when one signs up with NET10.
Someone considering NET10 as a wireless provider shouldn't scare away because of their customer support team. They do offer some of the best prepaid cellular plans out there. We're hoping that over time, maybe their customer service representatives can improve their quality of service.
