Virgin Mobile Review 2024

Verdict

Those seeking mobile prepaid services will benefit from Virgin Mobile's monthly fees as it's fairly inexpensive. Looking at it on a wider spectrum, however, its features and coverage as a whole isn't at par with other mobile phone carriers.

Virgin Mobile Full Review

Virgin Mobile has long established that it doesn't own any physical stores; its services can be availed either through Walmart or online. Through years, the company has been bombarded with complaints of low data distribution, slow internet speeds, and dissatisfying features. However, changes as of recent has prompted value surge on the brand as a whole and many still find their way purchasing plans from Virgin Mobile. Still, it goes without saying that lapses in its services are what's hindering it from becoming the top cell phone carries in the country.

As with most mobile phone carriers, Virgin's services include unlimited texting and call time, but a standout among them is its data-free music streaming, or in the company's own words, "...enjoy your beats without paying for the bytes." By partnering with several streaming platforms, users get to have unlimited access to music regardless of your data plan. Customers will be able to listen to 8 Track, Napster, Slacker, iHeart, Pandora, Spotify, and its recent addition, Google Play Music, without any data charges.

There are three packages one can choose from. Starting from the highest, Virgin offers unlimited data plan for $60 per month, but this tier doesn’t include a mobile hotspot or HD streaming for videos. Next is the $45 plan with 10GB, which offers subscribers an add-on of $5 per additional gigabyte. The most affordable among the package is the $35 per month plan that offers 5GB.

A drawback is that Virgin doesn't offer any family plans, which it previously had. It's definitely disappointing for those wanting to bundle up as it reduces the cost, although Virgin does have an autopay feature in which users will be able to save $5 if you avail any of its mobile phone plans.

In what seems like the biggest drawback for the company, Virgin actually leases coverage from Sprint, which means all its services are a resell. Sprint has the notoriety of having the weakest customer approval among the top for mobile service providers and has been plagued with various complaints from customers dealing with dropped calls, poor signal, slow internet speeds and the like. While its service does reach the outskirts of most urban areas more than T-Mobile, it's still considered substandard.

In a speed test conducted by Tom's Guide, a tech-savvy site, Virgin's results came out rather unsatisfactory. Among eight other cell phone carriers, Virgin placed sixth; its upload speed is at 7Mbps and its download speed is at 18Mpbs.

In one portion of the test where they had to download the augmented reality app Pokemon GO, it took Virgin Mobile two minutes and 11 seconds, with Sprint just a second ahead.

Summary

Having the option to pay an amount that's considered convenient is one good thing from Virgin Mobile, as well as its affordable rates and data-free music streaming. However, most people would agree that the company's inferiority coverage-wise and the lack of family bundles can be a hassle, and is a deciding reason to switch providers. It works in meager ways, which is further emphasised by other companies offering the same service. In other words, its mediocrity prevents it from being recommended.