There are a handful of mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) that operate over AT&T’s network. In general, these MVNOs offer coverage profiles similar to the coverage profile AT&T offers its own subscribers. In many cases, wireless service offered by MVNOs will be much cheaper than wireless service offered directly by AT&T.
Best AT&T MVNOs
My favorite prepaid options on AT&Ts network come from carriers that aren’t technically MVNOs. Some of AT&T’s own prepaid plans offer excellent value. AT&T’s flanker brand, Cricket Wireless, also offers a handful of well-priced plans.
List of AT&T MVNOs
| Carrier | Estimated subscribers | Recommended | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cricket | 10,000,000 | ✔ | |
| AT&T Prepaid | 7,000,000 | ✔ | |
| TracFone | 10,000,000 | Additional subscribers may use other carriers that are part of TracFone. An América Móvil (TracFone's parent company) report covering performance in the 4th quarter of 2018 indicates the company had roughly 22 million lines in the U.S. | |
| Straight Talk* | 9,000,000 | Straight Talk is a TracFone brand. | |
| Consumer Cellular | 3,000,000 | ||
| NET10 Wireless* | 3,000,000 | NET10 is part of TracFone | |
| H20 Wireless | 1,000,000 | ||
| FreedomPop | 1,000,000 | ||
| Red Pocket Mobile | 200,000 | ||
| Airvoice | 150,000 | ||
| Unreal Mobile | 100,000 | ||
| Wing | 100,000 | ||
| FreeUP | 40,000 | ||
| Beast Mobile | 10,000 | ||
| Clearway Wireless* | Clearway is a TracFone brand. I believe Clearway works with all of the Big Four networks, but I'm not confident. | ||
| Pure TalkUSA | |||
| i3Mobile |
Data priority with AT&T MVNOs
Subscribers using MVNOs that operate over AT&T’s network are likely to have lower priority than AT&T’s own subscribers. Accordingly, MVNO subscribers may experience especially slow data speeds during periods of network congestion.
