Of all of the MVNOs,
Ting probably has one of the most unusual service models. Like all MVNOs, they don’t have a contract or anything of the sort. But, what makes them unique is that they also don’t have set plans limiting customers to a specific amount.
The way Ting works is almost more like a postpaid no-contract plan than a true prepaid plan because you don’t actually prepay and you don’t have a set amount. Your minutes, messages and megabytes are measured separately, and you pay for usage of each based on a tier system. This can be good because you only pay for exactly what you use. But, it can be easy to have a higher-than-expected bill on an abnormally busy month. Here is a screenshot of
Ting’s rates:
At the beginning of the month you will start with all three measurements on the XS tier. Throughout the month as you use minutes, texts and data you will be upgraded through the tiers. You can monitor these trends on your computer and smartphone, and put caps on certain categories to help manage and control your bill. At the end of the month, Ting will calculate how much of each of the three categories you use, add a $6 device fee, taxes, and send you the bill.
Here’s helpful video from Ting explaining how it works:
Pretty simple, right? It’s certainly unique, and Ting has some pretty
good customer ratings. For the right customer, this sort of a plan could be fantastic and give users the freedom they need to use what they need when they need it. Pretty cool.
Have you used Ting? What do you think about their pricing system? Let me know in the comments!]]>
I switched from Credo to TIng almost two years ago and it’s worked out really well. I do want to point out that I had no complaints at all about Credo, it was simply a financial move on my part. Both are MVNOs using Sprint’s network so the changeover was completely painless with no complications. While under a 2-yr contract with Credo I was spending an average of $70/month, now with Ting I’m paying about $18/month so even after factoring in the price to outright buy my current phone I’m now saving a good $50+ a month with essentially the same service (again both providers are contracted with Sprint). Ting’s web site and smartphone app make it really easy to monitor my account too. I live in the Chicago area and Sprint’s coverage is pretty good so I don’t have a lot of problems but I realize depending on which carrier you’re locked into that it’s a very regional matter. Ting did add GSM support (presumably based on T-Mobile’s network) so if you live somewhere with good Sprint or T-Mobile coverage I think Ting is a good option to look into.
Hi Sama! Thanks for commenting! I agree that Ting can be a fantastic option. The customer service is pretty nice, and the prices are good provided you don’t mind paying at the end of the month instead of pre paying for services. Glad it worked out for you!