We've all looked at our phone contract and thought "that's a bit steep," or "surely I can find a cheaper deal." With minutes, texts, data, add-ons, and more, there is a wide range of factors to consider when picking a phone contract without breaking the bank.
So, can Red Pocket Mobile help you find the right contract? We've taken a good look at this MVNO to find out.
What Is an MVNO?
When you're trying to bring down the price of your phone contract, you might want to check out Mobile Virtual Network Operators, or MVNOs. This is a type of reseller for wireless communication services.
MVNOs operate similarly to a second-hand seller or a platform like Amazon. Instead of buying directly from the original company, an MVNO acts as a middle man.
So, where does Red Pocket Mobile come into this?
Red Pocket Mobile is itself an MVNO, with the purpose of offering lower prices for phone users than other big-name mobile contract companies, such as Verizon and T-Mobile.
However, be it phones, cars, or anything else, with many low-cost options, there's often a catch. So, does Red Pocket Mobile have a downside, or is it simply a more affordable option for phone users?
The Basics of Red Pocket
Red Pocket claims to offer considerably lower prices for both phones and phone contracts than other major providers.
It's safe to say that the deals offered by Red Pocket aren't really offered elsewhere, such as 5G data plans from $20 a month, or a discount of up to $250 when you purchase any new iPhone. The site also claims to offer free international calls worldwide and an unlimited cap across the board.
Red Pocket also sells a number of different iPhones, including the 11, 12, 12 Pro, and SE, though the purchase of any of these phones requires a Red Pocket service plan on top.
The site shows that you can grab yourself a new iPhone 12 for $829, a price that is considerably lower than what you'd typically find elsewhere. You can also pay for your phone on a monthly contract, rather than all in one transaction.
Red Pocket Mobile also offers a variety of different plan types, including family discount plans, annual plans, and data-only plans, so you can ensure that the plan you choose is the right fit for you.
There are also eBay exclusive plans on offer, though these are annual, rather than just rolling monthly. In this case, you'd need to pay upfront for your plan, which can of course rack up a pretty high one-time bill. But if you're looking to sort your annual service plan in one quick payment, the eBay exclusive plans may work for you.
The Networks on Offer From Red Pocket
After you've chosen which phone you'd like to buy, you're then required to choose a network to use. Red Pocket allows you to choose between a GSMA, GSMT, CDMA, or CDMAS. But, what even are these long abbreviations?
Well, here's a quick breakdown.
- A GSMA, or Global System for Mobile Communication Association, is an organisation that represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. This network uses the AT&T mobile network for connection.
- A GSMT is similar, but is powered by T-Mobile.
- A CDMA, or Code Division Multiple Access, is a channel access method powered by Verizon.
- And a CDMAS is powered by Sprint.
So, you can use some of the United States' biggest telecommunications companies with Red Pocket.
Once you've chosen your network, you can then choose your specific plan. It's clear that Red Pocket's main focus is offering considerable data limits for lower prices.
Each plan offers unlimited data, which will essentially cost you next to nothing.
Combined with a monthly payment for an iPhone 12, an unlimited data package, along with unlimited texts, calls, plus an additional 3GB of data, will only cost you $15.83/month.
The case is similar for other packages.
To get an iPhone 12, unlimited features across the board, as well as a whole 30GB of additional data, you'll be paying less than $40/month. Seems pretty unbelievable, right?
So, the prices are low, and the packages are great, but is there a downside? In order to determine this, we've taken a look at customer feedback across the board.
The General Consensus on Red Pocket
So, let's take a look at what people are saying about Red Pocket Mobile, and whether or not the feedback is positive or negative.
We first took a look at a lot of the major review websites, such as Trustpilot and Yelp. And, surprisingly, the overall rating is vastly different for both.
On Trustpilot, a lot of people speak very highly of Red Pocket Mobile, praising its affordability and strong network connection. In fact, 72% of the overall reviews were five star.
However, on Yelp, the overall consensus is very different. The majority of individuals complained about the long set-up periods when using Red Pocket Mobile on their phones, and also commented on the company's poor customer service. Some were even unable to place calls after setting up their Red Pocket Mobile plan on their phone.
It has been stated by multiple customers that Red Pocket Mobile's customer service either gives customers extremely long waiting times or doesn't allow customers to talk to a real person at all. Other individuals mentioned that the questions they have regarding their phone or plan hardly ever get answered. Not exactly prime customer care.
Some customers also claim that Red Pocket Mobile's claims of offering unlimited data are ultimately false, with some hitting data limits and not being granted additional data when requested. Others claim that, while the data limits are high, the speed of the connection can vary from super fast to frustratingly slow.
Interestingly, some Red Pocket Mobile customers have also reported that the number of spam and cold calls they received increased when they began using the service. But such calls are pretty standard with most providers, so this may not be too strange.
However, there are a large number of people who claim they've never had an issue with their Red Pocket plan, and these customers highly recommend the service.
It's generally not easy to determine whether this service is a yay or nay, with customer reviews differing drastically from person to person. Although, when looking across a number of different review sites, it would seem that the feedback is generally either neutral or negative.
The Good, the Bad, and the Unlimited
As with many companies offering slashed prices on typically expensive items and services, Red Pocket Mobile certainly has its downsides. If you sign up with Red Pocket Mobile, you may indeed find yourself struggling with set-up times, connectivity, or customer service quality.
And this, of course, shouldn't be taken lightly.
While some customers have evidently been unhappy with Red Pocket Mobile, we can't ignore the thousands of positive reviews, as well as the general conversation around it being mostly positive or neutral on other non-review sites, too.
You may find yourself signing up and having a totally trouble-free experience with Red Pocket, as many people have. If you can grab yourself big savings while also enjoying an unlimited service plan, then why not?
The best thing to do when looking for the right data plan is this: shop around.
Make sure you know what your options are, and mull your choices over for a few days before committing to anything. Don't just rely on the company itself to tell you what they offer, check what the majority of customers are saying. And, if your gut tells you it's too good to be true, you might want to look elsewhere.