Articles by Joe Paonessa

Joe Paonessa

Joe Paonessa is the founder of BestMVNO.com. He started BestMVNO in 2013, because like many of you, he was unhappy with the high price he was paying his wireless provider for cell phone service. After researching how to cut costs on his phone bill, he came across the terms MVNO and prepaid wireless, and learned there was a way he could keep using his favorite network without having to pay a premium price for it.

Through BestMVNO.com, Joe shares his research and experiences with MVNOs and prepaid wireless providers, helping others learn how to save money on their phone bills. Joe's current providers are Total Wireless and MobileX. When he's not working on BestMVNO, you may find Joe playing pickleball or going out for a run. For inquiries use the contact button.

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A smiling woman wearing an orange sweater holds up a smartphone displaying Tello’s blue and white $25 plan graphic that reads “$25 Plan Gets Data Boost to 50GB,” against a solid blue background.

Tello’s $25 Plan Gets Data Boost to 50GB

By Joe Paonessa • 10/18/25

Tello Mobile has increased the data allotment of its $25/month plan (taxes extra) to 50GB up from 35GB. The hotspot allotment has also been increased from 5GB to 10GB. A highe...

Phone repair and prepaid wireless dealer store front

Simple Mobile Holds Off Ultra Mobile to Remain at Top of Wave7 Research’s 3Q25 Prepaid Dealer Survey

By Joe Paonessa • 10/13/25

Simple Mobile once again leads Wave7 Research’s quarterly prepaid dealer survey for 3Q25, narrowly ahead of Ultra Mobile. This marks the firm’s 43rd survey, with Simple Mobile...

Boom Mobile promo with Slap Back written at the top describing $15/month plan with 4GB of data at the bottom of the graphic

Boom! Mobile Signs Sponsorship Deal With Thrill Sports, Includes Power Slap, SLS Skateboarding, and Nitro Circus

By Joe Paonessa • 10/13/25

Wave7 Research recently reported that Boom! Mobile has signed a new 3-year partnership deal with Thrill Sports that’s said to be a “multi-million-dollar investment.” The deal...

Smiling woman sitting on a sofa in her living room holding a sage green Google Pixel phone, with text promoting $10 off a Google Fi phone plan and $800 off a Pixel

Google Wants You to Have $10/Month Off a Fi Phone Plan and $800 Off a Pixel

By Joe Paonessa • 10/12/25

Google Fi has launched a new promotional offer giving new customers $10/month off the Unlimited Premium (reg $65/month) plan for 24 months with the purchase of a Google 10 ser...

Hand holding a phone in a crowd at an outdoor sporting event. Phone screen shows MobileX new plans and prices with priority data

MobileX To Launch Gold Network With Priority Data Options on October 18

By Joe Paonessa • 09/29/25

MobileX has announced it will launch “Gold Network” data access options which will become available on October 18th. The service will offer customers priority data access on i...

Screenshot from Best Buy website showing discounted Visible plans

Verizon Makes Decision to Launch Visible in Best Buy Stores

By Joe Paonessa • 09/23/25

Verizon has decided to launch its previously digital-only brand, Visible, into physical retail. According to a Verizon press release, starting September 28th, customers will b...

Trump Mobile Begins Launch Into Dealer Stores

By Joe Paonessa • 09/07/25

Back in June, BestMVNO reported on the launch of a new wireless service powered by the T-Mobile network: Trump Mobile. Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump were said to be the face...

Boost Mobile Store Window Signage Pitching $30/Month Home Internet

Boost Mobile Sells Spectrum Internet, Shifts Some Stores To Focus More On Postpaid

By Joe Paonessa • 09/07/25

According to the latest prepaid report from Wave7 Research, Boost Mobile is now selling Spectrum Home Internet in several hundred Boost Mobile stores. Wave7 Research first spo...

Display of Tracfone phone plans and SIM cards

Tracfone Launches $50 Unlimited Data Plan With Multi-Month Discounts

By Joe Paonessa • 08/28/25

Verizon Value brand Tracfone has launched its first ever truly unlimited data plan. The new offering includes unlimited talk, text, and data, plus 15GB of hotspot use, interna...

Simple Mobile Adds More Data to Plans; Simple Mobile & Total Wireless Expand International Roaming

By Joe Paonessa • 08/21/25

Verizon announced at the All Wireless and Prepaid Expo, and in a press release, that its Value brands Simple Mobile and Total Wireless have received major plan updates. Both p...

LinkUp Mobile Tops 30,000 Subscribers as SurgePays Reports Rapid Growth Across Its Platforms

By Joe Paonessa • 08/17/25

SurgePays, the parent company behind MVNO LinkUp Mobile and Lifeline provider Torch Wireless, has reported strong subscriber growth following its Q2 2025 earnings release. Lin...

Visible Tests “Inner Circle,” a Way to Link Multiple Accounts Together

By Joe Paonessa • 08/09/25

Visible is piloting a new feature called Inner Circle that lets customers connect multiple Visible accounts under one roof for centralized management and payment, something th...

A person holding a smartphone displaying the MobileX Unlimited plans page, showing $14.88 and $24.88 pricing options with plan details, against a green background and wooden desk.

MobileX Reverts $24.88/month 199GB Plan Back to 30GB

By Joe Paonessa • 08/09/25

If you open up your MobileX app like I recently did, you’ll notice that MobileX has removed its $24.88/month unlimited plan, which offered 199GB of high-speed data before full...

Person holding a phone standing in front of a New York Mobile store front. To the left is a giant cell phone describing NY Mobile phone service on its screen.

New York Mobile Expands into Stores with New Dealer Program

By Joe Paonessa • 08/08/25

New York Mobile is a relatively new postpaid MVNO that launched in March 2025 on the T-Mobile network. The company seeks to differentiate itself from the dozens of other MVNOs...

MobileX Adds Multi-Line Support

By Joe Paonessa • 08/06/25

MobileX has finally added a feature long requested by its users. Customers can now manage multiple lines on their accounts through what MobileX is calling Xtensions. According...