Cricket Wireless Is Testing A $20/Month Unlimited Annual Plan In Select Markets

Based on recent information from Wave7 Research, Cricket Wireless is testing a new $20/month unlimited plan offer in select markets. The offer is not being promoted on Cricket’s main plan pages and does not appear to be available nationwide.

BestMVNO’s review of dealer social media posts found the promotion appears to be most heavily concentrated in Tennessee, where numerous Cricket dealers have posted about it. At least one dealer in South Carolina and one dealer in Kentucky were also found promoting the plan.

The offer is aimed at bring-your-own-device customers and requires a full year of service to be paid in advance. Customers pay $240 upfront, which works out to $20/month, with taxes and fees included. Some dealers are advertising the plan as 50% off its regular rate. Cricket has a support page for the plan and it lists the offer as “$40 Select Unlimited plan at 12 months for $240.”

Additional Plan details and Fine Print

• Bring your own phone (BYOD) required: The phone you use must not have been active on the Cricket network within the last 12 months. Customers who purchase a phone from Cricket are not eligible.
• Single line only: The plan isn’t compatible with multi‑line accounts. You can only have one line per account.
• Not eligible for discounts or add-ons: The plan cannot be combined with AutoPay credits, device discounts, Bridge Pay, or add‑ons.
• Network management: Data is deprioritized, Cricket may temporarily slow speeds if the network is busy. Video streams in SD quality, and there is no mobile hotspot. Customers caught circumventing the no‑hotspot policy may have their service slowed or terminated.

Cricket's Answer to Metro's $20 Unlimited Plan?

The new Cricket offer looks like it may be designed to help the AT&T-owned prepaid brand better compete with Metro by T-Mobile.

BestMVNO previously reported that Metro began selling a $20/month unlimited BYOD plan in late February. Metro's offer requires customers to prepay $120 for six months of service in advance. The Metro plan also includes unlimited talk, text, and 5G data, with taxes and fees included and no hotspot.

Devices purchased from Metro are not eligible for Metro’s six-month offer. Prepaid service fees are not refundable, and customers who change their plan or device lose the promotional pricing for any remaining months on the plan.

Editor's Take

This is the latest in a growing list of moves by carrier-owned prepaid brands to push the price of unlimited data plans lower. Metro has a $20 unlimited plan, Visible commonly offers one as part of a promotion, and now Cricket appears to be testing the same price point in select markets.

Cricket already offers a 12-month unlimited plan nationally at $25/month when customers prepay $300. Cricket also offers a $15/month unlimited trial plan that is valid for a customer’s first three months of service when they prepay for three months in advance.

This new Cricket Wireless offer seems designed to get ahead of Metro by offering an even longer discount period: 12 months instead of six. For cost-conscious consumers who are confident they will stay with Cricket for a full year and who already have a compatible phone, the plan offers a way to secure unlimited service at $20/month without having to think about their wireless bills every month.

However, there are drawbacks. The plan has no flexibility, if you need to leave early, your prepaid fees aren’t refundable. The lack of hotspot support may be a dealbreaker for those who rely on tethering. And because the plan is deprioritized, heavy data users may experience slowdowns when the network is congested. Moreover, since the plan is limited to select locations and not advertised on Cricket’s website, it may be hard for many interested customers to find.

Overall, Cricket Wireless appears to be testing how aggressive it can get with multi-month prepaid unlimited pricing. Given Metro’s $20/month BYOD offer, it makes sense for Cricket to experiment with a similar offer. If the test performs well, Cricket could eventually expand it, modify it, or turn it into a more permanent multi-month plan.

Until then, shoppers in parts of Tennessee, and possibly a small number of stores in South Carolina and Kentucky, may be able to grab a $20/month unlimited plan from Cricket by bringing their own phone and paying for a full year upfront.

“This offer is similar to Metro’s offer in that it provides unlimited at $20/month with prepayment of many months. There are two differences. The Metro offer is focused on payment of $120 for six months, while the Cricket offer is focused on payment of $240 for 12 months. Also, the Metro offer seems to be nationwide and Wave7 Research has many pictures of signs touting the offer, while the Cricket offer is only available at select locations and has only been seen on social media.” – Jeff Moore, Principal of Wave7 Research