TextNow has unveiled a new free ad-supported unlimited talk and text plan on the Sprint network. A TextNow spokesperson disclosed to BestMVNO last summer that the plan was on the horizon. The person also mentioned that TextNow’s ad-supported WiFi-only free talk and text plan was a very successful venture for the company and the free cellular plan would be the next logistical and evolutionary step for TextNow to take with it. TextNow’s ad-supported Google Play Store app has been downloaded over 50 million times while its iOS version currently has a ranking of number 16 in the “social networking” category. In an issued press release, TextNow said that the plan has been ten years in the making and calls it the first-of-its-kind offering to provide unlimited ad-supported calling and texting nationwide on the Sprint network.
TextNow's New Free Updated Phone Plans Highlighted
TextNow’s website has also been redesigned to highlight the new free cellular talk and text plan. Customers will still have the option to add data to their plans if they so choose. Data options remain in place and are unchanged. If customers want to add a data allotment to their plan they’ll be able to pick from the following options:
- 2GB - $19.99/month
- Unlimited* - $39.99/month
*TextNow does refer to unlimited as being 23GB of data at 4G LTE data speeds before throttling to 2G data speeds.
All data containing plans actually include unlimited 2G data after the high-speed allotment gets used up. Mobile hotspot is also included with each plan. Customers who upgrade to a data containing plan will have an ad-free experience. An ad-free unlimited talk and text experience is also available for $9.99/month. TextNow used to offer service on both the T-Mobile and Sprint networks. However, service with T-Mobile was discontinued for new customers about 6 months ago. Taxes and fees are included in the prices shown.
Will TextNow's New Free Plan Be A Success?
Free plans are a hard feat for MVNOs to pull off and TextNow certainly isn’t the first company to give them a try. Long time BestMVNO readers may be familiar with RingPlus which offered free plans but went out of business a few years ago. There’s also FreedomPop. But neither of those two providers offered truly free unlimited calling over a cellular network. TextNow will attempt to be different by offering an unlimited calling and texting plan, however, service will still be provided by way of VoIP as confirmed by a company representative.
Recently launched FreeUP Mobile is another provider that tried to offer a free talk and text plan without the need for VoIP and utilized the AT&T network for service. Unfortunately, that free plan had to be discontinued as well. So whether or not TextNow can be successful where others have failed remains to be seen. But TextNow goes into this with a big advantage over the offerings that failed from the other MVNOs. TextNow has an astronomically larger user base and more industry experience in the free service sector.