Most phone plans now offer unlimited data so you don’t need to keep a running mental countdown of how close you are before your smartphone loses access. But unlimited has several nuances, such as how much of that data is high-speed and how much is throttled at slower speeds. These are our recommendations for postpaid plans from three major carriers: AT&T , T-Mobile and Verizon . Our Picks Best for value for a single line T-Mobile Essentials Saver $50 at T-Mobile The T-Mobile Essentials Saver plan offers unlimited data usage and includes 50GB of “Premium” data, which is the fastest-capable 5G rate available in your area. After 50GB, speeds are reduced to 3G levels for the remainder of the month. However, that Premium may not always be so premium: T-Mobile notes in the fine print that “Essentials customers may notice speeds lower than other customers and further reduction if using more than 50GB per month, due to data prioritization.” Jump to details Pros T-Mobile’s 5G network is generally robust Plan includes 50GB of high-speed data in the US Phone can be used as a hotspot Unlimited calls, texts and data in Canada and Mexico Cons Data in Canada and Mexico limited to very slow 2G speeds Hotspot is limited to 3G speeds No five-year price guarantee Everyone must be on the same plan Taxes and fees aren’t included in monthly cost Expand Pros & Cons Runner up for value for a single line AT&T Value 2.0 $50 at AT&T AT&T switched out its unlimited postpaid plans in early 2026, boosting the data and features of each one — and also making them cheaper than their predecessors, especially considering the company tacked an extra fee onto “retired” plans in April. AT&T Value 2.0 offers unlimited 5G talk, text and data with a 5GB block of high-speed data before getting throttled “if the network is busy.” (Our previous pick, the AT&T Value Plus VL plan, had the same condition but didn’t guarantee a set amount of high-speed data.) It also has 3GB of high-speed hotspot data, then unlimited at 128Kbps. Jump to details Pros Cheaper rate for AT&T service 5GB of high speed data (but see Cons) 3GB hotspot data ActiveArmor security app Cons No control over whether data speeds will slow after 5GB if network is busy No perks such as streaming bundles Taxes and fees not included in monthly cost Expand Pros & Cons Best for value with multiple lines T-Mobile Essentials $100 (4 lines) at T-Mobile If you compare the specifics of T-Mobile’s Essentials and Essentials Saver plans, you might think the company forgot to update one or the other — they’re Essential-ly the same. With both, you get 50GB of fast Premium 5G data (depending on the network capabilities in your area), which drops to 3G speeds of still-unlimited data after that allotment is used up. You can use your phone as a mobile hotspot with unlimited data, but only at 3G speeds and restricted to paltry 2G speeds when you’re in Canada or Mexico. In those two countries, calls, text and data are unlimited, while calls made from around 215 other countries are charged at 25 cents a minute. Jump to details Pros T-Mobile’s 5G network is generally robust Plan includes 50GB of high-speed data in the US Phone can be used as a hotspot Unlimited calls, texts and data in Canada and Mexico Can have up to six lines on an account Third line free is a better deal than Essentials Saver Cons Data in Canada and Mexico limited to very slow 2G speeds Hotspot is limited to 3G speeds No five-year price guarantee Everyone must be on the same plan Taxes and fees aren’t included in monthly cost Expand Pros & Cons Runner-up for value with multiple lines Verizon Unlimited Welcome $55 at Verizon Verizon’s Unlimited Welcome sounds like the happiest greeter in your favorite store or restaurant. Maybe that’s because Verizon dropped the prices of its unlimited plans at the end of 2025. Jump to details Pros Verizon’s 4G LTE network is a strong backbone Can still get perks Can mix and match plans Three-year price guarantee Cons No acc
Sumber: CNET