4 Reasons You Shouldn't Switch to an MVNO

MVNOs are cell carriers that borrow network space from a big name like Verizon or AT&T and then sell that network capacity to customers at a lower price. These cell carriers are affordable, but they aren't entirely without disadvantages. If you're considering a switch, you may want to consider them.

Let's talk about data for a bit, shall we? When you are away from WiFi, your phone uses data to access the internet. The faster the data, the quicker everything will be. MVNOs do have packages where a customer can get high-speed data, no different from someone who subscribes to a Verizon or T-Mobile data plan. There are MVNOs out there offering 5G and even Ultra Wideband data plans, so it's not that they offer slower data in general.

The real problem lies in the fact that MVNO subscribers are second-priority users on the network. An MVNO like Visible or US Mobile may offer lower prices than Verizon, but they still use the Verizon network to provide services. When Verizon's network is congested, and they have to choose which users will continue to receive high-speed data and which users they are going to throttle, they will prioritize their own customers, not the customers of the MVNOs using their network.

This means MVNO customers can theoretically be throttled at any time, even if they paid for high-speed data. After all, it's not actually up to the MVNO you are paying: if they are borrowing network capacity from Verizon, Verizon has the final say on how that network capacity is used. You're at the mercy of the big-name carrier and whether or not they need to throttle second-priority network users to satisfy their own customers.

Admittedly, this doesn't happen very often. Big companies like AT&T and Verizon have spent decades building up robust networks, and they usually have enough capacity for everyone. Even so, the possibility of them throttling data speeds for second-priority users is very real and something you'll always have to worry about if you use an MVNO.

2 MVNOs Tend to Have Less Perks

MVNOs like Cricket Wireless or Straight Talk often offer pretty good service packages for their customers, but it's usually limited to actual cell service, like talk and text or unlimited data plans. Big-name carriers like Verizon and T-Mobile often offer more perks to go along with their services than MVNOs do, which isn't a deal breaker, but it is something to consider.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that MVNOs never offer bonus perks to go with their plans. There have been a few times when you could get a complimentary streaming service subscription with your MVNO package, but those times are few and far between. The big companies are far more likely to offer perks like that with their service packages.

These types of perks are especially valuable when they involve upgrading to a new phone. Though some MVNOs sell phones, many don't. Companies like AT&T and T-Mobile, on the other hand, are always looking to package new phones with appealing service packages. Generally, upgrading to a new phone is both easiest and cheapest when done through a big cell carrier.

Other perks offered by bigger cell carriers often include discounts on online services, priority customer support, customizable plans, and more. I'm not saying that there are no MVNOs out there that offer similar perks, but it's not as common to get those perks with an MVNO.

3 MVNOs Have Fewer or Zero Physical Retail Stores

Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek

Admittedly, we live in the digital age, and most people like to do things online if they can. Even so, it's nice to know that you can walk into a physical retail store and get face-to-face assistance with your problem if you really need it, and that's something you can easily have if you have a plan with T-Mobile, Verizon, or AT&T. If you use an MVNO for your phone plan, not so much.

There are actually a few MVNOs that have physical retail stores out there, but there aren't very many. Even then, the MVNOs that do have physical retail stores tend only to have a few of them. It wouldn't be very rare for you not to have a single store within reasonable driving distance of where you live. Not to mention that plenty of MVNOs just don't have any physical retail stores at all.

If you're digitally savvy and know how to set up things strictly online or via phone, this might not be such a big deal for you. Even so, there may come a time when you need to take your phone to someone who knows more than you, and that's when it pays to have a physical retail store to visit. It's a small thing, but still worth keeping in mind when considering a traditional carrier versus an MVNO.

4 MVNO Customer Service Can Be Inferior to Traditional Carriers

I am not claiming that all MVNOs have worse customer service than traditional carriers like T-Mobile or Verizon. In fact, some MVNOs, such as Red Pocket Mobile, are even well-regarded for their excellent customer service. That said, there's no denying that, on average, the big names are going to have an edge here. They are bigger companies with bigger budgets and bigger reputations to uphold.

That means they can afford larger customer service departments, and that generally means quicker response times on the phone and more skilled and helpful assistance. Depending on your phone plan with these carriers, you may even have priority customer service, meaning you're at the top of the list when there's a problem you need help with. MVNOs generally don't offer that.

I'm sure there are MVNOs out there with excellent customer service. But if I had to take a gamble on whether or not I was going to get quicker support from an MVNO or one of the big-name carriers, I'd definitely put my money on the latter. They just have more resources to spare, which allows them to provide more helpful tools to their customer service departments.

Ultimately, these are the downsides of switching to an MVNO. Admittedly, even with these downsides, there are some pretty good reasons to switch to an MVNO anyway. They are definitely more affordable and flexible, but some people might not think that's worth the disadvantages we've talked about today. In the end, it's up to each individual to weigh the pros and cons of switching to an MVNO.