Best For 0-10 Employees Working Remotely : Verizon (see plans)
Best for Bigger Businesses: AT&T
Best for Flexibility & Pricing: T-Mobile
Our phones are a huge part of our personal and professional lives these days. Not only are we in constant contact with our friends and family, but we can also be available to our employees, customers, and vendors when they need us. As a small business owner, the mobile tools you provide to your workforce will significantly impact your overall operations. The right business mobile plans and devices offer a plethora of benefits, including:
- Better communication. Mobile technology today means that you can not only make phone calls but also send emails, photographs, spreadsheets, and more to your employees, customers, colleagues, and vendors.
- Workspace mobility. Remote work is not a new concept; people have been telecommuting since the 80s. But, if the pandemic of 2020 taught us anything, it was that working remotely actually makes employees more productive. Equipping your workforce with technology, including fast data, unlimited talk and text, and advanced mobile devices, allows your knowledge workers to get things done at home or on the go.
- Increased responsiveness. Today’s consumers are growing ever more impatient, and we have technology to thank for that. Fortunately, digital tools also give you an edge when it’s time to fulfill your customers’ desire for expediency. Providing mobile technology to your employees means that you can shorten your response time and, in turn, increase customer satisfaction.
If you are ready to find the best mobile plan for your business, you are in luck. You have many options, from the big names you already trust to smaller companies that can keep your budget balanced when you only have a handful of employees. The following business mobile plan providers can help you stay in touch, be productive, and ready to handle business at a moment’s notice.
The Big 3 Wireless Business Providers
Verizon (Best For Working Remotely)
Verizon Wireless was founded two days after AT&T back in 1983, and the two have been competitors for nearly 40 years. Because of this, small business owners are rarely surprised to find that both mobile plan providers offer a similar line-up of devices and plan features. What sets Verizon apart here is the company’s 5G Ultra Wideband. The fifth generation of mobile coverage is the fastest ever available. Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband allows users to work more efficiently in the dozens of cities throughout the US that support this technology. Verizon’s second and third-tier business lines, starting at around $40 per month, allow users to capitalize on these lightning-fast speeds with unlimited mobile hotspot tethering.
AT&T (Best For Larger Small Businesses)
AT&T is without question the largest telecommunications provider in the world. The company generates more than $181 billion per year in revenue and operates on a global scale. As an innovator in the industry, AT&T offers a wide spread of affordable options for businesses both large and small. AT&T recently introduced its Unlimited Your Way business mobile plan. Businesses can have up to 10 phone lines and pay a flat rate for each, starting at just $65 per month. Unlimited talk and text come standard with each plan along with unlimited calling to Canada and Mexico with no roaming fees in either county. Advanced security features and mobile hotspot tethering are also options.
T-Mobile (Best For Flexibility)
If no annual service contract is an attractive feature for your business mobile plan, then T-Mobile (and, by default, Sprint, which is owned by T-Mobile) might be a great option. T-Mobile recently unveiled its newest plan add-on, Magenta MAX, which provides a host of perks, including unlimited in-flight wi-fi and impressive data speeds in more than 200 countries. Pricing starts at $45 for mobile plus Magenta MAX services and includes unlimited video streaming. With T-Mobile, you can also link up to five different phone numbers to a single device using the company’s DIGITS option. This is a handy feature if you run more than one business.
You can expect an impressive selection of devices with all of the major business mobile services providers. Most carry a range of products from Apple, Samsung, LG, Google, Microsoft, and more.
Small Carriers
When the major carriers don’t quite fit the bill, there are plenty of smaller, often prepaid, phone and mobile services providers that can offer small teams many of the same dynamic features.
Boost Mobile (Most Affordable)
Boost Mobile offers some of the cheapest talk, text, and data plans on the market today. For small businesses that already own devices, Boost’s $10 and $15 BYO plans can help save a nice chunk of money.
Cricket (Best For Small Teams)
Cricket Wireless allows businesses to pay for four lines of unlimited high-speed data, talk, text, and photo messaging with a simple pricing structure. Backed by the support of its parent company, AT&T, Cricket is known for its rotating selection of customer perks and its support of social causes.
Mint (Most Compelling New Company)
One of the newest players to the virtual network game, Mint Mobile is owned, in part, by actor Ryan Reynolds. Founded in 2016, Mint offers no-nonsense pricing and allows customers to bring their own device or buy a new one. Mint operates solely online to minimize overhead and promises no overages.
Straight Talk (Best Rewards)
Straight Talk is another one of the cheapest pay-as-you-go providers with one standout difference: it offers rewards each month to customers. On top of a respectable network and the option to pay for three, six, or 12 months at once, Straight Talk lets customers accumulate points that can be used for free service or high-speed data add-ons.
What To Consider When Choosing Business Mobile Plans
More than just the phones, devices, and data limits, business owners must consider everything from coverage to security. Here is what to look for before making a commitment:
- Price. While price is always a factor, small business owners researching the best business mobile plans should compare apples to apples. Although most phone and data service providers operate similarly, there may be key differences in what’s included in the standard monthly rate. Failure to take overage charges, roaming, or extra data into consideration can add up to a much larger monthly bill than anticipated.
- Customer service. Technology has come a long way in the last 20 years, but that does not mean that problems won’t arise. Customer service is crucial, and having the ability to reach a live person for answers to complex questions can mean the difference between a happy mobile customer and one that moves on to the next provider.
- Hotspot. A mobile hotspot allows network users to connect other devices – phones, tablets, computers – to their 4G or 5G signal using their device as tethering hardware. This is especially important for business owners and key employees that travel often and need access to the fastest internet speeds available.
- Hardware. Having great hardware is just as crucial as an expansive network. Finding a company that sells and services devices tailored for business is essential.
- Security. Some mobile business plans allow users to use a virtual private network and other protection features, such as encrypted data. Having some cybersecurity measures in place makes it easier for business owners and managers to protect their company’s valuable data.
- Data. Unlimited data used to be a premium and expensive feature. Today, most providers recognize that mobile devices are used for more than just talking and texting. However, it’s best to research to confirm that unlimited high-speed data is part of the package.
- Scalability. A mobile services provider should offer not only the fastest and cheapest data but also have options that allow for seamless expansion. Before choosing a plan, confirm that you can add or remove lines at any time without hassles, hurdles, and expensive fees.
- Network coverage. The three largest carriers offer virtually coast-to-coast coverage, and the smaller companies piggyback off of these lines. That does not mean that each has exactly the same coverage, so business owners should check each company’s website and identify any potential dead zones so that there are no surprises.
