Optimum Mobile Review 2024: Plans, Bundles, and More
Optimum Mobile uses T-Mobile's network, but you might be better off going right to T-Mobile directly.
Is Optimum Mobile worth it?
Optimum is the latest internet provider to get into the phone service game. With Optimum Mobile, you can bundle nationwide phone service with your Optimum service plan. Optimum Mobile won’t knock your socks off, but with features like its 50 GB phone plan, it’s worth a look if you’re already an Optimum internet subscriber.
Save money with Optimum Mobile bundles
Optimum offers a lot of deals when you bundle mobile and internet service, with perks like gift cards, unlimited data, and a free iPhone (expires 6/23/24). Check out our Optimum deals page for more details.
Optimum Mobile plans are pricey, but deals are available
Optimum Mobile uses T-Mobile’s mobile network, so you’ll get standard features like 5G support and nationwide cellular coverage. For prospective customers, Optimum Mobile offers several per gigabyte and unlimited data plans.
Optimum’s 1 GB plan ($15/mo.) is in line with the competition, as Xfinity Mobile and Spectrum Mobile’s 1 GB plans cost $15 and $14 per month. But Optimum Mobile’s 3 GB plan is cheaper per month compared to both competitors.
| Plan | Monthly price (single line) | Monthly price (2+ lines) | Data allowance | Overage speed limit | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | $15.00/line | $15.00/line | 1 GB | 128 Kbps | View Plan |
| 3 GB | $25.00/line | $25.00/line | 3 GB | 128 Kbps | View Plan |
| Unlimited | $45.00/mo. | $25.00–$30.00/mo. | 20 GB | 512 Kbps | View Plan |
| Unlimited Max | $55.00/mo. | $35.00–$40.00/mo. | 50 GB | 512 Kbps | View Plan |
Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
1 GB, 3 GB & Unlimited & Unlimited Max plan details: AutoPay required. New Optimum Mobile lines only, cannot be applied to existing lines of service. Pricing, offer and terms subject to change at any time.
With Optimum’s Unlimited plans, you’ll get features like large data caps and multi-line savings. Your monthly rate will go down by $5 for each line you add to the account (for up to five lines). Unlimited Max’s 50 GB cap is impressive, as we rarely see providers like Optimum Mobile have caps that exceed 20 GB.
By comparison, a 50 GB plan (with a five-line account) would cost the same with AT&T compared to Optimum Mobile—$35 per line. But AT&T’s 50 GB plan comes with bells and whistles like 15 GB of hotspot data per month and AT&T ActiveArmor mobile security. With Optimum Mobile, your benefits start and end with cellular service.
Optimum Mobile’s overage policy is similarly stingy. Once you exceed your plan’s cap, your internet speeds will be lowered to 128 Kbps or 512 Kbps (depending on your exact plan). At these speeds, your phone’s internet connection will be borderline unusable. With competitors like Xfinity Mobile, your plan’s overage speeds will be around 1 Mbps, so you can still use your phone for basic web browsing.
Optimum Mobile’s biggest fee is its $20 per line activation charge. This fee is a one-time charge, but it can add up if your plan has more than a few lines. Spectrum Mobile has a $20 activation fee on unlimited plans, while Xfinity Mobile’s is $10.
Unlike a lot of cellular plans from internet providers, Optimum Mobile doesn’t require Optimum internet, but you’ll get the best Optimum Mobile rates with a bundle. Without an Optimum internet plan, you’ll pay an additional $10 to $15 more per line per month for Optimum Mobile.
Also, Optimum Mobile’s approach to international calls is fairly confusing. Optimum breaks up its international coverage into four groups of countries. For each group, you’ll pay a flat monthly fee between $20 and $60 for phone and text service. Unless you’re calling overseas family members on a weekly basis, it’ll be tough to get your money’s worth from Optimum Mobile’s international pricing.
To learn more about Optimum’s hidden fees, check out our comprehensive guide.
Optimum’s data allotments are good (if you don’t push them too far)
Optimum’s data allotments are in line with other similar services like Spectrum Mobile, although they’re much pricier for the same amount of data. The real savings only kick in once you start adding additional lines to your plan.
Unfortunately, Optimum’s data caps are pretty severe. As stated above, once you hit your limit, your mobile internet speeds will slow down to an unusable crawl.
If you can get T-Mobile, you can get Optimum Mobile
Optimum Mobile uses T-Mobile’s network, and should theoretically provide the same service in the same locations. However, this doesn’t always seem to be the case. As one Reddit user posted on r/OPTIMUM in 2024: “I had T-Mobile before I switched to Optimum and now my service is significantly worse with tons more dead zones.”
Cellular networks are built on two competing systems: CDMA (Verizon) and GSM (T-Mobile and AT&T) networks. Your phone may not work if you were previously with a provider like Verizon or Xfinity Mobile.
Use Optimum Mobile’s compatibility tool to confirm if your current phone can be carried over to Optimum.
Buying a new phone through Optimum
Buying a phone through Optimum is a good way to assure that your new model is compatible with T-Mobile, but then you’ll be stuck paying off your phone through Optimum even if you’re unhappy with your service.
You won’t get many extra perks with Optimum Mobile
Unlike T-Mobile, an Optimum Mobile plan won’t get you access to hotspots or unlimited international calling. You also won’t get access to AT&T’s ActiveArmor mobile security.
Optimum Mobile’s main draw is that you can save up to $15 per month when you bundle it with Optimum internet. You’ll just have to forgo the fancier perks from other carriers to do it.
Methodology
To evaluate Optimum Mobile, we analyzed data including pricing, overage speed limits, and data caps for each Optimum Mobile plan. We also compared Optimum Mobile to operators including Spectrum Mobile and Xfinity Mobile to see how Optimum Mobile stacked up to the competition.
For more on our methodology, see our How We Rank page.
Optimum Mobile FAQ
What is Optimum Mobile?
Optimum Mobile is the cell phone provider division of Optimum. With Optimum Mobile, you can sign up for cell phone plans and get up to 50 GB of mobile data per month.
What network does Optimum Mobile use?
Optimum Mobile uses T-Mobile’s network to provide cell phone service.
Is Optimum Mobile the same as Altice Mobile?
Optimum Mobile is the same thing as Altice Mobile. Altice Mobile renamed itself to Optimum Mobile in 2021.
Is Optimum Mobile really unlimited?
Optimum Mobile’s Unlimited service plans are not technically unlimited. Once you hit the plan’s data cap, you won’t be hit with overage charges, but your data speeds will be slowed down to around 512 Kbps.
