If you’re not using an MVNO, you’re likely paying too much for your cell phone bill.

Don’t feel bad- I did it for years, too. Then I heard about MVNOs which use the regular towers/satellites/tech and phones that all of the big-name expensive companies. They just do it for a fraction of the cost.

Years ago, I called to put my cell phone on hold when we went out of the country for a few months. We had Verizon at the time and they allowed me to pause services (the phones were paid off), but we still had a base amount to pay. When we returned, I was frustrated that our phone costs were so low in Vietnam and the ridiculous cost here in the States.

I began researching and came across Ting and instantly swapped. I haven’t looked back. Regularly, our cost for three phones is around $60 a month. When it was just our personal phones, it was about $20, but one of them is a work phone and customers send a lot of text and photos, which increases the plan.

I have to admit that I was hesitant to switch. If my big-name company was charging me $140 for two phones, how on earth could another company charge me pennies on the dollar?

Simply put, an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) uses the towers of the three big hitters, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.

What does that mean? It means as far as connection reliability, MVNOs are the same as on the regular networks.

Ting is just one of the options, though, and if you switch, I suggest using one that pairs up with the towers in your area. I have family members that use Mint and love it.

What about customer service, you ask? That’s where Ting has excelled for me. I can chat or call their customer service line and get someone who is friendly, knowledgeable, easy to understand and answers promptly. In fact, the hardest part about switching to Ting for me was canceling with my old carrier.

If you haven’t looked into an MVNO, I suggest you do! There is no better time than now to live more frugally and spend the savings on something important, like food or silver.