Cricket is making mobile data more affordable with FCC help | Digital Trends

Cricket has dropped a couple of new changes that may make its mobile data plans a little more cost-effective for customers. The biggest savings on those plans could come from qualifying for the Affordable Connectivity Program backed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), while the second change is just a slight increase to its monthly data cap for the basic 5G plan.

On a separate note, Cricket is also expanding its compatible device list by adding the Samsung Galaxy A13 5G. However, if you do just so happen to be in the market for a budget 5G phone, it could help to check out the best cheap 5G phones before picking yp the somewhat lackluster Galaxy A13 5G.

Affordable Connectivity Program

Those eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program can now seek coverage with Cricket. Customers enrolled in the program could see up to $30 off per month for eligible households. If you reside on Tribal Lands, you could see up to $75 off per month. What would these savings look like month to month?

The average single customer with the program’s maximum coverage could have the Unlimited Plan for fast, unrestricted 5G speeds for $25 a month. Or if money is tighter, they could get Cricket’s most basic 5GB plan for next to no cost. It isn’t perfect, sure, but it’s an incredible deal if you qualify.

Now, say you have a family with two kids, and you live on tribal lands. With Cricket’s Unlimited Plan, four lines would come to around $100, but through the program, you’d only be paying $25 total if you received full coverage. Even with just $30 off a month, over the course of a year, a family could save up to $360 on their mobile bill.

This program is making a huge difference by allowing mobile data to be wildly more affordable and accessible than it has in the past. If you’re in need, you should absolutely check to see if you qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program and the benefits you can start receiving from your provider — whether that be from Cricket or other providers that are a part of the program.

Mobile data changes

Customers with Cricket’s $30 plan will automatically see an increase in their monthly data from 2GB to 5GB. And those who sign up for the $40 plan that offers 10GB data will also now be able to make and receive calls and texts from Canada and Mexico.

Samsung Galaxy A13 5G

Unrelated to its other announcements, Cricket is also adding the Samsung Galaxy A13 5G to its lineup. The most notable part of the phone is its triple-lens camera system with a good 50-megapixel rear-facing camera. The very basic 6.5-inch display, 64GB internal storage, and 4GB RAM are nothing to write home about, though. It does have 15-watt fast charging and the usual USB-C port for its 5,000mAh battery. Unfortunately, there are no wireless charging capabilities. Luckily, the phone does come with a 3.5mm headphone jack to make up for its rather lackluster speakers. As the name states, it is 5G-capable with 5.0 Bluetooth support.

The Galaxy A13 is a fairly generic phone, but it offers decent camera quality and an affordable $230 price tag when you bring in your number and activate a new line on the $30-per-month voice plan at minimum. But you might be able to find an overall better phone among the best affordable phones of 2022.

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