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Besides the major cell phone carriers, there are quite a few mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) on the market, which serve as lower cost alternatives. One prepaid MVNO is ROK Mobile. John Paul DeJoria, who is also responsible for Patron and John Paul Mitchell Systems, is the founder of ROK Mobile, and the MVNO originally separated itself from the rest of the pack by offering its streaming app to all its customers. It later started focusing more on offering value through its lifestyle services than its music.
These lifestyle services include accidental death insurance, pharmacy discount cards and roadside assistance, which ROK Mobile customers get as part of their cell phone service plans. One reason ROK Mobile does this is because many of its customers are in lower income brackets and may not have money to get these important services otherwise.
MVNOs run on one or more major carrier's networks, and in ROK Mobile's case, it runs on the networks of AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. This means that its both GSM and CDMA-compatible. The great thing about ROK Mobile is that its unlimited data plans are among the most inexpensive available, which means they're an excellent choice for consumers who want to keep their costs to a minimum while still having a reliable phone service.
Every ROK Mobile plan includes unlimited minutes and text messages, and prices start at $20. The carrier organizes its plan options by the network, offering GSM and CDMA plans. The user must bring a phone to ROK Mobile, as the carrier doesn't sell any of their own, and the phone they bring will determine if they need a GSM or CDMA plan.
One selling point for ROK Mobile is that it has an unlimited plan on Verizon's network for just $50, which is the most inexpensive unlimited option on that network. Getting a comparable plan directly through Verizon would typically cost anywhere from $75 to $85.
When it comes to plans that don't offer unlimited data, ROK Mobile is competitive with other MVNOs. It has a $35 per month plan with 4 GB of full speed data, which is around the same price as plans offered by NET10 Wireless, Total Wireless and Cricket Wireless.
Carrier | Plan Name | Features | Monthly Price |
---|---|---|---|
ROK Mobile Unlimited Talk Text 10GB GSM |
| $ 0 /mo Get Plan | |
ROK Mobile Unlimited Talk Text 5GB GSM |
| $ 0 /mo Get Plan |
Related: See the best phone plans of the year
There aren't many MVNOs that run on three of the major carrier's networks, but since ROK Mobile has contracts with AT&T, Sprint and Verizon, it makes the list. This is great for consumers who had plans with any of those three carriers and want to jump on board with a low-cost alternative, as they can get cell phone service with ROK Mobile. All they need are unlocked phones that are compatible with ROK Mobile. To find out if a phone is compatible, the user can go on ROK Mobile's website. This only needs to be done with CDMA phones, as any unlocked GSM phones will be compatible.
Verizon is a CDMA network, and in terms of coverage, it is number one in the United States. It has a greater breadth of coverage than any other carrier, which has been verified multiple times in network coverage tests. Customers who use ROK Mobile can take advantage of Verizon's excellent coverage at a lower cost.
AT&T is a GSM network, and although it doesn't have quite the coverage Verizon does, it comes very close. AT&T is particularly good in rural locations where other carriers have spotty coverage. Those with GSM phones who are looking for a cheaper AT&T alternative will like ROK Mobile.
Sprint is a CDMA network. It's clearly third in terms of coverage to Verizon and AT&T, but it still has solid coverage throughout much of the United States, especially in the more populated areas.
One thing to remember regarding coverage is that the latest, most technologically advanced phones will have the best coverage because they can make the most of those 4G networks.
There are a few important things that customers and potential customers of ROK Mobile should know.
ROK Mobile conducts most of its business online. If a customer needs to purchase any ROK Mobile products, there are only a few authorized dealers, and most customers need to go online to buy anything. Although most support is done online, phone support is also an option.
Since ROK Mobile doesn't have its own mobile devices it sells, customers must either bring their current phones over or purchase phones to bring.
One of the concerns customers have about choosing an MVNO is that these carriers often come and go quickly. It's a difficult industry to be successful in, but as ROK Mobile's founder John Paul DeJoria is a billionaire with success in many areas, the company is likely here to stay. Another point in favor of ROK Mobile sticking around for the long haul is the fact that it has contracts with three out of four major carriers in the United States.
ROK Mobile has been around since 2013, and it was founded in Culver City, California, a neighborhood in Los Angeles.
The carrier operates almost entirely online, and all a customer needs to do is go onto the ROK Mobile website to make purchases and sign up with the carrier. They can take any unlocked AT&T, Sprint or Verizon phone with them when they sign up, and this can mean big savings compared to the cost of buying a new phone when starting a new cell service plan.
Although ROK Mobile has over 30 million tethering hotspots across the United States, it doesn't currently support turning devices into mobile hotspots.
ROK Mobile is currently the only MVNO on the market with CDMA service on Sprint and Verizon. As both networks are known for providing strong nationwide coverage, this means that customers on ROK Mobile plans can expect coverage from just about wherever they are, without worrying about dropped calls or other call quality issues.
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