Over the past few years we’ve seen operators backtrack on their once unlimited data plans and instead switch to offering their customers buckets of megabytes. H2O Wireless, which is a prepaid mobile virtual network operator that uses AT&T’s 3G network, used to have an unlimited everything $60 per month plan. For folks with enough common sense to not pay over $100 every month just to use AT&T and get high speed 3G connectivity on their iPhone, H2O was a great way to save money. Now yes, you have to buy an unlocked iPhone to take advantage of H2O, but over the length of a standard 24 month contract you still end up saving some dough. It’s recently been brought to our attention that H2O no longer offers unlimited data, though they still call it unlimited on their website. They now provide just 2 GB, which is enough for a lot of people, but here’s where things get nasty: We contacted H2O to ask what happens after you reach your 2 GB monthly limit, and they simply said that they turn off data on your SIM. That’s it. They don’t even warn you if you’re approaching your limit, so poof, one day when you want to check Facebook while waiting in line at the grocery store … and you’re shit out of luck.
If you’re still committed to going the prepaid route, then we recommend you checkout Simple Mobile, which is just like H2O Wireless, except instead of using AT&T’s network, they use T-Mobile’s network. They have a $40 per month unlimited everything + 3G data plan and $60 per month unlimited everything + 4G data plan. Get a SIM from them, pop it in either the pentaband enabled Samsung Galaxy Nexus or Nokia N9, and boom, you’re good to go. Some caveats: The service really does give you unlimited data, but after a certain amount is consumed, some rumors say it’s 1 GB of data, Simple Mobile will throttle you.
Still, slow data is better than no data at all.