You might not be familiar with Helium Mobile, but you should get acquainted with the company if you want to spend less on your phone bill. That’s because Helium introduced three new mobile plans this week, including the nation’s first free phone plan. For $0/month, you get 3GB of data, 300 texts, and 100 minutes of voice calling. Pay $15 or $30 each month, and those limits increase significantly.
You might think this must be all a marketing gimmick. Nothing is free, so how can Helium afford to offer a free plan? The explanation might lie in how Helium works. It’s not just a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) that uses a larger provider (T-Mobile in this case) to provide coverage to interested consumers. Helium also builds its own 5G network in ways other carriers have not considered.
Helium owns an expanding decentralized network where individuals operate small cellular hotspots. Combined with T-Mobile’s network, these 5G hotspots help reduce costs.
This explains how the new Zero Plan can exist and serve those smartphone owners looking for the cheapest possible solution to get 5G data and voice minutes. Access to Zero Plan customers’ anonymized data is another.
The obvious downside is that the Zero Plan limits will not necessarily be enough for many users. That 3GB of data will run out quickly without access to free Wi-Fi. Also, 100 voice minutes might not be enough. Luckily, Helium has two other options that consumers on a budget might appreciate even more than the Zero Plan. Here’s the full structure of Helium’s new mobile offerings:
- Zero Plan ($0/month): 3GB of data, 300 texts, 100 minutes
- Air Plan ($15/month): 10GB of data with unlimited talk and text
- Infinity Plan ($30/month): Unlimited data, talk and text
At $15, the Air Plan makes sense if you need more data while on the go. The $30 Infinity Plan is the best choice, as you get unlimited data, talk, and text.
Helium Mobile also has a reward system that lets you collect Cloud Points for various activities. The most important one might be sharing your location anonymously, which lets Helium improve coverage in underserved areas.
It’s important to note that location-sharing is required for the Zero Plan.
You can collect Cloud Points for referring friends to sign up, answer surveys, and other activities. In turn, you can spend Cloud Points on movie, restaurant, and rideshare gift cards. Cloud Points can be used to pay your monthly bill and activate other services, like international roaming.
To get on Helium Mobile, you can use your current number and the device you already own. Download the iPhone or Android app to get started.
There is one big caveat here. Helium Mobile is invite-only. You can either get an invite code from an existing subscriber or join the waitlist at this link. Also, check out this link to read more about the new plans, including the Zero Plan offer.
