AirVoice Wireless Pros and Cons: Details Behind the No Contract, No Hassle Phone Plan

In 1999, AirVoice Wireless first introduced itself to the world in small steps, by first providing limited coverage in California, this wireless phone company had eventually expanded to nationwide coverage through hard work, dedication, and from what their website says: “...affordable wireless service to our customers, backed by outstanding customer service.”

AirVoice Wireless was acquired by HTH Communications, a company that simplifies logistics and providing networking solutions, in 2022 and since then they have been slowly breathing new life into the brand by offering versatile phone plans, quality phones, support, and updating their website’s interface so it’s more welcoming to customers and easy to access for those looking for a phone plan. 

AirVoice Wireless is an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) offering low-cost plans from AT&T’s widespread network. But that’s not all, AirVoice also operates AirTalk Wireless which is a part of the Lifeline Assistance Program, a federal government program that helps provide free phones and phone service to those who cannot afford it. And in this digital age, staying connected is super important. 

Now that you know a bit of the background, it’s time to get into the thick of it and talk about AirVoice Wireless pros and cons, how it works, and other key details you need to know as a potential buyer.

• How AirVoice Wireless works
• AirVoice Wireless plans
• AirVoice Wireless pros and cons

How AirVoice Wireless Works

We mentioned that AirVoice Wireless is an MVNO and that it works with AT&T to deliver your service to you, but what exactly does that mean?

AirVoice Wireless piggybacks off of AT&T’s towers service, meaning you will get access to one of the most reliable networks in the country for a lower cost. Most wireless companies in the country are MVNOs and will use bigger network’s towers to provide phone service to those who need data but don’t want to pay bigger dollars or need more versatile options.

That now begs the question, how can you get started with AirVoice Wireless?

1. When it comes to phones, AirVoice Wireless has two options for you. You can choose to buy a device through them directly or bring your own! BYOD or “Bring Your Own Device” is a popular choice many people who are switching service providers choose either because their phone is new and they don’t want to buy another so soon, they like their phone and aren’t ready to part ways yet, or they can’t afford to buy a new phone right now and want to stick with the one they have.

• If you want to bring your own device then you need to first make sure it’s compatible with AirVoice Wireless. To do so you will need to go through this section on their website here where you will be asked to enter your phone’s IMEI number. (Don’t worry there is a step by step guide on the website that shows you how to do that if you’re unsure). After you type that you will click the “Check Compatibility” button to see if your current phone is compatible. 
• If you want to buy a new phone through AirVoice then you can go onto their phone selection tab on the website to browse through all the phones they currently have available. Find a selection of Apple, Android, Google, and more.

2. Once you have your phone you can now take a look at their plans where you can pick an option that best suits your needs.
3. Select the plan you want and you will be brought to a page asking for your billing and payment information.
4. You will then get shipped out either your new phone and SIM card, or just the SIM card if you chose to keep your current device.
5. Finally once you get your new SIM/phone in the mail you will go onto their website and create an account with them and/or sign-in to connect your SIM card to the network!

Through their website, AirVoice Wireless makes the process for signing up easy and hassle free.

AirVoice Wireless Plans

AirVoice Wireless has four different sections under their Plans tab on their website. They have:

• Monthly Plan
• Bundle Rate Plan
• Hotspot Plan
• Pay As You Go

Let’s break-down each section and give you an overview of the plans they are selling.

First up: Monthly Plan

These are all of AirVoice’s 1-Month Plans, good for one month and you can use auto-pay! Perfect for new customers who want to test out AirVoice but don’t want to commit to anything longer than one month quite yet.

• To find out all the benefits included in each plan, click on the plan links so you can see everything they offer.

¹With this specific Month-to-Month Unlimited Plan you will need to include the purchase of a SIM. Here’s what the website says: “Please note that the first payment will include the cost of AirVoice Wireless’ BYOD SIM Kit of $11.”

Secondly: Bundle Rate Plans

Choose between 3 months, 6 months, or 12 month plans and don’t worry about renewing it until the cycle is ready to start back up again. Perfect for those looking for a more steady phone plan.

• Important Note: 3 Month Plans are only available to New Customers so if you are a returning customer you will only have access to six and twelve month plans.

3-Month Plans:

6-Month Plans:

12-Month Plans:

Up Third: Pay As You Go

“Pay As You Go” is a method used by other wireless companies to help those who need a flexible phone plan that can vary month to month. You pay upfront for how many minutes you need and then you can use them immediately. 

AirVoice Wireless offers “Optional Features” for those who pay as you go and according to the website they are as follows:

• Text Messaging ($0.10 per message- sent/received)
• Voicemail (standard airtime charges apply)
• MMS ($0.10 per message- sent/received)
• International SMS: $0.10/message
• International MMS: $0.10/message
• Data: $0.0666/MB

Also noted in “Additional Changes”

• “MONTHLY MAINTENANCE FEE: The fee is $1.00 per month, and is usually billed on the 8th day of the month. If your account has less than $1.00, your remaining balance will be depleted.”

AirVoice Wireless charges 10¢ per minute.

There are bonus minutes you can get through their pay as you go plans. More information and the full chart comparison can be found here.

And lastly: Hotspot Plans

AirVoice Wireless has introduced “Hotspot Plans” which is essentially the ability to share your internet data with other household members. There are four plans under the Hotspot tab which are:

AirVoice Wireless Pros and Cons

Just like all wireless companies, everybody has its pros and cons, AirVoice being no different. So let’s go through them to help you figure out if AirVoice Wireless is right for you.

Pros:

• Has both Prepaid and Pay As You Go options
• Offers a 10-Day “Risk-Free” Trial Kit
• Unlimited International Calling for 80+ Countries
• Sustainable Phones
• The AirTalk Wireless Program

Prepaid and Pay As You Go Plans Available

Not all wireless companies will offer you both prepaid and pay as you go plans, but AirVoice Wireless does. They have a variety of plans that are flexible to meet most people’s phone service needs. Having those wider options will help AirVoice stand out from the crowd a bit more.

The 10-Day “Risk Free” Trial

If you aren’t sure about signing up but you would like to try out AirVoice Wireless they offer a 10-day, risk-free trial before you fully commit to a longer plan. And it apparently does not affect your current service. You can use the phone you currently have and you will be given a new number to try it out on. 

The trial kit includes the following:

• 250MB Data
• 250 Texts
• 250 Minutes
• 3-in-1 SIM Card

To try this, download the AirVoice app which you can find through their website here and learn more information on the risk free trial.

Unlimited International Calling

You’ll find with a lot of MVNOs international calling and rates will differ from big wireless companies. Some don’t offer it at all or some do but it has to be an add-on feature. At AirVoice Wireless with almost every single plan you get Unlimited International Calling to over 80+ countries.

Sustainable Phones

Smartphones can generate a lot of waste and AirVoice Wireless is trying to do their part in order to combat that. Each AirVoice Wireless device is “certified pre-owned” and with that promise, you’ll be able to enjoy your new phone with a little less waste left in your wake.

The AirTalk Wireless Program

We mentioned a little bit about this at the beginning but AirVoice Wireless has AirTalk Wireless which is a part of the Lifeline Program and the ACP (Affordable Connectivity Program). Two programs that are separate from each other but help connect those who don’t have access to phones together. A lot of the time you will see these two programs working in conjunction. 

• Important to Note: As of writing this article (January 2024) the ACP will not be accepting new applicants and enrollments starting February 7th, 2024. Reports are coming out daily about the possible shutdown of the program, so be on the lookout if this could affect you. Also as of writing this it doesn’t look like the Lifeline Program will be impacted, just the ACP.

AirTalk Wireless provides the chance for those eligible to receive a free phone and phone service. You have to meet certain qualifications, for example if you receive food stamps or are a part of Medicaid then there’s a really good chance you can qualify for AirTalk. 

Not all states are eligible too, to find out if you live in a state that can qualify and the full list of requirements to join AirTalk Wireless- click here.

Cons:

• Data Deprioritization
• No Rollover Minutes

Data Deprioritization

Like most other MVNOs you will experience data deprioritization which could be a dealbreaker for some frequent phone users. Data deprioritization is when your data speeds will slow, that could be due to a number of reasons but mainly it’s due to network congestion and high traffic areas.

Since MVNOs are using major network’s towers, in this case AirVoice is using AT&T, you might experience slower data and loading screens when you’re out and about if there’s high traffic or network congestion. That’s because AT&T is prioritizing direct consumers and subscribers, leaving those who have a phone plan through a MVNO to experience slower speeds. 

For instance, on the AirVoice Wireless website you’ll see they say “Unlimited plan customers using >35GB/mo will experience lower speeds. Videos stream at 480p.”

So even if you aren’t in a high traffic or congested, if you use over a certain limit you will experience slower speeds.

No Rollover Minutes

Pay as you go plans are great, you get exactly what you want and what you’ll use- but sometimes you might not use all of your minutes for the month and in some cases other pay as you go wireless companies will let your minutes “rollover” to the next month which means you get all those minutes you didn’t use last month added to your next months total which can be really nice in a particularly busy month. AirVoice Wireless does not have rollover minutes which can be a real bummer for some. 

If you find yourself wanting to try out AirVoice Wireless and you want to compare and contrast the service to over 1,200 other phone plans so you know you’re getting the service that’s right for you, then make sure to check out the REALLY compare page which allows you to look at pricing, coverage, what phone plans are available, current deals and steals, and how you can make the most of your potential phone bill.

AirVoice Wireless has a lot of small ways it makes itself different from other wireless companies, and they’re looking to continue to grow more and more each year.