Skip to main content

Virgin Mobile offers prepaid data share plans at Walmart to stop family feuds

Virgin mobile boost
Sprint-owned prepaid carrier Virgin Mobile now offers data share plans for families at a relatively low cost. The new plans are available on the carrier’s phone selection at Walmart across America. The announcement comes just one day after T-Mobile showcased its new prepaid plans with data buckets.

Virgin Mobile’s new plans are aimed at those who are leery of a contract, want to pay less for cell service, but still need high speed data. The prepaid carriers’ Data Done Right Plans start at $30 per line, and go up from there, based on how much data you want. A family of two can pay $65 a month for unlimited talk and text, as well as 4GB of shared 3G/4G LTE data. A family of three pays $90 a month for the same unlimited talk and text, and 8GB of shared 3G/4G LTE data. And finally, a family of four will pay just $115 for unlimited talk and text, in addition to 12GB of shared 3G/4G LTE data.

Of course, once you run out of your chunk of  3G/4G data, Internet speeds drop to slower speeds for the rest of the month. The press release says 2GB speeds, but we’re pretty sure they mean 2G. You can purchase more high-speed data, but your bill will increase substantially, as Virgin charges $10 for 1GB of extra 3G/4G LTE data a month. However, if all you do is check Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pandora you can pay $5 a month to get unlimited data for those apps that doesn’t count toward your data allotment. Again, this service just adds more money to your bill, so be weary of these little add-ons — they can mount up fast.

Virgin Mobile also has new single line plans for individuals who shop at Walmart. You can choose between two: One for $35 a month and another for $45 a month. The $35 plan offers 300 minutes of talk, unlimited texts and data, as well as 2.5GB of high-speed data. The $45 plan gives you the same things, but adds unlimited talk. A $20 starter kit activates the service, but you get two months of unlimited music streaming thrown in as a perk. The biggest downside is that you’re on Sprint’s network, which is notoriously spotty and your data speeds may not always be up to 4G LTE standards.

Malarie Gokey
Former Digital Trends Contributor
As DT's Mobile Editor, Malarie runs the Mobile and Wearables sections, which cover smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and…
I record interviews for work. These are my favorite free recorder apps
The iPhone 14 Pro and Google Pixel 7 Pro's voice recording apps running together.

The Voice Recorder app on a phone (left) and the Voice Memos on another phone Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Before you head to the app store on your phone to buy a voice-recording app, take a moment to consider the apps that may already be installed on your phone. Why? In my experience, they're likely all you really need. I’ve recorded interviews and voice-overs for work for years, and I’ve found the two best examples come preinstalled on your phone already, so they’re entirely free to use.

Read more
The best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 cases: 10 best ones so far
Two Galaxy Z Fold 5 phones next to each other -- one is open and one is closed.

Samsung’s next-generation foldable is here with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. This iteration has some notable improvements, including a new hinge design that eliminates the gap from previous generations when the device was folded. You also get a 6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display on the outside while having a 6.7-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display on the inside, with both screens having a 120Hz refresh rate. In other words, they're about as nice as you could ask for.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is made with premium materials, and the triple-lens camera system packs in a 50MP main shooter, 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide lens. There’s a 10MP selfie camera on the front cover, and a 4MP camera on the inner display. You also get a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip inside for the best performance and power efficiency.

Read more
Google Pixel Tablet just got its first big discount and it’s worth a look
Google Pixel Tablet on its charging dock.

Tablets are a dime-a-dozen these days, with offerings from all the great brands including Apple, Samsung, Lenovo, and more. So, if you really want to stand out in a sea of similar tech, you need to do things a little differently. That's what Google's Pixel Tablet offers. How? It comes with a unique speaker dock that can be used to both charge the device and offer room-filling sound -- almost like a smart speaker add-on. Better yet, when your Pixel Tablet is docked it benefits from the Hub Mode, turning the device into a smart display, with digital photo frame support, smart home controls, and hands-free Google functionality. Of course, it could set you back at full price, normally $499 unless you find it included in a roundup of the best Google Pixel deals. Well, guess what? Thanks to a Best Buy Google Pixel Tablet deal, you can get it today for $439 and save $60. Hurry, though, it's part of Best Buy's recent 48-hour sale so it won't stick around for long.

Why you should buy the Google Pixel Tablet
Okay, okay, so in our Google Pixel Tablet review, Joe Maring did give it less than stellar remarks, but he called out its reliable fingerprint sensor, comfortability during use and excellent speaker dock. Honestly, how many tablets come with a matching speaker dock that transforms the entire experience? This tablet also marks a "lot of firsts" for Google, as it's the first tablet from the company in nearly five years, the first Android tablet in eight years, and can be converted into a smart home display with the speaker dock. All of which are notable milestones.

Read more