Some organizations have access to a special T-Mobile-based plan intended for non-profits. These operators are qualified to tap into an old legacy plan Sprint inherited during its acquisition of Clear in 2013. Then when T-Mobile merged with Sprint, T-Mobile acquired the terms and responsibility for these plans.
These special non-profit plans are administered by master agents Mobile Beacon & Mobile Citizen behind the scenes.
Top Pick Plan Notes: These plans are truly unlimited data for the included hotspot device, with no caps and it's supposed to have no throttling. Data is subject to network management. You are not the plan owner and are instead receiving the plan as a benefit of your membership to the non-profit. Pricing ranges from $15-$50/month depending on the non-profit and if you choose monthly, quarterly, or annual memberships. The SIM cards only work in the provide hotspot device.
Organizations that are legitimate non-profits can provide these plans as part of a membership program to the non-profit. In the past, we have seen organizations claim non-profit status in order to get these plans to resell - and they were shut down with customers losing the service they prepaid for.
The organizations we list in the tabs below are legitimate non-profits that have reliably offered these plans for many years and have well-established track records.
Calyx Institute
Calyx Institute
The Calyx Institute is a long-time non-profit dedicated to providing education around privacy in digital communications. They offer four different membership levels, three of which come with mobile internet service as a benefit. Their plans are open to anyone - no income verification is needed.
The memberships are annual. There is one rate for the first year that includes the specified hotspot device (which the plan must be used in), and then subsequent years are slightly less. The Contributor level also has a quarterly option.
Currently Available Plans/Membership Levels:
-
- Contributor - Unlimited 4G data with a Franklin T10 hotspot
- Contributor Plus - Unlimited 5G data with a Franklin JEXtream RG2100 hotspot
- Sustainer - Unlimited 5G data with an Inseego MiFi X Pro 5G
Specifications:
- Carrier Networks Used: T-Mobile
- Carrier Relation: Non-Profit Reseller
- Plan Types Available: Data Only
- Device Types Permitted: Hotspot - Device Specific
- Unlimited: Yes
- High Speed Mobile Hotspot Use: Yes - all
- Throttling: Not specified
- Network Management: After 100GB
- eSIM: No
- Video Streaming Resolution: Not specified, but throttling to 2.5 Mbps has been noted
- 5G Access: Yes on Contributor Plus and Sustainer membership plans only
- Device Purchase Required: Yes, included in membership fee
- Plan Period: Annual or quarterly
- International Roaming: No international coverage is included.
- Domestic Roaming: 300MB of roaming data
- Data Roll Over: No
- Overage Charges: No
- Lines Permitted per account: 1
PCs for People
PCs for People
PCs for People is a national non-profit with the aim of providing low-cost internet and computers into low-income homes. You must be income-qualified in order to be eligible for their plans.
As of February 7, 2024 there will be no new enrollments per the website:
"The FCC has announced that the ACP is projected to run out of funding in April 2024. No new enrollments will be accepted after 2/7/24."
They will only allow Transfers from other providers
"The Federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) will reimburse internet service providers (ISPs) $10 to $30 a month for providing broadband service and up to $100 towards a computing device to eligible households. PCs for People has been approved for participation as an ISP for ACP and our eligibility, 200% of the federal poverty level, has been approved. This is a limited-time offer only available through this special signup process."
To sign up, you must agree to the terms to start the ACP Registration.
Current Offers:
- $10 to $30 per month to ISP (Internet Service Providers) for providing broadband service
- Up to $100 towards a computing device (must be eligible)
Connect All
Connect All
Connect All is affiliated with InterConnection, which is a non-profit that is focused on providing technology to individuals and organizations in need of technology by refurbishing electronics, and therefore also helping to reduce e-waste.
Connect All is their membership program that provides affordable computers and Internet to nonprofit organizations and low income individuals. You must provide proof of income qualification in order to sign up.
ACP (Affordable Connectivity Program) is coming to an end.
"The Affordable Connectivity Program stopped accepting new applications and enrollments on February 7, 2024. The last fully funded month of the program is April 2024."
What ConnectAll Can Provide (from their website)
We sell a small hotspot device that can fit in your pocket, in partnership with Mobile Citizen, that runs on T-Mobile's 4G LTE network, on a national level, where available. Average download speeds are 10-35mpbs. If you qualified for ACP, you absolutely qualify for our service, and we do not require proof of qualifications, just that you sign-up for an account, which confirms your eligibility. Service is $14.95 a month, and the device is $66.00 which you can either pay for up-front or split up payments over the course of 12 months.
They offer a Franklin T10 hotspot for $66 (plus tax) that you must purchase in order to use this plan. They offer a monthly payment plan for the hotspot/internet subscription also.
Currently Available Plan:
- Unlimited - $14.95/month
Specifications:
- Carrier Networks Used: T-Mobile
- Carrier Relation: Non-Profit Reseller
- Plan Types Available: Data Only
- Device Types Permitted: Hotspots
- Unlimited: Yes
- High Speed Mobile Hotspot Use: Yes - all
- Throttling: Customers exceeding a fair use threshold of 100 GB of data may experience slower data speeds during times and in places where the T-Mobile network is constrained. These reductions last only until the end of the billing cycle.
- Network Management: Subject to any standard network management that T-Mobile may apply to commercial broadband data-only account users.
- eSIM: No
- Video Streaming Resolution: Not specified
- 5G Access: No
- Device Purchase Required: Yes
- Plan Period: Monthly
- International Roaming: No international coverage is included.
- Domestic Roaming: The plan does not include off-network roaming
- Data Roll Over: No
- Overage Charges: No
- Lines Permitted per account: 1
News, Video, & Status:
Members of our team have utilized these plans over the years, confirming the plans work as intended.
Related Videos:
Related News
Alternatives to Consider
Also consider some of our other top pick data plans:
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Purchasing Options
Purchasing Links & Disclaimer
We don't sell stuff, we are primarily member funded. Some links below may be affiliate links (see our disclaimer), which also helps fund MIRC.
The vendors displayed below provide larger discounts to our MIAs that we have negotiated instead of displaying affiliate links while they are logged in.
MIA Discounts - Learn & Save!
Our Mobile Internet Aficionados (MIA) get special discounts from the below vendors. Members please check for discount codes before ordering. With savings up to 11% off, you could save more than your membership cost!
- Calyx Institute
- (referral link - you and us get a free month of service added to our membership when you use this link. Which helps us keep our plan in active use for continued testing. Thank you!)
- PCs for People
- ConnectAll
Shopping for Cellular Data Plans
Finding the right plans for your needs is no easy task - quite simply mobile travelers using cellular data as their primary way online is not how most carriers have designed their plans. Many of us want plans that provide copious amounts of data.
Here's our video going over ways to get LOTS of data for use in your travels:
But a data plan alone will not keep you online. You also need the right gear, signal enhancing strategy and planning your travels around the options you carry with you. Head on over to our collection of guides:
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Selecting Data Plans
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Data Plan Pricing Grid
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Getting LOTS of the Data
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