Tello for Seniors: Phones, Prices, and Review

Tello Pros and Cons

Tello Plans and Pricing

Tello allows users to build their own plans with a high degree of customization. The chart below represents an overview of what you might purchase.

How to Purchase Tello

On Tello.com, you have a few options in the form of links in the header, including “Plans,” “Phones,” and “Bring your phone.” Each will send you down a different path to purchase your Tello plan.

“Phones” is a page that lets you compare the devices for sale on Tello if you need a new phone. The cheapest options are modern flip phones, including the Nokia 2780 Flip. Tello also offers Motorola, Apple, Google, NUU, and Samsung options in a range of prices from (currently) $89 to their most expensive device, the $999 Google Pixel 9 Pro. Choosing the right device for you, with the features you want and at a price you can afford, will depend on your specific needs.

Alternatively, selecting “Bring your own phone” sends you to a page that asks you to input your IMEI/ESN number. This is just so the service can test your phone for compatibility. The number is located in the “Settings” menu of your phone.

If your device is compatible, you will be sent to “Plans.” This page is where you will create your own custom phone plan by selecting the amount of talk, text, and data you would like your plan to cover. The price of your plan will automatically update as you change the options. Tello makes it easy to follow the on-screen instructions to the end, where you will pay for your plan and order your new SIM card, physical or digital, or a new device.

Tello Pricing

There are no long-term contracts or activation fees with Tello’s service. You can cancel or change your plan at any time at no additional cost. You can also have multiple lines (up to four) if you’re part of a family. Unfortunately, you won’t save money on each additional line when you add lines to your account.

Tello doesn’t charge customers for international calls, which could potentially make it a great business phone provider. The ability to customize your talk, text, and data limits for each phone line and only pay for what you absolutely need gives Tello customers more control over their bills than those of the average carrier.

Extra Fees

Tello doesn’t charge activation fees, early termination fees, international fees, or data overage fees. If you go over your data allotment one month, your speeds will merely be throttled, or slowed down, but you won’t have to pay more — and you can still use your phone. There are also no late fees, but note that if you don’t pay your bill in time for renewal or within the following 24 hours, your service will be suspended, and you’ll have to buy a new plan.

Tello Network Coverage

The Tello network is what’s known as an MVNO or mobile virtual network operator. This just means that rather than operating their own cell towers, Tello piggybacks off the hardware of a major carrier (in this case, T-Mobile).

What this means is that the Tello network can offer their customers lower prices because they save money on infrastructure. But they can’t guarantee the network speeds of the major carriers. On T-Mobile’s network, Tello’s users will not have first priority, which means data speeds can be dodgy in congested areas or nonexistent in rural ones.

We recommend researching the coverage in your area to determine whether Tello will give you competitive service. For example, Tello’s network is stronger in the eastern half of the United States. In some rural areas of the West, the signal can disappear completely.

Data Speeds

The speed of your data will depend on whether you’re in a 4G LTE or a 5G zone, as well as whether you’re within your allotment of high-speed data. These are the typical speeds you’ll get on 5G:

• Download speed: 79 Mbps to 357 Mbps
• Upload speed: 6 Mbps to 30 Mbps
• Latency: 17 Mbps to 32 ms

If you’re on a 4G LTE network, speeds will slow to:

• Download speed: 13 Mbps to 61 Mbps
• Upload speed: 2 Mbps to 11 Mbps
• Latency: 26 ms to 46 ms

Doing a task that requires a lot of data, such as streaming a movie, requires about 25 Mbps, so it may not be possible on some 4G LTE networks. By comparison, the speeds of T-Mobile, Tello’s parent network, range from 79 to 418 for download speed, 6 to 31 Mbps for upload speed, and latency of 17 to 32 ms. It’s clear you’ll have faster speeds with T-Mobile than with Tello, especially if you have unlimited high-speed data.

Tello vs. T-Mobile

Tello operates on T-Mobile’s nationwide network, so the coverage is similar despite differences in pricing and prioritization. Tello excels when it comes to affordable plans with minimal talk and text, while T-Mobile senior plans offer the most affordable unlimited data plans.

Bottom Line

At $5 per month, Tello’s basic plan offers possibly one of the cheapest ways to buy a cell phone plan. The company’s customization model is great for seniors who want to pick and choose the features they need to create individualized monthly bills for their mobile phones.

Those looking for discounts for multiple lines or faster speeds might want to consider a major carrier’s options instead. Tello is for people with minimal phone needs who want practical, low-cost plans.

To learn more about our favorite phones and providers, be sure to check out our helpful guides.

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