The downsides to using an `alternative` carrier
(Android Central)

Beware of things that seem great `for the price`. The company that provides your cellular service has a single goal in mind — to make money. Achieving that goal in 2017 means offering features you want at a price you are willing to pay, and guaranteeing a certain quality level to that service. Some of us pay more for that guarantee, or more for an increased capacity to enjoy wireless service, but for the most part the US cellular market is fairly static. Those of us paying close attention to relatively small changes in service get excited by the theater of competitive marketing, but overall the `big four` have been mostly the same for years. This is why there are frequently pockets of excitement surrounding `alternative` carriers. Sometimes we call them pre-paid providers, sometimes we call them MVNOs, but they`re all basically the same thing. These alternatives are exercises in securing users willing to sacrifice features for a lower monthly rate, but in recent years the mar...