If you’re looking for ways to save on your cell phone bill, you may be considering H2O Wireless as your provider.
In this article, I’ll take a closer look at H2O Wireless’ plans and pricing, how to get started, and what you can expect from their service.
This article was updated in July 2023 and I review it every 12 months. Detailed notes on all updates can be found here.
What To Know Before Signing Up for H2O Wireless
H2O Wireless is a prepaid wireless carrier that offers service on AT&T’s network.
You’ll find great deals on multi-line phone plans for two or four lines ($25 per line per month) and unlimited plans begin as low as $18 per month with autopay for 3GB of high-speed data followed by unlimited 2G speeds plus 2GB mobile hotspot.
You’ll find far cheaper prices than AT&T’s postpaid plans with H2O Wireless, and a decent amount of high-speed data available with either Unlimited Plan.
I checked out the details of H2O Wireless’ plans, coverage, phone deals and more. I’ve also compared the prepaid carrier to other available phone plans and service providers to help you determine whether or not you should make the switch.
Table of Contents:
1. Plans and Pricing
H2O Wireless offers five different monthly unlimited plans in addition to multi-line plans, pay-as-you-go plans, annual plans and tablet plans.
In the table below, you can see each of H2O Wireless’ monthly unlimited plans including the plan name, monthly cost with and without autopay, each plan’s high-speed data allotment and mobile hotspot data allotment.
| High-Speed Data | Price | Mobile Hotspot |
|---|---|---|
| 3GB | $20 ($18 with autopay) | 2GB |
| 10GB | $30 ($27 with autopay) | 5GB |
| 20GB | $40 ($36 with autopay) | 5GB |
| 40GB | $50 ($45 with autopay) | 5GB |
| 60GB | $60 ($54 with autopay) | 20GB |
Each of these plans includes unlimited talk and text as well as unlimited data at 2G speeds (256 kbps) once you’ve reached your monthly allotment of high-speed data usage. Each of these plans also includes varying levels of international talk, text and roaming. You can check out the details of H2O Wireless’ monthly unlimited plans online.
In addition to these plans, H2O Wireless offers two excellent multi-line plans for two or four lines. With this deal, each line costs $25 per month. Every line gets 10GB of high-speed data before unlimited 2G speeds, unlimited talk and text, unlimited international talk to 70 countries, unlimited international text, a $5 international talk credit, and a $10 international roaming credit in Canada & Mexico
H2O Wireless’ multi-line plans are awarded at Clark.com as one of the best cheap multiline phone plans and the cheapest phone plan for two lines.
If you don’t need unlimited data, you can check out H2O Wireless’ pay-as-you-go plans. With these plans, you’ll prepay $10-$100 and use $0.05 per minute or text message and $0.10 per MB of data usage. H2O Wireless also offers tablet plans ranging from $10-$30 for 2GB-10GB of high-speed data over 30 days.
Finally, H2O Wireless offers annual phone plans, which is a great way to save on service over the course of a year. Here are the annual plans currently available at H2O Wireless:
- $5/month = $60 total for 12 months of unlimited talk and text
- $8.33/month = $100 total for 12 months of unlimited talk, text and data (1GB high-speed per month)
- $12.50/month = $150 total for 12 months of unlimited talk, text and data (3GB high-speed per month)
- $25/month = $300 total for 12 months of unlimited talk, text and data (10GB high-speed per month)
While these plans provide excellent savings for decent amounts of high-speed data, be sure to try out one of H2O Wireless’ monthly plans first. This is a great way to make sure you’ll be happy with the service before paying for 12 months in advance.
2. Network Coverage
H2O Wireless provides access to AT&T’s 5G and 4G/LTE networks. If AT&T offers coverage in your area, you’ll likely have reliable access to service with H2O Wireless.
Below, you can see the H2O Wireless coverage map:
To see if you’ll have coverage with H2O Wireless, visit the company’s website and enter your ZIP code on the coverage map. Additionally, you can check AT&T’s coverage map for a more comprehensive overview of coverage in your area since they run on the same towers.
3. Activation Process
There are two ways to initiate service with H2O Wireless if you decide to make the switch: You can order a SIM card online or buy one from an authorized retailer nearby. However you choose to activate it, H2O Wireless doesn’t charge an activation fee, and SIM cards are free with the purchase of a plan.
You can find nearby stores including Best Buy, Target, Speedway and more using the online store locator. Then, you can check out the available phone plans in person.
You can also make the switch online by visiting H2O Wireless’ website, choosing a phone plan and adding it to your online shopping cart. From there, you’ll be able to choose whether or not you want to purchase a new device or check the compatibility of your current phone online.
If you plan to bring your own phone to H2O Wireless, make sure it’s paid off, unlocked and compatible with AT&T’s network.
Once you have your phone and SIM card ready, visit H2O Wireless’ website again to activate your service.
After that, you’ll be able to follow the on-screen prompts to create an account and set up your service.
Alternatively, if your phone is eSIM compatible, you may be eligible to activate your service with H2O Wireless remotely within minutes. For more on how to activate an eSIM with H2O Wireless, visit the company’s website.
Once your SIM card is activated, you should have instant access to AT&T’s network.
4. Phone Selection
Most people who are switching to H2O Wireless will want to keep their own phones for the most savings. You’ll just need to make sure your phone is unlocked and compatible with AT&T’s network before you get started.
However, if you do want to purchase a new phone through H2O Wireless, you’ll find several to choose from.
At the time of writing (March 2023), H2O Wireless was offering 41 different cell phones including popular smartphones. The cheapest phone I saw was an open-box Nokia 6300 for $50. The selection included prices up to $1,299.99 for a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G. At the time, H2O Wireless was also offering an iPhone 14 for as low as $579.
You can check out the full phone selection online. For more options, check out our top picks for the best places to buy an unlocked phone.
5. Data Speeds
One of the biggest concerns when switching to a prepaid carrier is that your data will be significantly slower. If you’re currently paying for an unlimited data plan from one of the major three cell phone service providers, you may be wondering if H2O Wireless will be able to meet your data needs.
H2O Wireless does not offer unlimited high-speed data with any phone plan. Instead, its unlimited plans include a set amount of high-speed data before deprioritization kicks in. At that point, data speeds will be throttled to 256 kbps.
Of course, actual data speeds vary based on a number of factors including your location and coverage in your area, the device you’re using, network traffic and more.
6. Customer Service
H2O Wireless can be contacted over the phone, online or you can get in-person help at an authorized retailer.
To reach customer service over the phone, call 1-800-643-4926. If you have questions specifically about getting a new line of service, call 1-877-497-1749 instead.
You can also chat with a live agent online by visiting H2O Wireless’ contact page and clicking “Chat with an Agent” under “Live Chat.”
Live representatives are available over the phone and via online chat every day from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET.
If you need in-person assistance, you can use the online store finder to locate an authorized retailer nearby. Simply enter your ZIP code or city, state and then browse the list of nearby stores that sell H2O Wireless plans. The list may include Best Buy, Target, Rite Aid, Speedway, Family Dollar, Dollar General or other retailers.
For more information on how to contact H2O Wireless, visit the company’s website.
Final Thoughts
If you’re thinking about switching to H2O Wireless, I recommend checking out the coverage in your area first. You can do this by visiting the H2O Wireless website and entering your ZIP code to see the coverage map.
When signing up, know that you won’t have any activation fees as a new customer, and both SIM cards and eSIMs are free. Additionally, you’ll save the most by bringing your own phone.
H2O Wireless runs on AT&T’s network, so if AT&T has a strong signal in your area, then switching to this prepaid carrier could be a great way to save. Compared to other prepaid carriers on AT&T’s network, you’ll find a great value with H2O Wireless. Plus, if you’re shopping for a multi-line plan, H2O Wireless and Cricket Wireless offer some of the best deals overall.
If you do decide to make the switch, be sure to check out this guide that we put together to take you step-by-step through the process. If you’re still looking for the best fit, you can find more options in our guide on the best cell phone plans and deals available now.
Have you tried H2O Wireless? Let us know in our Clark.com Community or check out the latest conversations around cell phones.
Article Updates
- July 13, 2023: Updated H2O Wireless’ plans with new high-speed data and mobile hotspot allotments
- July 13, 2023: Increased the 2G speeds to 256 kbps (previously 128 kbps)
- July 13, 2023: Increased the shared data plans to 10GB of high-speed data per line (previously 6GB)
