Gabb Wireless Pros and Cons: The Phone Plan for Kids

There are a lot of wireless carriers out there, each having their own set of features that makes them enticing for prospective customers, but there aren’t a lot of providers out there that cater to specific audiences, this time being kids and teens. Since the rise of the digital age has started, people younger and younger have been getting their hands on cellular devices and that means they can get exposed to the unsafe parts of the internet. 

Gabb Wireless is here to make it so young kids and early teens can stay connected but surf the internet in a safe way. They sell phones, watches, and accessories built for gen alpha, along with providing service plans. But before you decide to get your kid a plan should read on so you can learn about them and what they have to offer you.

In this article, we plan to discuss the ins and outs, the pros and cons of Gabb Wireless and what they offer. Here’s what to expect:

• A Quick Look at Gabb Wireless
• Gabb Wireless’s Coverage
• Their Plans and Prices
• Services and Features provided
• Gabb Wireless Pros and Cons
• How to Contact their Customer Service
• Review Summary

Quick Look: Gabb Wireless

Gabb Wireless was initially founded in 2018 with one major goal in mind: to give parents peace of mind while their kids are online. Let’s be honest, fifteen years ago it was easier to monitor and “not let” your child have a phone until they reach a certain age. Nowadays not so much. The access to technology has far exceeded micro-managing and it’s easier now for kids to have at an earlier age so you as a parent can stay connected with them and they can stay connected to their friends as they build relationships. So having a way for kids and young teens to be online in a safe way is what Gabb is here to do.

Gabb Wireless makes “Gabb Phones” which are kid-safe phones built from the start. That means you as a guardian don’t need to look up the safeguards for these traditional Smartphones on the market, Gabb Phones have “no social media or internet access, smart message filtration, and GPS tracking.” This means they are using the phone to talk to you and friends- that’s it. And with that, they can stay connected in the ways that matter, through real life play. Gabb Phones come with the essentials: weather app, calculator, music streaming, photos, calendar, notes, and nine other optional parent-approved apps like games. 

Gabb has devices built for specific ages so as your kids grow up so does their technology.

Gabb Wireless’s Coverage

Gabb Wireless is a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO. This means that they purchase service access wholesale from one of the three major networks that own infrastructure across the country – AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile – giving customers service at a much cheaper price. In Gabb Wireless’s case they are a MVNO of Verizon.

A REALLY Tip: MVNO Edition

If you are unfamiliar with MVNO’s, you should know that they are more likely to subject users to data deprioritization and throttled speeds. 

• Data deprioritization is “the temporary slowing of data speeds for certain customers in order to give priority to other customers.” Which means that those who are direct customers of the “parent” company will get network priority when you’re in a high traffic area like a concert hall or sports stadium, or when there’s network congestion.

• Throttling is also more likely to occur with MVNOs and “the dramatic slowing of your data speeds to the point that it becomes almost unusable.” This will happen when you go over a certain number of gigabytes of data for the month, which is referred to as a “data cap.” You’ll see this number displayed somewhere on your carrier’s website. Your normal speeds will slow down until the start of your next billing cycle.

Verizon has the most nation-wide 4G LTE coverage out of every wireless carrier in the country which is no small feat. Covering over 70% of the country, Verizon has had its footprints all over the map giving reliable coverage to even the most rural of areas when it comes to LTE. 

When it comes to 5G however, Verizon loses a few credibility points as they are lower in volume compared to T-Mobile and AT&T. Both T-Mobile and AT&T have more widespread 5G coverage than Verizon, but Verizon’s 5G speeds are definitely performing at a higher rate. They’ve gotten the highest marks in “5G Games Experience, 5G Voice App Experience, and 5G Video Experience,” which means that when you’re in 5G Verizon covered area you’ll get some pretty amazing performance power.

One feature you’ll find on most provider’s websites is a “Coverage” or “Coverage Map” tab, this shows off the network’s coverage all throughout the country and subsequent regions. Gabb doesn’t have a traditional Coverage Map, they only offer this approximation:

They currently do have “service requests” where users from different countries can submit their need for Gabb Wireless where they live.

If you need any more data Ookla’s coverage map allows you to see where cellular towers are located and which company owns them. This coverage map provides information about coverage from 2G to 5G for several providers.

Gabb Wireless’s Plans and Prices

Gabb Wireless plans are a bit tricky to find, you have to first buy a Gabb Phone and then you are able to get a plan. They do have three phone plan options, the “Starter, Standard, and Advanced” plans are available for their Gabb Phone 4 and Gabb Phone 4 Pro models. They also have three service plans for their Gabb Watches:

But we aren’t here about watches, no- we are here to break down their phone plans. Gabb Wireless deprioritizes data, which you know means you’ll have slower connection speeds in high traffic areas like concerts venues and sports arenas. You can have 2-5 active lines on a Gabb Wireless account.

Plan One: Starter

This is Gabb’s smallest plan, perfect for those wanting to dip their toes into the service. The Starter plan gets you unlimited talk and text along with the “Gabb Operating System” which is their own technology that keeps the phones safe for kids. It shields them from internet browsers and other potentially dangerous apps. It also comes with Gabb Guard™ and Gabb Messenger™ which protects users from spam and harmful text messages. 

This plan comes with no mobile data. You can choose to pay with a 2-year contract that costs $24.99/mo, a 1-year contract that costs $26.99/mo, or their No Contract plan that you can cancel at any time for $29.99/mo. 

Plan Two: Standard

Gabb’s Standard plan is their “most popular” plan as it gets you everything you need, unlimited talk and text, Gabb OS™, Gabb Guard™, and Gabb Messenger™, along with a few other features. Standard gets you Gabb Music and “Safe Group & Image Texting.”

This plan comes with no mobile data. You can choose to pay with a 2-year contract that costs $29.99/mo, a 1-year contract that costs $31.99/mo, or their No Contract plan that you can cancel at any time for $34.99/mo. 

Plan Three: Advanced

The Gabb Advanced plan is their biggest plan and it gets you everything you need, unlimited talk and text, Gabb OS™, Gabb Guard™, and Gabb Messenger™, along with a lot of other features like 3GB of mobile data. You can choose to change your data plan to 5GB for an extra $3.99/mo or 10GB for $9.99/mo.

You can choose to pay with a 2-year contract that costs $34.99/mo, a 1-year contract that costs $36.99/mo, or their No Contract plan that you can cancel at any time for $39.99/mo. 

Gabb Wireless’s Features

While this carrier offers optimal safety features for kids, there are some differences in the features and benefits that may entice you to pick this one over another. Since this is a kids-centric phone plan, the features may look and feel different than your average phone plan; so we’ve added additional “Gabb” only features to the list below.

• Domestic Roaming Data

• Gabb Wireless does not offer this feature.

• Mexico & Canada Connection

• Gabb Wireless does not provide Mexico and Canada connection.

• International Connection

• Gabb Wireless does not offer international service.

• Video Streaming Quality

• Gabb Wireless streams video at 480p SD resolution.

• Streaming Services and Cloud Storage

• Gabb Wireless does not offer any streaming services but they do offer Gabb Cloud storage which is their own version of the cloud. For their Starter plan you get 10GB of Gabb Storage, 25GB of Gabb Storage for Standard plans, and 50GB of Gabb Storage for their Advanced Plans.

• Device Financing

• Gabb Wireless does not offer this feature.

• WiFi Calling

• Gabb Wireless offers WiFi calling, which allows you to send and receive phone calls over a WiFi connection rather than cellular reception.

• Spam Protection and Free Trial

• Gabb Wireless has Gabb Guard™ which protects the kid’s phone from spam, and unknown callers and texts:

• Gabb Wireless plans also come with Gabb Messenger™ which filters out potentially harmful messages and pictures so your kid will never see it. Gabb does not offer a free trial.

• Gabb’s Apps

• Gabb Wireless offers nine different parent-enabled apps, optional for each device: “Chabad.org Daily Torah Study, Bible App by Olive Tree, Quran, Gospel Library, Chess by Gabb, Sora, and Gabb Maps.” These apps can be enabled through settings. Gabb Wireless also comes with Gabb Music which is their own music streaming app. Gabb Music is “radio-style listening” which comes with their Standard plan and Gabb Music+ is their music app where the user is in complete control of the music in the streaming library.

Gabb Wireless Pros and Cons

We’ve taken a look at Gabb Wireless’s coverage, plans, prices, and features. Now let’s dive into the pros and cons to help narrow down your decision:

👍Pros:

• Access to America’s biggest 5G wireless network
• Safe for kids
• Easy to follow

👍Gabb Wireless  is on Verizon’s Network

When you sign up for a Gabb Wireless plan you have access to and are using Verizon’s wireless network which we know is the most nation-wide 4G LTE coverage out of every wireless carrier in the country.

👍Gabb Wireless is Safe for Kids

With Gabb Wireless’s Gabb OS™, Gabb Guard™, and Gabb Messenger™ services, your child will be able to have a phone and connect without being exposed to potentially harmful material. 

👍Easy to Follow

Gabb’s phone plans are easy to follow so buyers looking into this option will have no problem following through with getting what they want.

👎Cons

• Subject to Data Deprioritization
• Poor Device Quality

👎Gabb Wireless’s Plans are Subject to Data Deprioritization

With every plan from Gabb Wireless you will be subject to data deprioritization which means if your kid has their Advanced plan and uses data they may run into some trouble connecting.

👎Poor Device Quality

‍

It’s been said by many online that Gabb’s devices aren’t the most well built and intuitive pieces of technology. There is a “Gabb Phone for Kids. Is it reliable?” Reddit thread of parents talking about their problems with the technology they’ve received from the company.

👎Limiting Usage

‍

With a Gabb Wireless plan and Gabb Phone there is not a lot a user can do, obviously that’s by design but for a young teen it will probably lead to some frustration especially if their friends all have “normal” phones. Besides calling and texting the phone does not offer a lot.

Gabb Wireless’s Customer Service

Gabb Wireless does not have any physical store locations, leaving all of their customers to online support. You can call 385-235-6646 Monday through Friday from 7:00AM to 6:30PM (MT) and Saturday from 7:00AM to 3:00PM (MT). You can also use their Live Chat feature and get in contact with a Gabb Support Agent during the same operational hours by going onto the Gabb website.

Review Summary

For parents that want to ensure their kid has a phone but is not exposed to any harmful material on the internet, Gabb Wireless is a great alternative to major and minor wireless services. With Gabb’s various programs, you can be rest assured that they will be safe while on their phones. However, it is really limiting for “older” younger kids aka 11 and up, this may cause some friction and upset. We recommend talking with your child before purchasing a plan and we don’t recommend this as a plan for late teens or adults as it is obviously limiting.

Want to Compare Other Carriers?

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And if you want to compare and contrast Gabb Wireless to over 1,200 other phone plans so you know you’re getting the service that’s right for you, then make sure to check out the REALLY compare page which allows you to look at pricing, coverage, what phone plans are available, current deals and steals, and how you can make the most of your potential phone bill.