Who Owns Family Mobile & What Network Do They Use?

When you’re doing your research into potentially switching from your current cell carrier to a new one you might be looking for multi-line savings for the whole family and if so then you’ve come to the right page as today we’re talking about Family Mobile. Family Mobile is one of the best providers out there for those looking for plans for, well, the family! It’s in the name after all. Multi-line savings aren’t as big as they used to be, but Family Mobile changes that. But there are questions to be answered like: who owns Family Mobile and what network do they use for your coverage? Let’s talk about it!

In this article, we plan to discuss the ins and outs of Family Mobile while also diving into:

• A Quick Summary on Family Mobile
• Who Owns the Carrier
• What Network Does Family Mobile Use? Is it a MVNO or MNO?
• Plans, Prices, and Features
• A Few FAQs

A Quick Summary on Family Mobile

It seems like more and more companies nowadays are trying their hands at different avenues, fast food services are creating their own streaming services and grocery brands like Kroger have their own wireless service. But Family Mobile has been around creating cell plans best for families for a while and it’s all thanks to Walmart.

Walmart created Family Mobile so that families can all get good phone service without compromising on price. Some carriers tend to overlook or not offer fair prices with additional lines, but Family Mobile makes it so everyone in the family will be able to stay connected at an “unbeatable” price point which we will take a look at in the Plans, Prices, and Features section so keep reading for that.

Who owns Family Mobile?

We know from the summary that Walmart is the face of Family Mobile, but like most businesses it’s a bit more nuanced than that. Family Mobile is a part of the Walmart food chain (pardon the unintentional pin there) but Verizon actually owns Family Mobile. Back in 2021 Verizon officially bought TracFone Wireless, Inc., Straight Talk Wireless which is a brand of TracFone, and Walmart’s Family Mobile after some talks were announced the previous year. This means that Verizon, the biggest wireless network in America, is the one who owns Family Mobile.

What Network does Family Mobile use?

When you’re shopping for a new cell phone plan one of the first things you do is look to see what type of network connection you’ll have. Traditionally there are two major options in the US: MNOs (Mobile Network Operators) like Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T, and MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators). MVNOs purchase service access wholesale from one of the MNOs that own infrastructure across the country, which gives customers service at a much lower price.

It will come as no surprise that Family Mobile is of course a MVNO of Verizon.

MVNO - What Should You Know:

A common aspect of MVNOs you should know about is 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. This is a look at Family Mobile’s:

To get the most accurate account of what coverage is like in your area you will need to enter your ZIP when you go onto their coverage map page.

You can also get a different view via Ookla’s coverage map which 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.

Family Mobile’s Plans, Prices, and Features

Now that we have some background, let’s take a look at the plan(s), prices, and features of the carrier:

Family Mobile Plans

Family Mobile has four phone plans to choose from, three “limited” data plans and one unlimited data plan. You can get up to 5 lines on any Family Mobile plan, but “the discount doesn't apply to the first line or when using Service Plan Cards” according to their website. The company deprioritizes data, which you know means you’ll have slower connection speeds in high traffic areas like concerts venues and sports arenas.

For each additional line it’s only $24.88 for every plan, and prospective shoppers who’ve researched their fair share of cell carriers know that’s huge savings should you need multiple lines- that’s what Family Mobile is best known for.

Plan One: 5GB

This plan gets you 5GB of high-speed data for $24.88/mo for one line and every additional line is $24.88 thereafter. You get unlimited talk, text, and then slow down to 2G speeds after the 5GB allotment. With 2G speeds, users can expect to send text messages and emails or scroll the internet, but streaming video or playing games will be difficult. This plan is mobile hotspot capable.

The plan costs $24.88 per month for one line. At this rate, you get 5GB of data at $4.97 per GB. 

Plan Two: 10GB

This plan gets you 10GB of high-speed data for $29.88/mo for one line and every additional line is $24.88 thereafter. You get unlimited talk, text, and then slow down to 2G speeds after the 5GB allotment. This plan is mobile hotspot capable.

The plan costs $29.88 per month for one line. At this rate, you get 10GB of data at $2.98 per GB. 

Plan Three: 40GB

We jump up in gigabytes here because this plan gets you 40GB of high-speed data for $39.88/mo for one line and every additional line is $24.88 thereafter. You get unlimited talk, test, and then slow down to 2G speeds after the 5GB allotment. This plan comes with a 10GB mobile hotspot.

The plan costs $39.88 per month for one line. At this rate, you get 40GB of data at $.99 per GB. 

Plan Four: Unlimited

This is Family Mobile’s only unlimited plan and it is $49.88/mo for one line and every additional line is $24.88 thereafter. You get unlimited talk, text, and data, but once you use over 40GB your speeds will slow down. This plan comes with a 30GB mobile hotspot.

The plan costs $49.88 per month for one line. At this rate, you get your full 40GB of high-speed data at $1.24 per GB.

The Features:

While Family Mobile offers great multi-line savings, it’s good to take a look at their features. If you’re someone who considers themselves to be a traveler, talk to your international friends and family a lot, or are looking for a bit more “perk” with your plan then this section will break down all of that juicy info so you can know what you’re potentially gonna get: 

• Domestic Roaming Data

• Family Mobile does not offer this feature.

• Mexico & Canada Connection

• Unlimited international calls are available to landline and mobile numbers in Canada and Mexico only for the 10GB, 40GB, and Unlimited phone plans.

• International Connection

• Plan offers International Roaming in Canada, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. You can get the $10 Extras Pack Card International Calling and Roaming Card with your plan added on.

• Video Streaming Quality

• Family Mobile streams video at 480p SD resolution and then at 720p HD resolution on the Unlimited plan.

• Streaming Services and Cloud Storage

• Family Mobile does not offer these features.

• Device Financing

• Family Mobile does not offer this feature.

• WiFi Calling

• Family Mobile 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

• Family Mobile does not offer these features.

A Few FAQs - What You Need to Know about Family Mobile

You’ve read a lot about the carrier, but you still might have a few questions regarding specific things and this section is all about answering them.

• Does the carrier support dual SIM, allowing you to use more than one plan on the device?

Yes! You can have multiple eSIMs on the same device and use two phone numbers at the same time with any Family Mobile plan. This is great for those who want two numbers on the same device.

• Is the network GSM or CDMA?

“GSM” and “CDMA” are two slightly outdated terms and technologies describing wireless networks. According to the Family Mobile Support page: “Cell phones from nearly every manufacturer will work on our network as long as they are GSM compatible and use a SIM card.” 

 And through the Walmart website: “Walmart Family Mobile Keep Your Own Phone SIM Kit allows you to convert your current GSM compatible phone into a prepaid phone. The kit is a 3-in-1 Sim Kit containing micro, standard, or nano sim cards.”

• What are some MVNOs that leverage the same towers?

Since Family Mobile uses Verizon to provide network coverage to its customers you will be on the same network as these other popular MVNOs:

-Visible Wireless

-US Mobile

-Straight Talk Wireless

-Red Pocket Mobile

-XFinity Mobile

-Total Wireless

• What if I have a question and need help? What is the best way to reach them?

Family Mobile does not have any physical stores- however since they offer Airtime Cards (a gift-card like card that phone users can buy from grocery stores and other retailers to add additional “airtime” to their phone plan: like minutes, texts, and data), you can get Family Mobile Airtime cards from Walmart stores. For help or support you can call 1-877-440-9758. Call centers operate from 8 AM to 3 AM (EST) 7 days a week. They also have a Live Bot on their website for quick-question assistance.

Wrapping Up

For the additional phone lines only costing $24.88 a line no matter the size of the plan, Family Mobile is a great affordable option for big families. Their 40GB plan is our favorite as it gives the user a sufficient amount of data for those who find themselves relying on it more than wifi. You can always checking your data usage before committing to a plan or carrier.

Want to compare other carriers?

Really.com helps users compare between features, coverage, price, reviews, and more!

And if you want to compare and contrast Family Mobile 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.