Who Owns Twigby & What Network Do They Use?

When you’re looking for a new wireless carrier, there are a lot of things to look out for: price, how much data you get per month, coverage, benefits like international calling, streaming services, and cloud storage, and how the company is as a whole. Those, of course, are only some of the aspects that make up a carrier, so it’s super important for any prospective customer to learn all that they can before they sign up. 

Today we’re taking a look at a lesser-known hidden gem in the wireless world: Twigby. Twigby Mobile is a budget-friendly phone company that prioritizes the essentials in a phone plan. But who owns Twigby 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 Twigby Mobile while also diving into:

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

A Quick Summary on Twigby Mobile

Twigby Mobile has always been about the people, they want their brand to stand out as a place those can come to to get their phone needs met. They are constantly “monitoring and testing” their systems to make sure you are getting the exceptional service they appear to advertise. This is coming from the website themselves, so from an outsider’s perspective it seems like they want to put work into valuing both the brand and customer to its full capacity. 

Other than their business model, Twigby’s phone plans seem to be for those who are lighter data users as their highest plan only gets you 20GB a month (which is just under the national average). More on that later.

Who owns Twigby?

Twigby was officially launched in 2016, and they are owned and managed by a “group of telecommunication veterans with over 100 years of combined wireless telecommunications experience.” <- This was taken directly from their website. This group wanted to break the traditional wireless mold, breaking the patterns that were laid out at the time from bigger companies.

What Network does Twigby use?

Twigby uses the Verizon network.

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. Twigby is 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. Twigby doesn’t have a traditional Coverage Map, they only offer this approximation:

You can however type in your ZIP code to see if coverage is available in your area and they will let you know if you are covered by Lively’s network once the ZIP is entered. Always be sure to double check if you are covered by a wireless carrier before signing up.

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.

Twigby’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:

Twigby Mobile Plans

Twigby has five phone plans, one that comes with no data, and the remaining four come with limited data- (Twigby has no “unlimited” data plans, however they have no data cap so you will have technically unlimited data just at 2G speeds). You can have up to 10 lines on your Twigby Mobile account. Their plans are also deprioritized, which you know means that you’ll experience slower speeds during high traffic.

All Twigby Mobile plans comes with: “unlimited nationwide talk & text, 5G nationwide coverage, wi-fi calling & texting, mobile hotspot access, 6-way conference calling, unlimited talk to 80+ intl countries, unlimited global text, voicemail, caller ID, call waiting, and call forwarding.” Plan prices do not include taxes and fees.

Plan One: Talk & Text

This is the only zero data plan from Twigby, so if you are just in need of talk and text with no internet capabilities then this is the plan for you as you get unlimited talk and text.

This plan costs $5 a month for the first three months before increasing to $10 a month thereafter.

Plan Two: 2GB Monthly

This is Twigby’s lowest data plan option which gets you 2GB of high-speed data, then unlimited data at 2G speeds after that. 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 also comes with unlimited talk and text.

This plan costs $5 per month for the first three months before increasing to $15 a month thereafter. This means you get 2GB of high-speed data at $2.50 per GB for the first three months and $7.50 per GB at full price.

Plan Three: 5GB Monthly

This is Twigby’s second lowest data plan option which gets you 5GB of high-speed data, then unlimited data at 2G speeds after that. This plan also comes with unlimited talk and text.

This plan costs $10 per month for the first three months before increasing to $20 a month thereafter. This means you get 5GB of high-speed data at $2.00 per GB for the first three months and $4.00 per GB at full price.

Plan Four: 10GB Monthly

This is Twigby’s second highest data plan option which gets you 10GB of high-speed data, then unlimited data at 2G speeds after that. This plan also comes with unlimited talk and text.

This plan costs $10 per month for the first three months before increasing to $25 a month thereafter. This means you get 10GB of high-speed data at $1.00 per GB for the first three months and $2.50 per GB at full price.

Plan Five: 20GB Monthly

This is Twigby’s highest data plan option which gets you 20GB of high-speed data, then unlimited data at 2G speeds after that. This plan also comes with unlimited talk and text.

This plan costs $10 per month for the first three months before increasing to $35 a month thereafter. This means you get 20GB of high-speed data at $0.50 per GB for the first three months and $1.75 per GB at full price.

The Features:

While Twigby offers a pretty good “first three month” deal and straight-forward phone plans, 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

• Twigby Mobile does not offer domestic roaming data.

• Mexico & Canada Connection

• All of Twigby’s plans come with free international calls and unlimited texting to Mexico and Canada.

• International Connection

• Every Twigby phone plan comes with free international calls and unlimited texting to a wide number of countries. However they do not offer any connection if you are outside the US.

• Video Streaming Quality

• All Twigby Mobile plans stream at 480p Standard Definition. 

• Streaming Services and Cloud Storage

• Twigby Mobile does not offer these features.

• Device Financing

• Twigby offers device financing through PayPal payments.

• WiFi Calling

• Twigby 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

• Twigby has “SPAM Filter and Caller ID with Name” as a feature you can add-on to your account. They do not have a free trial option.

A Few FAQs - What You Need to Know about Twigby 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?

Just last year Twigby Mobile officially started supporting eSIM, so theoretically you should be able to use your physical Twigby SIM card and an eSIM together. However, there is no concrete information regarding dualSIM capabilities.

• Is the network GSM or CDMA?

“GSM” and “CDMA” are two slightly outdated terms and technologies describing wireless networks. GSM means Global System for Mobile Communications and that’s a phone that uses a SIM to connect, while CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) does not require a SIM card to connect. A “locked phone” can’t necessarily be used on certain networks because it is CDMA only. Check your device’s compatibility with the carrier’s website to make sure your phone works.

However, we have steadily moved along from these technologies and nowadays it’s VoLTE or 5G. Twigby is on the Verizon network (which used CDMA), so any Verizon or Sprint compatible devices should be able to work on the Twigby network.

• How can I use my own phone with Twigby’s service?

As we said above you should first check your phone’s compatibility with the Twigby website, where it will ask you to input your phone’s IMEI number which you’ll be able to find in your phone’s settings or by dialing *#06# on your device's keypad which works on any brand. Once your phone is confirmed to be compatible you’ll either be given an instant eSIM activation or a physical SIM card will be shipped to you. You will get your SIM by creating an account, buying a SIM card/phone plan, or looking at your settings.

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

Twigby Mobile does not have any physical store locations, leaving all of their customers to online support. For online support you can contact them via their Live Chat on their website which is a 100% U.S. chat feature with live agents available from 8am to 9pm CST Monday through Friday and from 10am to 6pm CST Saturday through Sunday (excluding holidays). You can also email them at [email protected]. 

Wrapping Up

Twigby Mobile has been praised over the years for having some of the best customer support out there. Their plans are simple, they come with the basics so there’s no real fancy bells and whistles but if that’s what you’ve been looking for then you might have found your new carrier. Their prices are a bit on the higher side for the amount of data you get, so if you are a lighter data user we think their 2GB or 10GB plans are worth the look for the price. We recommend checking your data usage before committing to a plan or carrier.

Want to compare other carriers?

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And if you want to compare and contrast Twigby 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.