This Xfinity Mobile review has been updated for 2020. Long-time readers may be quite surprised to find the subject header of Xfinity Mobile Review to hit their email inbox or feed, given my extensive collection of diatribes against Xfinity (Comcast) in recent years. I’m as surprised as you are.
Alas,
- I’ve previously and extensively reviewed the cheapest data plans, cheapest prepaid plans, and cheapest mobile WiFi hotspot plans on the market, and I’ve come to the conclusion that, at this moment, Xfinity Mobile may be one of the most compelling of them all – and can potentially save you some serious money.
- Despite my grievances with its parent company, Comcast, I am an actual Xfinity Mobile customer now – we have been testing Xfinity Mobile on one of our mobile devices for months now. And so far, so good!
- Xfinity is not holding me hostage. Nor did they compensate me to write this review.
- No, I’m not crazy or drunk (most of the time).
Let’s jump right in to this Xfinity Mobile review. Here is what I will cover:
What is Xfinity Mobile?
Xfinity Mobile is the new mobile service from ISP/Cable TV conglomerate, Comcast Xfinity. It somewhat quietly launched to customers in May of 2017, and was live in all Xfinity markets in August, 2017.
In addition to nation-wide 4G LTE coverage, Xfinity Mobile also boasts 18 million+ WiFi hotspots, and attractive and flexible low-cost plans.
Can I Get Xfinity Mobile?
In order to become an Xfinity Mobile customer, you must first be a residential Xfinity Internet service customer. If you reside within Xfinity’s market map, you probably don’t have much of a choice on that to begin with (unfortunately), as Xfinity often has monopolistic coverage of cable/Internet lines in most of the markets it is in.
If you’re unsure about that, you can check if Xfinity is available in your area here. If it is, and you’re an Internet service customer, you can get Xfinity Mobile.
What Network Does Xfinity Mobile Run On?
Xfinity Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO. As an MVNO, Xfinity Mobile doesn’t own its own wireless spectrum, it buys wholesale priced access from one of the 4 big wireless spectrum owners in the United States.
Xfinity Mobile runs on Verizon’s Network.
Making a call? You’re calling on Verizon’s network. Using mobile data? Verizon’s network. You’re basically getting all of the touted benefits of Verizon’s network at a fraction of the price.
Xfinity Mobile Coverage Map
Xfinity Mobile, by virtue of running on Verizon’s Network, has tapped in to the largest 4G LTE network in the US. Verizon touts that it covers 326.5 million people, 98% of the country’s population, and more square miles than any other network. Here is an interactive 4G LTE coverage map.
Xfinity WiFi Hotspot Map
In addition to offering up Verizon’s Network for prices that are much cheaper than Verizon (more on that in a bit), Xfinity Mobile sets itself apart from the competition in that you can tap in to over 18 million WiFi hotspots. Xfinity makes this possible through using modems it leases to customers as WiFi hotspots. Devilishly clever.
This can allow you to keep your mobile data usage to a minimum, if you’re able to find a hotspot to connect to. Here is an Xfinity WiFi hotspot map or you can use the Xfinity WiFi hotspot app, which can be used offline.
Xfinity Mobile Plans & Price
Here’s where things get really interesting. Xfinity Mobile plan costs are extremely low and flexible. Lower than any of the big 4 carriers, but lower than even most of the cheapest of bare-bones MVNO’s (who often have close to zero customer service).
For starters, everyone gets:
- Unlimited nationwide talk and text, for free
- No line access fees on up to 5 lines
- Free access to the 18 million+ WiFi hotspots
Additionally, Xfinity Mobile offers international roaming coverage (for a price).
Beyond talk, text, & WiFi – if needed (and I plan to only need it if on an extended trip), you have a choice of data plan options:
- By the gig (3 options): $1 GB for $12, $3 GB for $30, or 10 GB for $60. No rollover.
- Unlimited: $45/line/month (after 20 GB of monthly data use, speeds are reduced to a maximum of 1.5Mbps download/750 Kbps upload).
You can switch from “by the gig” to an “unlimited” plan within the same month or from “unlimited” to “by the gig” at the start of the next billing cycle. You can find lower price per GB data plans out there, but you typically have to pay for talk and text with those plans, which would wipe out the benefit.
The Xfinity Mobile app (Android here, iPhone here) shows you where your data usage is each month, in order to keep your data usage in check.
Does Xfinity Mobile Have Contracts?
No. There are no contracts with Xfinity Mobile. You can leave at any time, if you’re not happy, without penalty or early termination fee. However, you may have to pay off the remaining balance on your phone and plans (which is fair).
Can you Use Xfinity Mobile as a Personal Hotspot?
You can use Xfinity Mobile data to create a personal WiFi hotspot. According to Xfinity Mobile:
If you have the Unlimited data option, speeds on any connected device will not exceed 600 Kbps. At that speed, you’ll be able to perform common tasks such as email, instant messaging, and basic web browsing. However, you’ll likely experience buffering when streaming audio and/or video on your connected devices. If you prefer 4G LTE for your hotspot-powered devices, go for By the Gig — personal hotspot speeds are not limited with this data option.
There are no additional fees for using your phone as a hotspot, and you can do it whether you have By the Gig or Unlimited. Data used as a mobile hotspot will count toward your data charges for the billing cycle. Remember, your laptop may consume more data than your phone would for similar activities.
If you Cancel Xfinity Internet Service, Can you Keep Using Xfinity Mobile?
Yes. A $20 per line monthly charge applies if at least one of the following post-pay subscriptions are not maintained on the account: Xfinity TV, Internet or Voice service.
Xfinity Mobile Phones
Xfinity Mobile has a solid offering of mobile devices (mostly on the higher end), including both iPhones and Androids. You can either buy the phone outright or spread out the cost of the phone over 24 months (at 0% APR).
Xfinity Mobile BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)
There was no Xfinity Mobile option to bring your own device (BYOD) until recently, but now you can bring your own iPhone device (iPhone 6 and later for iPhones, and Galaxy S8 or later for Android). You can check device compatibility here.
If you bring your own device, there are no added fees, and you can get a free SIM card. And yes, you can still access the WiFi hotspots.
The Elephant in the Room with Xfinity
Any Xfinity Mobile review on my behalf would not be complete without addressing the elephant in the room: my long-time beef with Xfinity customer service and pricing. I’ve written many articles over the years on topics such as how to get rid of your Xfinity modem rental fee, how to replace an Xfinity modem with your own, how to negotiate with Xfinity, how to cut your Xfinity bill, and so on. Nobody has been a bigger critic of Xfinity – so I came in to this with a huge dose of skepticism.
I do see the broader company making serious efforts to improve its customer service and experience. For example:
- With Cable/Internet pricing, they have started offering existing customers extended contracts at prices previously only accessible to new customers (having to quibble over pricing and continual increases has long been a complaint of mine and others).
- Their customer service reps do seem much more accommodating in recent years, which is a reflection of company policy.
- Their revamped Xfinity stores are much closer to an Apple store than the DMV these days (I recently visited one and was shocked).
I looked long and hard for gotchas with Xfinity Mobile. I wouldn’t say these are “gotchas”, but on the “unlimited plan”, the following applies, which is fairly common practice for unlimited plans these days:
- Video streams up to 480p, standard-definition quality. HD streaming is available on Xfinity WiFi.
- On any connected device, mobile hotspot speeds will not exceed 600 kbps.
Aside from that, the pricing is fair, honest, and cheap. There is flexibility to switch plans. You can get 0% APR financing on phones if you can’t afford to buy outright (at the same total price). And you can BYOD without added fees.
Am I skeptical Xfinity Mobile will always be this fair and cheap? A little, yeah. If things take a turn for the worse, I’ll be the first to let you know.
Does Xfinity Mobile Run any Special Promos or Discounts?
Yes, frequently. You can find Xfinity Mobile promotions and discounts here.
They have been offering a rotating discount in the form of Prepaid Visa cards on a number of their devices. For example,
- $200 card on any Samsung Android
- $200 card on any iPhone
Right now, they are offering $250 off a new iPhone 11.
Final Thoughts on Xfinity Mobile
If you’re already an Xfinity Internet customer, Xfinity Mobile is a great deal. I really appreciate:
- the free unlimited nationwide talk & text on Verizon’s network
- no line fees (unless you are no longer an Xfinity internet customer).
- the option of multiple data plans, and flexibility to switch
- the ability to bring your own device (BYOD)
- the extensive WiFi hotspot network to keep data costs low
- clear, fair, and transparent pricing, with no contracts
If interested, you can get a discount on an Xfinity Mobile phone or bring over your own device here.
Xfinity Mobile Review
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Pricing
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Features
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Phone Selection
Review Summary:
Xfinity Mobile is a very strong prepaid mobile offering for Xfinity internet customers. They use Verizon’s strong network, but charge less than Verizon, and have flexible pricing options and month-to-month switching capabilities. There are no contracts, and no line fees (unless you drop internet service). While the phone offering was a little weak in the beginning, it has improved tremendously, and now includes BYOD.
I’m also impressed with the new phone and Visa debit card offers that Xfinity offers for new lines. They often included $250 off or cash back. And if you spread it across multiple months, there is a 0% APR.
Whether you want an unlimited plan, or you want a bare bones unlimited talk/text/minimal data plan ($12/talk/text/1 GB), Xfinity Mobile’s pricing is about as good as it gets.
Check out Xfinity Mobile offers here.
I’ve been waiting for someone to cover this because I’ve been dealing with Xfinity Mobile’s gotcha for 3 months! When you switch from by-the-gig to Unlimited, you’re required to stay on Unlimited for 30 days past the date you switched to Unlimited. So this means, if switch your plan one of of the last days of your billing cycle, you’re locked into Unlimited for a 2nd billing cycle, or possibly a 3rd. Xfinity can’t keep their story straight, and some reps say 30 days after a switch, others say 60 days. So you’re stuck on Unlimited for 2-3 billing cycles, even though it states on their website that you can switch your data plan 1x per billing cycle. That stated information is entirely untrue and extremely frustrating. I’ve taken this up with the Better Business Bureau because there’s no information anywhere about this data change timing issue. I’m still on Xfinity, but I never plan to switch to Unlimited again because having to pay 2-3 Unlimited billing cycles kills the savings for me.
Well, that’s a bummer. Their website states, “your switch to By the Gig will take effect on your next billing cycle.”, in reference to switch from “unlimited” to “by the gig”. Which is fair. If you’re billed beyond end of your current cycle for “unlimited” after switch to “by the gig”, I would reference the article below with customer service and your date change. It seems pretty black and white as far as making the case for a refund.
https://www.xfinity.com/mobile/support/article/223326408/how-do-i-change-my-data-option
Their customer service simply doesn’t understand their own policies, including parts of the escalations department. As I mentioned, it took a message to the Better Business Bureau before they would even listen to me. I spoke to at least 6 different customer service people who had different answers and different policies that they were pulling from thin air. I quoted and directed them to their own literature and they told me that wasn’t the case. After my 2nd correspondence with the BBB, I finally got someone in escalations who understood my issue, clarified their policies, and gave me a credit where I was charged for Unlimited and shouldn’t have been.
I am in a typical situation. I bought my Samsung Galaxy Note8 from Xfinity Mobile after paying full price. I was with them for 8 months and have decided to move out to other carrier. After porting out my number successfully to other carrier, Xfinity Mobile has blacklisted my phone IMEI. Now my phone is not working with any other carrier. I have called Xfinity Mobile customer care so many times to remove from blacklist. It has been 15 days but they are not fixing the issue and I am without any phone from last 15 days. Pathetic customer care support both on phone and at Xfinity store. I strongly recommend you all to keep away from Xfinity Mobile.
I don’t think they can legally blacklist your IMEI number.
Why did you decide to switch out?
If you believe Xfinity Mobile has blocked your number from being ported, you should immediately open a claim with the FCC. It is ILLEGAL for them to do that. https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/cell-phone-unlocking-faqs
Hey also so your aware I believe again there info has been compromised with credit cards. I started all new services on Oct 9 2018 went in on the 10th to get 2 phones they said i was approved for upon giving all personal info in the greenwood Indiana store my credit card info jad been uses acter the fact the said I can only get 1 phone i denied the service all together and as we speak my card is being ran every morning to see if they can make purchases.. So to all beware and please share this. Vause its Nov 5 and there still refusing to resolve the matter by degrateing me becuase I am a female amd infront of aboit 15 other clkents in the store the service rep told me to retrace my steps of where i last swiped my card cause I sure as hell didnt pay them. Just so you knw… It purchased a 80 prepaid card to do this and only placed the amount i would need for that day… And the charges are from WG Group from moitainview .ca and was done thru google pay..
Please go back to school & learn writing and make sure to use spell check in the future.
Thanks,
Signed by everyone trying to read your reply & getting a headache trying to understand what you’re trying to say.
I have a couple of questions about phone service during a major storm. I’m thinking Verizon does not give the same full access to Xfinity as its own customers? So, would you expect to have Xfinity phone service after a hurricane, like I did with Verizon? And can I use my home Xfinity WiFI like I do now instead of using my data on my Verizon plan?
I don’t know this for a fact, but I can’t imagine it’s legal for Verizon to prioritize in order who gets access to their spectrum in those types of events. It’s worth looking into if that’s a big concern for you.
As far as the second question, yes, if you have a device set to connect to wifi, it will prioritize that over cellular data usage.
From everything I’ve read, Verizon can and will prioritize their post paid customers over their prepaid customers. I don’t know why that wouldn’t be legal. Unfair, but legal.
Can you share legitimate sourcing on that?
Personally, even if they do, it wouldn’t influence my decision to be a customer, but it may if I moved to Puerto Rico or southern Florida in the future (no thanks).
I was looking for something straight from Verizon, but without a ton of digging, their customer service states “We may prioritize your data behind other customers during times/places of network congestion” https://community.verizonwireless.com/thread/942022
OK, that doesn’t indicate to me that they put direct Verizon customers in line in front of indirect Verizon MVNO customers.
If you are not a ‘direct’ customer of Verizon but buy a service plan from a 3rd party provider, like Comcast, Verizon, and other telephone companies that does similar practices, can and will priority their ‘direct’ customers over those from ‘indirect’ customers.
It’s NO different than MetroPCS since it uses TMo’s backbone. The latter will prioritize its ‘direct’ customers over the former’s ‘indirect’ customers since it’s TMo’s backbone.
Xfinity and Verizon appears to have similar functions so why shouldn’t it be any different? Verizon is leasing its backbone to Comcast so Verizon’s customers has primary priority.
I was a Verizon prepaid customer For 6 years and I was always treated respectfully and was given many courtesies in respect to my bill.
Thank You, I was too.
Many companies run off Verizon towers with no Problems!!!
I can. I’ve had both Xfinity Mobile and Verizon prepaid. I left Xfinity mobile due to repeated issues with voicemail and they capped their hotspot on unlimited to 600k. I have two Pixel 2 XL phones. One on Verizon Prepaid, the other on Xfinity mobile. I did a speed test from the same location, same server, same time. The Verizon phone had faster speed. 46mbit vs XM 16MB as well as lower latency 32ms vs 98ms on XM. I use about 12gb a month and XM doesn’t give multi line discounts so I was paying $90 a month. Verizon Prepaid I get 16GB a month for $75. Unless you are only using 1 or 2GB data a month there is no value to this service.
I live in FL and just went through a hurricane, we had no interruption on our Xfinity phones at all. We did loose electricity (so no cable or internet) but cell service stayed on LTE, Xfinity didn’t even charge for data overages which was really helpful.
I ‘m very happy with my unlimited plan from them and used my own phone (Moto G5 Plus) way before the new BYOD option offered.
The fact that I use my hotspot for work/school to tether was the main selling point for me.
You were able to BYO Android? What was the process for that?
I bought 2 LG Xcharge when they were close to free, gave one to my wife, the other I took out the sim car, put in my Note4, it worked right away and have been using it for almost a year now trouble free. There delay in BYOD android is a joke.
that’s exactly what i’m planning to do should I decide to jump in the bandwagon. I just don’t justify forking out for a new device when my current daily driver is working perfectly. So i’m looking to get the cheapest device, pull that sim out and use it on my unlock device and bualah! 🙂 Thanks for the tip!
I’ve also heard Verizon would give their post paid customers priority over prepaid/MVNO. Did you notice issues when using data? I have Verizon now and use less than 2GB a month. I have Xfinity as my internet provider. Xfinity mobile seems like a no-brainer for me but the availability of reliable data is sticking is worrying me nonetheless. Maybe it’s a security blanket. I’ve also been w/Verizon for 20+ years. If Xfinity eventually let me BYOD, I’d be saving $70 a month.
I had Verizon prepaid prior to Xfinity and haven’t noticed any difference in speed or connection quality. I was worried about reliability too and haven’t had an issue with either service, even on vacations in other corners of the US. $70 a month?! Switch! Switch now!! The $70 a month will buy you a new Xfinity compatible phone fast! Plus, they have been running $200 rebates for buying a new phone. First it was on Galaxy phones, then it was on iPhones. They also had a $500 new customer rebate a couple months ago. That’s the primary reason I switched!
I’m told by a Comcast employee acquaintance that new and BYOD phones are “tweaked” to automatically login to XFinity wifi locations whenever they are present, to lower the use of Verizon’s network. Can anyone confirm they’re phone was modified ?
No “tweaking” or modifications done. I set up my own phone (I purchased a new phone through Xfinity Mobile). We brought my boyfriend’s phone to the Xfinity store in our town and all they did was insert a SIM card into this phone and activate it.
You download an app that reaches out to open networks. There are some streets in my town that I stay connected to wifi the entire length of the road because there are so many businesses with wifi. It’s not a phone “tweak”…delete it if you don’t want it.
I had several problems with my network. I rarely leave the house so i keep my data off and use wifi. I had my phone stolen lg charge so i bought another. I had to teset some passwords etc. In doing that i noticed my phones 4g was never lit and i barely have a bar of coverage. The mode was set to global as well as saying xfinity network. It also by default used the goohle storage of contacts to make “wifi calls” which not only do i just not like because of limited options but also caused conflicts between receiving phone calls and text. Now my phone is completely useless most of the time i have to leave wifi calling on and im still have major network issues even after resetting network to use lte etc.while i love the prices and flexability of choosing the type of plan i want, its useless if im not getting phone calls/text 90 % of time.also xfinity phone support is horrible with troubleshooting or fixing issues.while they are very polite and accomadating they are unable to help with anything beyond the skill level of typing it in google yourself. Which is pretty bad. Also since there is a severe lack of information available pertaining to mostly all of xfinity related issues. Even after all this im still impressed with this overall. Being that low cost less fuss is a prioty for me.
There’s an option on Xfinity phones in the settings to automatically log in to XFINITY hot spots but even if you turn it off and you’re signed into Xfinity hot spots, it still connects. They don’t do BYOD.
G.E. question: So X-M big sell is their millions hotspots… what’s your experience of switching between cellular and hotspot, seamless?
WIFI-Calling enabled? That’s the main reason am looking to replace my current MVNO.
I do believe X-M is the first MVNO with a metered plan ($15/1GB) to offer International roaming, the bunch of MVNOs either don’t offer it at all, or you have to buy their more expensive plans, what a pain-in-the-u-know-what for those of us who do occasional international travel and have to switch SIM when we get there. Same goes for International text, my current Tracfone just tells me NO. Nobody likes to hear no, am willing to pay them, but they are sooooo rigid these other MNVO. They all think we do pre-paid because we got no credit and therefore don’t know anybody overseas? What a bunch of dinosaurs.
Comcast getting nicer? well… I did notice they used to be adamant at sell bundles, I have tried to get Internet-only from them and they asked an arm-and-leg for a single service, UNTIL the beginning of this year and I jumped on it. OK keep it up Comcast, there maybe hope for you yet.
@ Jon Smith – I did BYOD with an iPhone. WiFi calling is indeed enabled. The hotspot/cellular handoffs are totally seamless. You can begin a call on WiFi and it will transfer to cellular once you move out of WiFi range or vice versa (this is only in areas with LTE service, but that’s pretty much everywhere for me). It seamlessly switches between Xfinity WiFi hotspots while out and about. It’s actually almost luxurious going to Starbucks, Panera, etc. and not having to sign in to use WiFi. It just works. Call quality, reception, and data speeds are exactly the same as they were when I was a post-paid Verizon customer.
I was never a huge fan of Comcast, but I had also never had any major problems with them, either. But I’ll say the experience I’ve had with XM has been world-class. They ported in my four lines from Verizon in just a few minutes in the Xfinity store (which, yes, looks a lot like an Apple store). The rep I dealt with was knowledgeable and efficient. I’ve had the service for a few months now and there have been no hiccups. It seemed too good to be true, but so far, so good.
I have a question about the in-call hand-off between Xfinity Wifi and and Verizon’s VoLTE / Circuit Switch networks. Are you sure that the hand-off goes both ways; Both hand-in and hand-out? Typically, carriers will do one but not both. And they usually do hand-out from the Wifi network to the cellular carrier network. Why? Because the call quality is difficult to control when you’re constantly jumping between networks. Imagine driving down a city street and at every stop light you pick up a Wifi network and your phone call transitions from cellular to wifi. Then when the light goes green and you go, it has to jump back to the macro network. Say goodbye to call continuity and quality. So are you sure that the service does both?
I was interested in finding out more about xm. After reading your article and the comments I’m still unsure. Mainly my worry is as you mentioned, dealing with Comcast/Xfinity is a royal pain. But so is Sprint and I’ve been with them for over 10 years.
My question that I didn’t see anyone bring up is the fact that there is no contract. So if there is no contract, aren’t we subject to any price changes? Is there something that shows our price will not go up from the initial price we signed up with? ($12gb/$45unl)
To my point with some of the comments about how they are not clear with what they have and don’t.
I’ve been using assorted prepaid services for years and they usually leave you grandfathered into your plan unless you change it yourself. For example, when I had Verizon Prepaid, they came out with new data packages every few months but it never affected my plan, until I read into one plan and realized it was a better deal so I asked them to switch my plan over to that. I’ve never had a price go up on my years of prepaid services (also had TMobile and Project Fi) but the nice thing is if it ever does, you can immediately jump ship to another company since you’re not locked into a contract.
Switching to Xfinity Mobile was a terrible experience. My wife inadvertently ran up $1400 in international data charges. After hours of bad customer support calls, they have yet to produce any data that shows where the usage came from and they are not willing to work with me on the $1400 expense. Now I have to make a decision on whether to cancel my card on file to avoid them charging the full $1400 or just pay the bill to avoid them probably destroying my credit because I refuse to pay. As a result of this, I have dropped my Xfinity Cable and Mobile. I have been a customer for many years but this terrible customer experience has resulted in losing me as a long-term voice, cable, internet and mobile customer. I would not recommend Xfinity Mobile to anyone because of this poor experience and anyone that needs to use data outside of the US should stick with a carrier that has reasonable international data plans.
Bryan, You/your wife go to another country, not inform yourself about how international roaming works, you leave the cellular data on, come back home and get a bill for what you’ve already used, expect them to simply pretend it never happened because you somehow deserve to use international services for free?
Carriers from other countries can’t wait to bill US carriers for international usage which is why they bill you that much, so Xfinity should just eat up the cost for your reckless behavior because you had their service before?
That sounds like pure entitlement to me.
Also, there is only one carrier that has ‘reasonable’ international data plans, and that’s T-Mobile, since they are international to begin with and they can promote that because it won’t cost them a fortune for you to run your data abroad like you would in the US.
So now you’re bashing a company and a service, generating bad publicity for them because they don’t wanna erase $1400 off of your bill for something that was your fault entirely?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the only right thing to do is own up to your mistake and deal with it.
As for traveling abroad, I inquired because I have upcoming plans to travel outside the U.S.. I was instructed to turn off my Cellular Data, Cellular Data Options roaming and the Wi-Fi Assist so I won’t have to incur costly date use while traveling outside the tower network. My plan is to use Wi-Fi Calling when abroad. I don’t know how your cell phone were adjusted in settings in the Cellular section; perhaps you can explain.
@Bryan…
“My wife inadvertently ran up $1400 in international data charges.”
So you/wife have cellphone and plans for awhile so you Should have known about international plans when traveling.
“Inadvertently?” That is YOUR error by NOT checking and Blame the carrier instead of accepting Personal Responsibility for NOT checking with the carrier BEFORE traveling.
Agree with @Bojan…
Don’t give Sobbing story as it’s Pitiful!
They are saying you cannot bring any unlocked Iphone from At&T beyond a 6.
The newer iPhones on AT&T and TMobile do not have CDMA radios. They use an Intel modem, not Qualcomm. The BYOD from not Verizon carriers is a hardware limitation.
Bojan, not feeling entitled. We turned off data with a few exceptions when it was required. No way there was $1400 in charges. They couldn’t even share the logs on activity or give me a way to dispute the charges. The message was clear, we are collecting on your next bill or it is going to collections agency. Even the handful of people I spoke with in support acknowledged this was terrible and showed empathy for the situation but their hands were tied. Upon escalating to support managers, I spent hours on hold and they still couldn’t produce any information about the data usage. They have managed to take $1400 from me because I don’t want to risk credit damage. I’ll chalk this up as a bad experiment to save money and caution others to stay away and stick with carriers that have reasonable international rates and a proven history of good customer support.
File a complaint with the BBB. It’s only way I’ve ever got anything done with Comcast.
Skip the BBB and file a complaint the the FCC, the government agency that oversees all communications in the US. They MUST provide you with an itemized list of the calls that led to your $1400 bill. https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us
I have Xfinity at home and Verizon cell service. I am interested in Xfinity Mobile but have one major concern with the data connection…the Xfinity hotspots that we have tried in the past have been horribly slow. If I am in a situation where an Xfinity hotspot is visible and the mobile device auto-connects, but the speed is slow, yet I have good Verizon LTE cell connection and bandwidth, can I elect to use the LTE cell connection instead of the hotspot, or am I forced to stay connected to the hotspot as long as it is visible? That would be a non-started for us unfortunately.
Sam- you can turn off your wifi if you have a weak Xfinity hotspot connection, or you can switch the wifi to another network if that’s an option. No forcing!
this is also a major concern of mine. my understanding is ,if the phone detects a wifi hot spot, it will automatically connect to it, and you can’t disable this function,
I’ll never go with them why. I am on true unlimited data with tmobile. 70 dollar plan but on family plan so only pay 30.00.
WiFi well I have no issues sending text or mms over. so just goes to show exfinity is flawed
How? Please further explain your fantasy theory.
Data is important to me so instead of XM I would rather go w/ Tello Mobile (MVNO of Sprint $14/month for 1GB data and unlimited talk & text) or Mint Mobile ($15/month for 2GB data and unlimited talk & text).
This is all very interesting. I called Verizon today to let them know that I was considering going to Xfinity Mobile. Wow! What a difference! I have been working Verizon for years trying to get them to lower my rates. They want their $100 no matter what! I travel all over the US and abroad for work. Hands-down Verizon is the best network. I can’t afford not to have coverage. So when I saw that Comcast became an MVNO for Verizon, I was very excited. When I called Verizon and qouted the rates I got from Xfinity mobile, my plan went from $150 for my wife and I down to $96.40. Boom! DirecTV negotiates. Xfinity negotiates. XM Radio negotiates. Verizon never negotiates…until now! Thanks Xfinity Mobile!
Fantasy World, can I come.
Fantasy World, can I join too.
I switched to XM about 3 months ago from Consumer Cellular. We are retired and mostly at home, so the rate was really attractive. When we moved to the area we were on AT&T, but the service was spotty and all the neighbors were on Verizon. We had to buy one phone and were able to bring over the other one. My biggest complaint is the amount of spam has gone up 10 fold since joining XM. XM/Comcast must have sold our information to compensate for the low rates. My wife is the primary on the Comcast account and all the calls and text I get to my number are referring to her. Very frustrating, I contacted XM regarding the problem and said they would had me to some list. Hasn’t made a difference yet, perhaps time to contact the FCC or a good lawyer.
Robocalls are out of control this year – I don’t think this is limited to XM.
That’s for sure I am a current Verizon customer and it’s super annoying get calls from people I don’t know all the time. I just end up blocking them out each time.
dont hold your breath for the $200 prepaid visa card I have been waiting and waiting Get a different story everytime I call Was to have been last week Now they say another 4-6 weeks! What a joke
I got mine last week, be patient.
How long had you been waiting?
I was told 14-16 weeks and I think it fell in the range.
Thanks I’ve been told so many different things
Yeah – took about 3 months for mine to arrive too. Just be patient.
What about security if you use an Xfinity hotspot? Are they the same hotspots I can use now, since I’m already a Comcast customer for internet? One other thing. Any recommendations for a good Anti-virus on Android phones?
Surprisely i have had almost no biing issues.which is a great point to bring up because i can say tnis is tbe first time i havent had to complain aboit sales gimics and contract hooks. I am on a discount plan through my county and have been for about 2 years i never had an issue my plan price was the same even better once my phone is paid off my bill will only consist of a couple dollars for yaces
It’s been since February 1st
Hello, Mr. MIller: your review of Xfinity Mobile was very influential in our decision to switch to Xfinity Mobile. My husband has an iPhone 5s and I have an iPhone 6s+. We spent 3 hours at the Xfinity store yesterday finding out that in fact Xfinity Mobile will only accept iPhone 6 and higher. Their customer service rep had told me over the phone that the 5 was accepted, as does their website (and your review). Our options at the store were to buy a new phone for my husband or walk out and we chose the second option. This felt to us like classic bait & switch. Comcast could easily change this requirement on their website. Comcast could be a great company if they didn’t keep getting in their own way. Very disappointing experience.
One Xf Mobile rep told me that an iPhone 5 may or may not be acceptable: I think they said it must have a dual antenna, something they can check only when you bring in the phone.
Would like any additional info
Considering moving from Verizon to Xfinity Mobile today 8-5-2018 and there are two significant differences described above, 1) MMS, and 2) hotspot bandwidth. I doubt the issue raised over spam and the international issue is just something you need to be aware of in advance of traveling (Verizon might have an advantage). In any case, I’m going to call verizonwireless, tell them my intentions, and listen to any offers they might propose.
First, regarding MMS, it appears bdms was falsely informed by service rep. MDJ. MMS works the same on Verizon. Found the following from forums.xfinity.com:
-Mike Problem Solver
07-10-2018 03:02 PM
Re: SMS vs MMS on WiFi vs Cellular?
I agree with SunnyRadGal. With an iPhone (but not Android) you need to have Cellular Data enabled to use MMS, but that MMS is free.
If you are trying to minimize data usage on iPhone, you should also go to Settings-Cellular and turn off the switches for every app that you don’t want using cellular data. Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t have a switch for iMessage here. You need to disable iMessage completely to prevent it from using cellular data on incoming iMessages.
Second, regarding hot spot bandwidth, these are hotspots for which I currently do not have access. Aren’t the access points added value, albeit slower than what I might have at home or at alternate non-XM hot spots?
My phone suck I should have just stuck with metro. There has been times when I have opened a video clip at the same time on my metro and iPhone X but my metro loaded WAYYYYYYY faster. Even when I’m connected to my WiFi it still loads slow which is baffling to me…. can’t lie I don’t see myself sticking with this mobile service for long but I love my phone.
What does your iphone X’s wifi speeds have to do with XFinity Mobile?
This is exactly the conversation I was hoping to find in considering switching from Verizon to xfinity. My remaining questions are: what is their int’l calling plan? I can pretty much use unlimited data/calls with Verizon for $10/day. And also, do they have an app where you can limit the data used by your kids? The incentives right now are huge – $150/line (which is $600 for us) plus $300 for buying a new iPhone with them (which we need). I’m wanting this to work but concerned about the spam issue and some of the other concerns raised here. Thanks for any replies.
Just for info, currently (8/30/2018) wifi calling does not work on Android phones (it does on iPhones). This is even with the ones that you have to buy from XM if you currently want Android. However, they will work if connecting to an Xfinity wifi hotspot. Good to know (and a deal breaker) for those that have poor/no cellular signal in their area or, even more importantly, in their home. You won’t be able to use your home wifi to make calls, unless you have an Xfinity modem/router (wifi).
I had a talk with Xfinity in regards to their Xfinity mobile. I asked them if they could match or beat the plan I currently have? I have the T-Mobile ONE Unlimited 55+
2 lines $70/month plan, which includes all taxes and fees. Guess what? Xfinity said no. I told them to bad because you just lost a potential customer.
Yea, they got us too. We have Xfinity internet and tv and move to Venice Fl. Wanted to add new phones and the sales woman stated there was a $200 rebate per phone! Great deal huh, but not so much. After waiting the 90 days I called and was told we do not qualify because we didn’t port our old phone numbers over, I have gone round and round with Xfinity to no avail the woman lied to us to get the sale. No from reading the reviews I see that I’m not alone in this battle. I have just started!
I’ve joined XM coming from TMo back in Sept and haven’t experienced any major issues. So far the service has been pretty good in my area (Alexandria Va). My only gripe is i could have gotten a better device but this LG Stylo 4 has been ok. Ported my number to XM so i should expect that $150 rebate deal as advertised sometime soon. They said it takes 16-18 weeks. I also have Xfinity TV Internet as well so that has been solid. I guess service experience varies by location.
To follow up on my post. Since I have an XM device, i wonder if u can transfer the simcard over to another unlock android that works with Verizon (ie OnePlus 6T) or other android devices. Has anyone done this?
After having Verizon as my provider since my first cell phone many years ago I changed to Xfinity mobile. I pay for 3 phones my phone, my wife’s phone and my 93 year old mothers phone. I have seen no difference in service, I have been on the plan for 7 months now and every bill has been $19 and a few cents for all three phones. We use data a lot but since we are all retired and have internet service at home and most people we visit have internet service, we use very little data because even if away from home and we are in range of an Xfinity hot spot it automatically connects. We had one bill that was $23.86 for all three phones because we were in Cancun at a resort for 2 weeks and it costs .10 cents per call and .10 cents per text. We don’t call a lot when on vacation. We vacation from cell phones also.
One Xf Mobile rep told me that an iPhone 5 may or may not be acceptable: I think they said it must have a dual antenna, something they can check only when you bring in the phone.
I’ve had Comcast Internet at home only because I have no better option, no feasible alternative. I switched from Verizon to XfM in June 2018 in order to
– save money,
– get wifi calling,
– and still have the Verizon network when away from home.
So far, XfM is not as good as promised, but I’m accepting the trade-off as worth the savings.
The one place where Verizon network coverage has been a problem for me is in my home, of all places, so I counted on my strong and fast wifi to improve phone calls at home. However, I still get dropped calls and calls in which one of us cannot hear the other, despite the fact that I have always had wifi calling enabled. I’m wondering if Xf does not properly transport calls from their wifi network to the Verizon network to complete the connection. Fortunately, wifi calling did work well for me when I was overseas.
To clarify: Verizon network coverage has been a problem for me in my home even when Verizon was my cell carrier, and that is the same now that I have XfM, Also, my cell-network calls away from home are just as good with XfM as they were when Verizon was my cell carrier.
My main problem with XfM is that I’m not getting any improvement with wifi calling at home. There are other problems, which I’m guessing could be either the fault of their network, or their setup of my account, or their configuration of the iPhone that I bought from them:
– I can save an email attachment to the cloud, but not to a local folder;
– when I accept an invitation to a shared album, I can see the album but not its contents;
– the voicemail service gives me no audible notice that someone has left a message.
Quick question for the savvy: contemplating the switch from AT&T with my only concern being anticipated complaints from my 18 year old. He’s a college freshman living in Coral Gables and into instagram with viewing multiple video feeds from friends, Barstool Sports, etc. what concerns if any should I have?
Does anyone have experience in using the the Comcast Mobile services while traveling abroad?
BW , I’m been disappointment, I just spoke to a customer service representative, she was very nice i’m legally blind , Just received my bill , And did not have insurance, on my phone, when I got the phones, in my city, the network, was in and out, at the store, the sales person, was able to get the phones, activate , and she said she would add everything to the service, so I don’t have it, they told me , pass 30days, and pretty much I need to find some of the coverage on the outside, I have to suffer, Along with being Blind, the reason, I got the phones, was because, of my blindness, and the update apps, that I need, and my home being updated to a smart home, but no coverage? So it’s my fault? Please help me!! Thanks
I’ve had cellular services for over 25 years from the disconnect we don’t care about loyalty t-mobile to
crooket cricket and the $50 Hollar companies. this service is by far the worst rip off I have ever witnessed and I can’t wait to see class action lawsuit so I can collect my money back.
Oh the issue broken promise false advertising 😠😠 to save money. the only reason why I won’t break the contract because I’m in the middle of the process of trying to buy a house other than that I would have been broke the contract
Big question regarding new changes to XM. xfinity hot spots cap at 600 kbps. Resolution cap at 480p even though you have strong coverage. Well we’ll, that doesn’t sound fun at all. Any current XM customers with first hand experience how the streaming resolution cap 480p and 600kbps xfinity mobile spots will be much appreciated.Thanks, this is holding me back.
This is what has stopped me from switching to XM. Customer Service, and that you can be on a call and use the internet at the same time like you can with V. Those two things are very important, the customer service being number one. I can’t deal with billing issues, and all that crap with my phone. I already deal with it enough with my cable bill.
shared data misleading!
Each phone has its own data plan. That data plan can be shared only by connecting to the phone using its local hotspot feature.
In other words – no shared data unless the phones are in the same location and have a local hotspot set up.
This is misleading use of the term ‘shared data plan.’
In looking at all of the reviews, I did not see any comment about why XM requires a credit check before you can get service? I can go to any of the other providers and they do not require a credit check. I can go to Xfinity and order TV and internet and NOT have a credit check done. So what is XM really doing with the credit check? and why is it required ONLY for XM?
Whatever you do, do not try and return a phone (they state 14 days and you can return the device) to any place but the store it was purchased. And do not ever opt for a return bu mail. The new Xfinity clerk that helped us screwed up the return (although he asked his asst. mrg. for help, she was more interested in chatting), we ended up being forced to return by mail. Repeated calls to ascertain progress in getting a refund were promptly answered, but every single time, i got a different answer, so I kicked it up to executive customer service (so now I have a case number and a direct phone number!) and was informed that the return time is 15 business days. I finally talked to someone who worked for TMobile for three years, and what’s happened is that XM is so new in the business that they haven’t refined their processes, so they are putting customers last while they fumble around.
A warning to people attracted by the VISA Debit card offer!! The cards and any balance left on the card expire after 180 days, although I believe that became illegal after 4/1/19. I am filing a complaint with the CFPB.
I wondered that too. Turns out that it was because I bought a new device at the same time on a monthly, interest-free plan. The credit check was for that purchase.
I’m thinking about switching. I travel aboard frequently. Has anyone experienced any difficulties using data overseas? And is pricing reasonable?
Switched to Xfinity when we had Xfinity internet and tv. We moved 3 months later to a small town less than 5 miles away where we were only allowed to get another internet and cable service through no choice of our own. We had purchased 2 phones on payment plans. We were stuck. If you dont have xfinity they charge you a $10 surcharge per line which we accepted but we could not upgrade phones. Technically once we paid for the phones, they got there money and were out. Read fine print if you live in areas where xfinity may be in one town but not another.
My BYPD iPhone 8 and X are set to LTE ONLY in the Comcast system. Tech support says no way to change this. That means that if I am in an area with 3G, 4G etc but no Wi-Fi or LTE ( which are pockets within the major city we live in) then you get no signal. This is a deal breaker as my wife’s job is in an LTE pocket. Walk outside the building and calls dropped. Now I can BUY all new phones for $3000 and everything will miraculously work. DONE
Switched to Xfinity Mobile last month (I am an Xfinity internet customer). They do not tell you that when you bring a device from a carrier such as T-Mobile, calls over Wifi do NOT work. This is because T-mobile’s phones are GSM. Someone from their 3rd line customer support stated I had to have a special “feature” turned on from their end to enable this. NO MENTION of this is made when you bring your own device.
Now I can make calls over Wifi (essential as cellular coverage is spotty near my residence), but the phone does not switch back and forth between XM WiFi and Xfinity LTE seamlessly. Seem as though I have to reboot my phone for it to take effect. I have an iPhone 8 Plus
I’ve had nothing but dropped calls and poor connectivity with Xfinity Mobile. I am only two weeks into working with them to try and sort this problem out, but after doing a google search, I find out this is a very old problem for them and that they have not been able to come up with a fix. Their Tier 2 customer support is sending out new sim cards that they say will fix the problem, but from what I”ve read on line new SIM cards will not help …. don’t know why Tier 2 folks would feed me a line. 😔 Buyer beware. I guess I’ll be switching back to my old carrier soon.
Some thoughts for Sam, Dan, others on data switching from WiFi to mobile and back.
I have been a X-M customer for almost 2 years. I regularly experience real challenges where I am attempting to use maps, internet, etc, and just get horrible/no connectivity. This happens when the phone is attempting to “hang on” to a local WiFi connection, even when it does not have enough bandwidth to effectively connect. You stare at your phone forever waiting, nothing. Realize you have full mobile data bars, close the screen, go to settings, etc, etc to close WiFi. Magic! Data immediately connects! A minute later than when you needed it. The system needs to recognize when WiFi connectivity is too poor, and flip quickly to mobile data. Super frustrating. This happens every day or two.
I switched from AT&T in Jan ’19 and immediately had terrible service dropping calls. I have weak signal at home and farm, so I use wifi calling on iPhone X. Worked perfect on AT&T, is a killer on Xfinity. I get “system failure” dropped calls all the time. Something in the system can’t handle the wifi calling feature. It seems to die when it gets a whiff of a cell signal. Airplane Mode sometimes helps by forcing wifi calling, but not always. My wife is about to kill me for this cheap service. Looks like AT&T will get me back regardless of the cost!
Using eBay, I have been able to get cheap, used, iPhone SE phones ($65-$80 each) to Port numbers and get sim cards activated on Xfinity mobile. Once activated, the Sim cards seem to work fine in any unlocked, CDMA capable phone. My current phone is a Pixel 2XL.
Everything looks good on paper till you actually get to use the data. Xfinity uses Verizon’s towers and that says it all. Verizon’s coverage is horrendous. I’ve used all carriers in the work I do. Verizon’s coverage is primitive. I don’t know who grades Verizon as the best but I can tell you they rank at the bottom. I get more 1x or 3G coverage with xfinity than I get with Att and T-Mobile.
Until xfinity (Verizon) fixes their coverage they will lag in customer satisfaction. I quit xfinity only because it’s a poor mans Verizon.
I was super excited to switch carriers and save a ton of money. But I moved from CO to MD and the service leaves a lot to be desired now. Some days I just don’t have signal no matter how many times I reset my network settings or restart my phone. It happens randomly. And they said it worked overseas and I even tried updating the network settings on wifi over there, but it never actually worked. The impression I got was that even though it’s on Verizon, Xfinity Mobile customers are a lower priority than Verizon ones when it comes to connection and speed. And tethering has been like dial-up sometimes. AT&T was blazing fast when I used to have that and this is an exercise in patience. I was so excited too. 🙁
Does Xfinity offer a mifi type device with an unlimited plan? I’m looking for internet for a tablet that doesn’t use a SIM. Right now I’m using Cricket from a cell phone for wifi/hotspot but at $70 a month I get only 30 GB of data. Help!!
Does anyone have experience with leaving wifi calling on while driving around areas that have lots of xfinity hotspots? Do you constantly experience dropped calls or disconnects for streaming music/podcasts?
Just trying to figure what happens if it is always trying to log into various hotspots while driving and you are constantly going in an out of range of various hotspots. Seems like it would be a frustrating data experience.
The fact of it is that the land based high speed (cable) tv/internet big players run localized monopolies, only overlapping service with their “competitors” in a couple spots so as to not be called out on said monopolies. In monopoly zones, they gouge customers as they know there is no actual competition. I don’t know how many are in cahoots on this monopoly plan, but Comcast is the major player you know and hate, Charter is another. I found this particular page via your hotspot comparison list. Special offers like this are completely useless to greater than half of the people who stumble across this page.
Much of rural America relies on crappy dsl because the big cable providers refuse to run wire down our roads. In fact, many cannot even get cable, dsl, or a decent cell signal. Can’t do much about poor cell signal. Can do nothing about which major cable provider (predator?) is gouging prices in your local area. Come on, man.
I switched from Verizon to Xfinity mobile on 10/26/2019 with an iPhone SE today it was allowed to carry over. The SE is basically the same thing as an iPhone 6.
As a PREVIOUS customer of xfinity mobile, I can share my experience.
— Firstly 99% of their customer service reps are frankly incompetent. (Go figure Comcast).
— It took them roughly 40 days and my constant badgering for them to even transfer my number to start the service which was absolutely mind boggling.(Every other carrier can do that in under 3 minutes.)
–When I initially switched to them they had an offer running for $100 credit for Byo Iphone of which was running through the entirety of the 40 days of them trying to get me transferred over. When the requirements of the credit were met, I called to ask about my credit. They had no information on my account, and the person I spoke to wasn’t even aware xfinity ran any promos….. Lmao
–They operate under the guise of being a prepaid MVNO player along the likes of cricket, straight talk, and others but they are in fact a post paid carrier meaning if you cancel half way through the month. Guess what? You still get a bill.
–Lastly, when I finally had enough of their BS. I switched away from them. Knowing who I was dealing with, I decided to call to make sure everything was cancelled so that I would not be billed again. Sure enough I call up, and the women I spoke to told me the account was still active 2 days after I switched. When I was calling her from the phone/number I switched with…….
Needless to say, Don’t do it. There are plenty of other MVNO’s with like spec’d/priced plans. Save yourself the headache.
My father was an Xfininty client. He moved, and cancelled his Xfininty package ( internet, cable, landline) , was told he would have to cancel mobile. Trying to take his LG X Power( that he purchased from Xfininty) to another carrier was a nightmare. There was back and forth that lasted more than a month. The phone comes unlocked from LG, but Xfinity installs proprietary software for voicemail and other services. When inserting a SIM from a different carrier a pop up error reads: “Invalid SIM card . Please insert a valid XFINITY Sim card in the device.” Xfinity can not fix the problem and their solution is to refer me to LG who refers me back to Xfinity.
I have been an Xfinity TV,voice,internet customer for years and also a Verizon wireless customer for years. At one point I switched to Tracphone for my cell service and found that too often I would not receive calls and texts until much later than they were sent because my routing was prioritized after the major carriers. So thank you for talking about that. I am moving to a place where there is NO cable service, so will need to use my phones for everything, including internet, and was concerned about lags in service. I checked into XFinity Moblie and found that even though I will have to buy 2 new phones (husband has a burner, I have a Galaxy 5, and they require a Galaxy 8 or above), AND if I am not a Cable customer I have to pay $20 per line fee, XF will still be cheaper than VZ. BUT I run a business in the new place so can’t have lags. I will definitely be looking into trying to get Verizon to cough up a better or comparable deal.
If you are already an Xfinity customer, it’s one of the cheapest ways to get a $45 access to the Verizon Network without having the 4 devices (which lowers Verizon to $45/per person at 4-5+ people). Having said that, I have an actual native Verizon iPhone (from work), and my wife has the same iPhone (personal) to Xfinity on the Verizon Network. I have the impression that the actual Verizon service tends to connect and relay data when you are on the fringe of a service area. (IE: Inside a building with a metal roof, a steel frame building with a low signal, or both phones have 1 bar). I doubt myself, because it should be the same network and the same packet prioritization. Both Verizon and Xfinity are far superior to t-mobile connectivity (bandwidth and building-penetration wise). I just sense that Xfinity data seems on the Verizon network is a hair weaker and less reliable in low-signal situations on two of the same device. However, for the price difference between Verizon and Xfinity for a single phone owner, I’ll take Xfinity all day long.