Fonus is an AT&T-based mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) with global service, great pricing, and, unlike most carriers, no time limits. I had not heard of this service, but looking at it now, it appears to be a solution to a problem I have and will continue to have going forward: I’m spending a lot of time outside the U.S. and that can be problematic from a wireless carrier perspective.
I wrote a bit about this in The Perfect Phone (Premium), noting that my wireless carrier, Google Fi, warns users who spend too much time outside the U.S. that international data access can be suspended at any time. To work around this problem, I’ve been buying data eSIMs here from Airalo, which works fine but is expensive.
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Fonus offers an intriguing solution, assuming, of course, that their data access here in Mexico City is solid. (Airalo uses the Telcel network, which is ideal.) It offers unlimited data at up to 5G speeds, calls, and text messaging in over 100 countries with no roaming fees or time limits. The pricing is good, too. You can get 5 GB of data for $19.99 per month, 10 GB for $29.99, and unlimited data for $49.99.
By comparison, I currently pay Google Fi about $50 per month for its Simply Unlimited plan, which supports only Canada and Mexico outside the U.S., but can be time-limited with data. So I’m paying Airalo about $30 per month. You can see why Fonus looks interesting: The $29.99 plan is more than enough for me based on my usage. My only question is about the parent carrier, which is AT&T. It’s been a while since I’ve used AT&T in the U.S., and I’m not sure what it’s like here in Mexico City.
But there’s a lot to like here: Fonus offers physical SIM and eSIM support, Visual Voicemail, unlimited roaming, Wi-Fi calling and texts, mobile hotspot, and the ability to choose your own U.S. or Canadian phone number (or you can port your own number to the service).
It’s something to consider. I may just give it a shot and see how well it works here.
You can learn more on the Fonus website.
