You've got a lot going on in your life at the moment — holiday prep, social engagements and the ongoing demands of daily life. Do you really want to add switching phone carriers to your list of to-dos?
A number of wireless providers are betting that you will, tweaking their Black Friday deals to convince you that it's time to move your wireless service elsewhere. And they may have a point.
You'll find deals aimed at would-be cell service switchers throughout the year, but those offers seem to ramp up around Black Friday. So long as you're looking for a new phone, the thinking goes, why not consider a new phone carrier, too?
The answer, of course, is that switching phone carriers can be a hassle, particularly if you're still paying off your current phone. (To that end, most carriers are willing to pick up that balance, either in part or in total, if that's what's preventing you from switching.) If your life feels pretty hectic right now — and whose doesn't — switching your phone service feels like One More Thing where the stress outweighs the benefit.
As someone who monitors the best cell phone plans and best phone carriers for Tom's Guide, I think there's a few reasons why now is the perfect time to consider a change in wireless service.
The best deals favor switchers
Peruse the best Black Friday phone deals, and you'll notice a trend — a lot of the top offers through phone carriers require you to open a new line of data. That covers current customers expanding their wireless plans to add a new person — say, a parent getting a phone for a child — but it really benefits someone coming over to a new carrier for the first time.
Take Verizon, which is currently offering a free iPhone 17 Pro even if you don't have a device to trade-in, so long as you open up a new line of service with one of the carrier's myPlan unlimited data options. Similarly, T-Mobile drops its trade-in requirement for a free iPhone 17 Pro when you bring an existing phone number and sign up for its Experience Beyond plan. (Opting for the less expensive Experience More plan nets you a steep discount on the iPhone.)
At lower-profile carriers, you can save without even having to purchase a phone. Mint Mobile is currently running a promotion where you pay just $15/month — $45 total — for your first three months of service on any plan, not just the cheapest 5GB offer. That means you can pay $45 for three months of unlimited data through Mint, half-off the carrier's usual rate. And if you're winning to commit to Mint for a full year, an upfront payment of $180 locks in 12 months of unlimited data for that 50% discount.
Visible is running a promotion off its own, where new customers can use code 'SWITCH26' to lock in a lower rate on any of the carrier's unlimited data plans for 26 months. I think the Visible Plus plan is the best unlimited data plan you can get right now, and Visible's promotion lowers the rate by $9/month to $26. That saves you $234 over the next two years and change.
The bottom line is that there are savings to be had — either with devices or services themselves — if you're willing to change carriers.
Switching is not the nuisance you think it is
The rise of discount phone carriers without a brick-and-mortar outlet has meant that getting started with new phone service has gotten a lot easier. After all, when your customer service is limited to online interactions, you've got to remove as many roadblocks as possible.
I'm currently testing Mint Mobile's wireless service, and without tipping my hand, I was able to get service up and running on a Galaxy S25 Plus without a sweat. I had the same experience earlier in the year setting up service on an older iPhone to review Twigby Mobile.
The bigger carriers are starting to take notice. Earlier this month, T-Mobile unveiled changes to its switching process in which the carrier claims you'll be able to complete a move to its service in 15 minutes. Using an app, you'll be able to share your current plan from AT&T or Verizon to get a competing offer from T-Mobile. You can also defer a decision on upgrading your hardware.
T-Mobile's expedited switching program launches December 1 — Cyber Monday in the U.S.
Starting the year off with a smaller cell phone bill
The timing of Black Friday sales means you're getting your new phone — and potentially, a new phone carrier — right at the start of a new year. That's a time of self-assessment and making changes, so signing up with a new carrier that's charging you less for phone service gets you a head start on turning over a new leaf for the new year.
Admittedly, this is more of a vibes-based reason for switching carriers. But if there's one thing I've learned from tracking cell phone plan prices, it's that there's usually a cheaper wireless plan out there compared to what you're currently paying. If a Black Friday phone deal is what pushes you to lower your monthly bill, then all the more reason to go for it.
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