Customers with Mint Mobile and Ultra Mobile are joining the “Un-carrier” family. The FCC has approved T-Mobile’s acquisition of Ka’ena Corp, the owner of these budget service providers.
The effect that this acquisition will have on Mint and Ultra customers is mostly unknown. These MVNOs will continue to act as standalone brands, though they will be operated by T-Mobile, which promises to maintain competitive pricing and increase the product selection at Mint and Ultra.
However, one thing is absolutely set in stone—devices purchased from Mint Mobile and Ultra Mobile are no longer subject to a 12-month unlocking period. Once you pay off your device, it’ll be unlocked after 60 days, meaning that it’s easier to switch to a different carrier. T-Mobile agreed to implement the 60-day unlocking period at the behest of consumer groups and the FCC. I should clarify that T-Mobile phone service already follows a 60-day unlocking period. This isn’t a super-unique approach to phone service, but it’s a new thing for Mint Mobile and Ultra Mobile customers.
Last year, a Mint representative promised that the T-Mobile acquisition would not affect pricing for any cellular plans. But this deal is not subject to the three-year pricing freeze that we saw during T-Mobile’s acquisition of Sprint. And, even during that pricing freeze (which ended in 2023), T-Mobile quietly implemented new hidden fees and attempted to forcibly “upgrade” customers to more expensive plans.
Some consumer and privacy groups are also concerned about T-Mobile’s security standards. T-Mobile has disclosed nine data breaches since 2018, and a future breach could affect Mint Mobile or Ultra Mobile customers. Of course, Mint Mobile has experienced two high-profile security breaches since 2021, and rivals like Verizon or AT&T have had their share of failures, too. When it comes to customer safety and security, all carriers are neglectful and incompetent.
Now that T-Mobile has received regulatory approval, it plans to finalize its purchase of Ka’ena Corp on May 1st. T-Mobile will pay up to $1.35 billion in cash and stocks, depending on how much Ka’ena Corp is worth when the deal closes. For those wondering, Ryan Reynolds (who owns about 25% of Mint) will continue his “creative role” in Mint Mobile advertisements.
