Have you just moved or switched to Cricket Wireless? There is an array of benefits that you are likely to enjoy. First and foremost, the carrier allows you to enjoy budget-friendly prepaid plans so that you can be connected with those whom you love. You will also enjoy broadband internet services on its 4G and 5G network as one of the best AT&T’s Mobile Virtual Network Operator. Since it is owned by a major carrier, you can trust that you will not have network coverage issues across the United States. Cricket Wireless now allows you to enjoy mobile hotspot feature in your home. Therefore, you will be able to enjoy broadband internet seamlessly on a number of devices.In this article, we shall discuss how you can set up Cricket Wireless home internet, devices that one needs for connection purposes, the various home internet plans to expect, and so much more.
Process of Setting Up Cricket Home Internet Connection
The process of setting up Cricket home internet is generally easy and straightforward. All you need to do is to subscribe to your preferred Cricket Wireless cell phone plan and then switch on your phone’s mobile hotspot feature.
After all, this carrier allows you to share your mobile data with other devices from the comfort of your home. As long as your phone is eligible and your plan allows you to share your mobile data, you will be good to go.
Depending on the model that you are using, consider going to the ‘Settings’ section and then tap on ‘More Networks’ option. Click on the ‘Tethering and Wi-Fi hotspot’ and then customize your hotspot feature. Here, you can name it differently and also set up a password.
Once you are done, switch on other devices’ Wi-Fi feature and then let it connect to the newly created Wi-Fi network. Thereafter, enter the password that you used to create your Wi-Fi network and then tap on the connect button. You should not start enjoying Cricket home internet on all your connected devices.
Cricket Wireless Home Internet Plans
If you are a Cricket Wireless customer, be certain that you will be able to enjoy home internet plans. With these plans in place, you will be able to keep everyone in your home connected to the internet. The good news is that these home internet plans come at pocket-friendly prices. Therefore, you will not miss a plan that suits your budget needs. Some of these home internet plans include:
Cricket 5GB: $30 for 5GB data
If you choose this Cricket Wireless home internet plan, be certain that you will enjoy the following features:
- 5GB of high-speed mobile data
- Unlimited talk
- Unlimited text and picture messages in the United States
- HD Voice and Wi-Fi calling (However, you must have a compatible device)
- Cricket call defense (You should have an eligible or compatible phone)
- Fast, nationwide 5G network
- The price for two lines is $60 a month, for 3 it’s $90/month, for 4 it’s $120/month, and for 5 lines it’s $150 a month.
- If you qualify for ACP, you can get a $30 discount, as such, you would $0 a month for one line.
Cricket 10GB: $40 for 10GB data
If 5GB of mobile data is not enough for you, consider choosing the 10GB plan from this carrier. However, you should brace yourself to pay $40 per month and enjoy the following features:
- Unlimited talk
- Unlimited text and picture messages
- You will be able to make calls to Canada and Mexico
- High-speed mobile data(10GB of mobile data)
- Fast 5G network that is available nationwide
- HD Voice and Wi-Fi calling
- Cricket Call Defense feature
- With AutoPay, you can expect to pay $35 per month.
- The price for two lines is $70 a month, for 3 it’s $90/month, for 4 it’s $110/month, and for 5 lines it’s $130 a month.
- If you qualify for ACP, you can get a $30 discount, as such, you would pay $10 a month for one line.
Cricket Core: $55 for Unlimited data
Supposing the 10GB mobile data is not enough, consider choosing the Cricket Unlimited plan. Unlike other plans, this one comes with a hotspot data feature that allows you to connect other devices to the internet. Here, you will enjoy unlimited mobile data. Other incredible features that come with this plan include:
- Fast 5G network
- High-speed mobile data
- Unlimited talk
- Unlimited text and picture messages
- Cricket Call Defense
- HD Voice & Wi-Fi calling feature
- If you choose to pay for this plan with AutoPay, you will be required to part with $50 on a monthly basis.
- The price for two lines is $80 a month, for 3 it’s $90/month, for 4 it’s $100/month, and for 5 lines it’s $125 a month.
- If you qualify for ACP, you can get a $30 discount, as such, you would pay $25 a month for one line.
Cricket Unlimited + 15 GB Mobile Hotspot plan: $60 for Unlimited data
If you are a heavy data consumer, consider choosing the above-mentioned Cricket home internet plan. If you choose to pay with autopay, you will just need to part with $55 per month. However, if you choose to pay for the plan ordinarily, you will have to pay $60 per month. This plan comes with the following impressive features:
- Unlimited premium data (High-speed mobile data)
- 15GB of mobile hotspot data
- 150GB of cloud storage
- Unlimited calls
- Unlimited texts and picture messages
- HD voice and Wi-Fi calling feature
- HBO Max subscription
- Cricket Call Defense feature
- Fast 5G nationwide network coverage
- The price for two lines is $90 a month, for 3 it’s $110/month, for 4 it’s $130/month, and for 5 lines it’s $160 a month.
- If you qualify for ACP, you can get a $30 discount, as such, you would pay $30 a month for one line.
What Device/Modem Do You Need For Setup Cricket Home Internet
For you to set up the Cricket Home internet, you will be required to have an eligible phone and rate plan. As far as an eligible plan is concerned, you need to choose either of the following cell phone plans:
- The current Cricket Core Plan that goes for $55 per month
- Eligible grandfathered plan. This plan comes with a mobile hotspot feature
- The Cricket More Plan that goes for $60 per month. This plan also comes with the mobile hotspot data.
Some of the eligible models that can enable you enjoy this carrier’s home internet include:
- Alcatel INSIGHT
- Alcatel TETRA
- Alcatel VERSO
- Alcatel Idol 5
- Apple iPhone 7
- Apple iPhone 6
- Apple iPhone 5S
- Apple iPhone 8
- Apple iPhone 6s
- Apple iPhone 6 Plus
- Apple iPhone 6s Plus
- Motorola Moto G7 SUPRA
- Motorola Moto G Play
- Motorola Moto G Stylus(2022)
- Nokia C5 Endi
- Nokia 3.1 C
- Samsung Galaxy A10e
- Samsung Galaxy A6
- Samsung Galaxy A51 5G
- Samsung Galaxy A13
- Samsung Galaxy A12
- Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Samsung Galaxy A14 5G
- TCL 30z
- ZTE Blade X
- ZTE Prelude+
- ZTE Overture 3
To learn more about these devices, visit cricketwireless.com/support/mobile-wifi/hotspot-eligible-phones.html
Tips For Cricket Home Internet Troubleshooting And Customer Support
Sometimes, your Cricket mobile hotspot might be having issues when it comes to connection, thereby making you to experience problems anytime that you want to enjoy Cricket home internet.
If this happens, you should not worry as there are some ideas that can help you get started. The following are some of the reasons why you might be experiencing issues anytime you want to enjoy Cricket home internet and how you can diagnose those issues once and for all:
- Your device has bugs. If your eligible phone has bugs, you should consider restarting it so that you can eliminate these bugs. This way, your eligible phone will start working optimally again.
- You have not switched on the mobile hotspot feature on your eligible phone. In this case, you need to switch on this feature and then switch on the Wi-Fi feature on the other connected devices. Thereafter, let the other devices connect to your newly created Wi-Fi network.
- Your device is damaged. If your eligible device is damaged, you should repair it first before you can switch on its mobile hotspot feature. Better still, you can replace it, if at all the phone is badly damaged.
- You are in an area that has a poor Cricket Wireless network. Supposing you are in such an area, you need to relocate and go to an area with a better network coverage. You can also change the position of your mobile hotpost and keep it in an open place where there are no barriers that can interfere with network reception.
- Ensure that the Cricket mobile hotspot and the other devices are in close proximity with one another. Ideally, the distance between these devices should be not more than 10 meters. The shorter the distance between them, the better the connection.
- Your eligible phone’s firmware is not up-to-date. If this is the case, you just need to update your phone’s firmware and then establish an internet connection again.
- You have not entered the correct APN setting of this carrier on your eligible phone. Depending on your model, you should ensure that you key in the correct Cricket’s APN settings and then get started.
- You have connected too many devices to your Cricket mobile hotspot device. Although you are at liberty to connect as many devices as possible to your Cricket mobile hotspot device, connecting too many devices can affect internet connection. In this case, you should reduce the number of connected devices you have in your home and see how it goes.
- Supposing you have tried all the above-mentioned ideas and you are still facing issues when it comes to Cricket home internet connection, consider contacting this carrier’s customer service team on 1-800-CRICKET(274-3538) or better still, visit cricketwireless.com/contactus and address your issue from that end.
Cricket Home Internet Coverage And Availability
To establish whether Cricket has a good network coverage within your locality, consider visiting cricketwireless.com/map.html and then key in your address or ZIP code on the empty field that you will see on your screen. Thereafter, tap on the search button and then zoom in order to see if your locality enjoys this carrier’s network coverage or not.
The Benefits of Cricket as an Internet Provider
If you’re looking for a reliable internet provider, Cricket Wireless is definitely a good choice. Cricket is a popular company that offers high-quality services and devices. Both new and existing customers can frequently take advantage of the company’s promotional deals on amazing smartphones from top brands. Additionally, the company offers a wide variety of versatile plans that all come with great perks, including high-speed data, unlimited talk and text, picture messaging, and access to AT&T’s nationwide 4G LTE and 5G networks, which offer amazing coverage throughout the country. Cricket’s data speeds may not be the fastest but their services are dependable, consistent, and inexpensive. Generally speaking, Cricket is a great internet provider that is unlikely to disappoint you.
Comparing the Speed of Cricket and Other Providers
In case you need excellent data speed, you may be wondering how the speed of Cricket’s data compares to other larger providers. Well, here is the answer.
Cricket – AT&T Comparison
Cricket Wireless may experience slower data speeds compared to AT&T due to deprioritization. Although both companies use the same network, Cricket may temporarily reduce data speeds for its customers during network congestion to ensure fair access for all users. As a result, Cricket customers might encounter slower download and upload speeds compared to AT&T customers.
Cricket – T-Mobile Comparison
T-Mobile offers the fastest data speeds from all three major US carriers. Its data speeds are faster than Verizon’s and faster than AT&T’s. As such, they are obviously also faster than Cricket’s data speeds. However, as Cricket’s data speeds are still fast (up to 8 Mbps for HD quality streaming), the average user won’t really notice the difference.
Cricket – Verizon Comparison
Verizon’s data speeds are only slightly faster than AT&T’s data speeds. Therefore, they are also slightly faster than Cricket’s data speeds. However, as mentioned before, this difference shouldn’t be too obvious for the average data user.
Reasons Why Your Cricket Home Internet Bill Is High?
There are many reasons why your Cricket home internet bill might be escalating. Some of the possible reasons include:
- You have connected many devices to your Cricket hotspot data device
- You have allowed background data apps to run on a number of your connected devices.
- You are streaming HD videos using other connected devices.
- You have not set a data cap when it comes to mobile hotspot data
- You have choose a premium Cricket home internet plan, yet you hardly need it.
How To Reduce Your Cricket Home Internet Bill
Now that you know the various reasons why your Cricket home internet bill might be on the rise, time is ripe for you to know the various ways that can help you reduce this bills significantly. Some of the ideas that can help you get started include:
- Reduce the number of devices that you have connected to your Cricket mobile hotspot device
- Reduce the number of data-intensive activities that you are undertaking with other connected devices.
- Introduce a data cap on your mobile hotspot data
- Choose a relatively affordable Cricket home internet plan.
- Check and limit the background apps that might be running on any of your connected devices.
- Carefully, analyse your internet bill and contact your carrier in case you notice that some things are not well explained. Suppose you come across unnecessary charges, let your carrier’s customer service team know so that they can be removed from your bills moving forward.
- Try and negotiate with your service provider. Here, you should establish if they will be able to reduce your internet bills by a certain percentage. If you have been a loyal customer, the carrier’s team might be willing to listen to you and act accordingly.
- Compare the prices of other carriers that might be operating in your area and establish if you will get a better deal compared to that offered by Cricket Wireless. However, this should be the last alternative if all the ideas mentioned above fail to borne fruits.
How Does Cricket Manage Network Congestion for its Mobile Broadband Internet Access Service?
Cricket aims to provide high-quality internet service to its customers but relies on interconnected networks for data exchange. The network may occasionally face congestion, affecting data speeds. Cricket manages the shared network based on various factors and technical expertise, but congestion may still occur during peak times or busy events. Cricket uses network management practices, such as “Congestion Management” and “Stream More,” to optimize network resources and maintain a smooth user experience. However, during congestion, some customers on specific plans may experience reduced data speeds temporarily.
FAQ
What is the Speed of Cricket Internet?
Cricket’s maximum download speeds are 8 Mbps. The recommended download speed for seamless HD streaming is 5 Mbps and Cricket surpasses it.
Can I Get Cricket Internet Without a Phone Line?
It is possible to get Cricket internet without a phone line using mobile broadband. You can use a USB dongle, data-only SIM, or a Wi-Fi hotspot to connect wirelessly to 4G or 5G internet without the need for a fixed landline.
What is the Disadvantage of Using Cricket?
Cricket has several drawbacks for potential customers to consider. Firstly, according to customer reviews, Cricket’s customer support is a bit slow, leading to difficulty in resolving issues. Secondly, their phone prices are relatively high compared to other carriers, and the device selection is limited. However, Cricket makes up for it by offering free phones. Thirdly, the basic plan is costly for only 5GB of high-speed data compared to other options.
Is Unlimited Data Available Through Cricket?
Yes, Cricket’s Unlimited plans offer unlimited monthly data, granting unrestricted access to data usage without any caps or restrictions. Moreover, there are no overage charges due to the absence of annual contracts in these plans.
