T-Mobile’s new unlimited family plan ramps up the perks, but it’s not for everyone

T-Mobile kicked off the new year with a new phone plan designed for families and accounts with three or more lines. the Better value plan Available January 14 for what the company says is a limited time, though I confirmed with a representative that it currently has no end date.

Despite its name, the question is whether it actually offers better value compared to the Essentials plan, which we rank high on our list Best mobile phone plans, Best unlimited data plans and Best T-Mobile Plans Lists.

In fact, after reviewing the details, T-Mobile’s Experience More plan — the second unlimited postpaid plan — offers a more interesting comparison.

Compare Best Value plan prices and features

For a three-line account, the monthly cost for the Better Value plan is $140 (with autopay turned on), plus applicable taxes and fees. More Experience similarly costs $140 per month for three lines. The Essentials plan costs $90 per month for three lines, but lacks most of the add-ons that make the other two plans attractive.

Both the Try More and Better Value plans offer unlimited data on T-Mobile’s 5G network, a five-year price guarantee and two years of device upgrades.

However, the Better Value plan includes 250GB of high-speed mobile hotspot data, compared to 60GB for the Experience More plan. After these amounts are exhausted, data is available at an unlimited rate of 600 Kbps. (T-Mobile’s top-tier plan in comparison, Experience Beyond, includes unlimited high-speed hotspot data.)

Better Value also includes more high-speed data when in other countries, with 30GB available in Mexico and Canada, as well as in 215 countries and territories around the world. That’s more than the Experience More plan, which offers 15GB in North America and 5GB elsewhere.

T-Satellite is also included in the Better Value plan, a feature that costs an additional $10 on every other T-Mobile plan except Experience Beyond.

One of the attractions of these plans, especially in the context of families, is the range of streaming services included. The Better Value plan and Experience More plan include Netflix Standard with Ads and Hulu, and Apple TV can be added for $3 per month.

Important qualifications

That’s where the finer details come into play, and T-Mobile appears to be aiming to inspire and reward loyalty.

If you’re switching from a different carrier, the Better Value plan requires three or more lines and two eligible ports. Although it is possible for a family or small business to switch from another provider and not keep their other lines, the better value is an effort to build group plans and incentivize switching away from other carriers.

If you already set up T-Mobile, the Better Value plan requires that you be a T-Mobile postpaid customer for at least five years. And if you have that much holding, you should be aware that your current plan may have taxes and fees involved, while the Better Value plan does not.

The Best Value Plan will be available in the T-Life app and at T-Mobile.com. When you walk into a T-Mobile retail store, you’ll likely be directed to the app or website with the help of an employee.

See also: You’ve got an in-depth look T-Mobile Emergency Response Programs.

T-Mobile is better value for trying more plans

	Better value plan	Try more plan
High speed data	5G, unlimited	5G, unlimited
Mobile hotspot	High speed 250GB, then unlimited 600Kbps	High speed 60GB, then unlimited at 600Kbps
International calls/data	Unlimited talk and text. 30GB high-speed data in Mexico/Canada/215+ countries, then unlimited at 256Kbps	Unlimited talk and text. 15GB high-speed data in Canada/Mexico, 5GB high-speed data in over 215 countries; Then unlimited at 256 Kbps
Extras	Standard Netflix with ads; Hulu with ads; purple case; Apple TV for $3 per month	Standard Netflix with ads; 1 year AAA; purple case; Apple TV for $3 per month
Price guarantee	5 years	5 years
T satellite	Included	Optional add-on of $10
Cost of 3 lines	$140	$140
Limited time offer?	Yes	no