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T-Mobile has completed its purchase of the company that owns Mint Mobile, the low-cost prepaid carrier best-known for its link to Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds.
The deal to buy Ka’ena Corporation also gives T-Mobile control over the Ultra Mobile brand and the wholesale provider Plum. T-Mobile struck the deal in March 2023, and got Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval this April.
T-Mobile promised that it would keep a $15 plan available for new and existing Mint customers. They’ll need to pay for a “multi-month” plan that doesn’t include taxes and fees, but the provider’s signature tier will persist.
There will be a few perks to welcome Mint and Ultra users, T-Mobile added. The offer of three months of unlimited high-speed data for $15 per month will remain available through the end of 2024. Scam caller ID will also reach Mint and Ultra “soon.”
On Mint, you’ll have free calling and text while roaming in Canada, as well as 3GB of full-speed data. Ultra will provide upgraded data roaming in Mexico.
Mint founders David Glickman and Rizwan Kassim are joining T-Mobile and will still lead all their brands. Ryan Reynolds, meanwhile, will continue to provide his creative know-how to promote Mint.
The acquisition gives T-Mobile a larger footprint in the prepaid wireless space beyond MetroPCS (now Metro), which it bought in 2013. That might help it counter the prepaid offerings from AT&T, Boost Mobile, and Verizon, as well as similar affordable alternatives like Visible.
The buyout might nonetheless draw criticism. The move further consolidates the U.S. carrier market, giving you one less independent choice for prepaid wireless. While T-Mobile has committed to a $15 plan, it’s not certain that Mint will otherwise remain the same.
