What Tello does

Tello, LLC is a US prepaid wireless carrier operating as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) that rents bandwidth on T-Mobile's nationwide LTE/5G network. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Atlanta, the company sells no-contract customizable phone plans directly to consumers through its website (tello.com) and the My Tello mobile app, with no physical retail footprint. The plan portfolio spans $5–$25/month, covering Pay As You Go usage rates, build-your-own configurations, and pre-set tiers culminating in a 50GB 5G Unlimited plan with 10GB hotspot and free international calls to 60+ countries. Family plans allow multiple lines on a single account with per-line customization, and both physical SIM (shipped via USPS/FedEx) and eSIM activation are supported.

Revenue is generated from monthly recurring plan subscriptions, one-time phone hardware sales (new and certified refurbished devices from Apple, Samsung, Google, Motorola, NUU, and TCL), Pay As You Go credit consumed at per-minute/MB/SMS rates, and Affirm-financed device installments at 0–36% APR. Supporting capabilities include Wi-Fi Calling, international roaming in 200+ countries, free hotspot/tethering, and Scam Guard fraud blocking. Customer acquisition runs through digital marketing, content (blog.tello.com), a $10/$10 referral program, a Student Beans student-discount partnership, and seasonal promotions such as the Black Friday 2025 Unlimited plan offer at $15/month for the first year. KeepCalling is identified as the parent operating entity, providing back-office infrastructure and operational support for the Tello brand.

Name

Tello

Legal name

Tello, LLC

Website

https://tello.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Tello is a US prepaid MVNO that resells T-Mobile's LTE/5G network as no-contract customizable phone plans ($5–$25/month) to budget-conscious consumers, families, students, and international callers via direct-to-consumer digital channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mobile Virtual Network Operator (Wireless Telecommunications Services)

NAICS

Telecommunications Resellers (517121), Telecommunications Resellers and Agents for Wireless Telecommunication Services (51712)

akta.pro primary industry

Consumer Mobile Network Operators (Retail MNOs) (HDAIAAAA)

Keywords

• Prepaid wireless plans
• MVNO mobile service
• Customizable phone plans
• International roaming services
• Family mobile plans

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Monthly Phone Plans: Recurring monthly subscription revenue from customizable phone plans ranging from $5 to $25/month. Plans include various combinations of data, talk minutes, and text. Revenue is recurring on 30-day billing cycles with autopay.
2. Phone Hardware Sales: One-time revenue from selling new and certified refurbished smartphones. Phones range from $129 (TCL Flip 2) to $1,199 (iPhone 17 Pro Max). Affirm financing available for installment payments.
3. Pay As You Go Credit: Prepaid credit for calls, texts, and data at per-unit rates (1¢/min, 1¢/SMS, 2¢/MB). Credit purchased in amounts ($10, $20, $30, $40, $50) and consumed based on usage. Balance expires 90 days unless linked to an active plan.
4. Affirm Financing Partnership: Partnership with Affirm for phone financing generates revenue through device installment plans with APR ranging from 0-36%.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Tello is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) that rents bandwidth on T-Mobile's nationwide LTE/5G network to deliver prepaid wireless phone service directly to consumers. Customers can build their own customizable plans or choose from set tiers (Starter, Everyday, Power, Unlimited) priced from $10 to $25 per month, with options including Pay As You Go credit, family multi-line plans, eSIM instant activation, phone hardware sales (new and refurbished), and international roaming in 200+ countries.

Product overview

Tello is a budget MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) that provides prepaid wireless phone service by renting bandwidth on T-Mobile's network. The core offering consists of customizable phone plans ranging from $10 to $25/month, with the flagship Unlimited Plan ($25) offering 50 GB high-speed 5G data with 10 GB hotspot and free international calls to 60+ countries. Tello operates on a no-contract, fully customizable model where customers can build their own plans with specific data, talk, and text allocations. The service includes family plans for multi-line management, Pay As You Go credit for flexible usage, and eSIM instant activation. Supporting offerings include phone sales (new and refurbished), international roaming in 200+ countries, Wi-Fi Calling, Scam Guard fraud protection, and a referral program. The My Tello mobile app provides account management, usage tracking, and Wi-Fi calling capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Unlimited Plan The flagship phone plan offering unlimited talk and text with 50GB of high-speed 5G data (throttled thereafter), 10GB hotspot, and free international calls to 60+ countries. Priced at $25/month with no contract, targeted at heavy data users who want unlimited talk and text.
• 10GB Plan (Everyday) Mid-tier monthly plan providing 10GB of high-speed data with unlimited talk and text. Priced at $15/month with hotspot and Wi-Fi Calling included, targeted at light to moderate data users.
• Power Plan (20GB) Mid-to-high tier monthly plan providing 20GB of high-speed data with unlimited talk and text. Priced at $20/month, targeted at moderate-to-heavy users.
• Starter Plan (2GB) Entry-level monthly plan offering 2GB of high-speed data with unlimited talk and text. Priced at $10/month, targeted at light users and switchers from expensive major carrier plans.
• Family Plans Multi-line family plans allowing each member to have a customized talk, text, and data plan on a single account with no added setup cost per line. Family plans start at $5/line, and each family member receives an individually customized plan with separate billing dates.
• Pay As You Go Prepaid usage-based credit service for calls, texts, and data at 1¢/min, 1¢/SMS, and 2¢/MB. Credit purchased in $10-$50 increments, valid for 90 days, and can be used for international roaming in 200+ countries at 5¢/min, 1¢/SMS, and 2¢/MB.
• eSIM Service Digital SIM card technology allowing instant activation via QR-code scan without waiting for physical SIM delivery. Enables dual-SIM usage on compatible devices for combining Tello service with another line or travel SIM.
• Phone Sales Selection of new and certified refurbished smartphones from Apple, Samsung, Google, Motorola, NUU, and TCL, with free shipping and a 30-day return policy. Phones are unlocked and Tello-compatible, ranging from $129 (TCL Flip 2) to $1,199 (iPhone 17 Pro Max), with Affirm financing available for installments.
• My Tello Mobile App Mobile application for iOS and Android enabling account management, usage tracking, plan changes, data add-ons, and outgoing calls over Wi-Fi. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.5/5 Trustpilot rating from 14,834 reviews indicating high customer satisfaction
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• T-MobilecoreTechnology or IntegrationT-Mobile serves as Tello's network infrastructure provider. As an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator), Tello rents bandwidth on T-Mobile's nationwide LTE/5G network, allowing Tello to offer coast-to-coast coverage without building its own network infrastructure. This partnership is fundamental to Tello's entire business model and value proposition of offering affordable service on a major carrier's network.
• KeepCallingcoreOthersKeepCalling is the parent company operating Tello. Job openings and careers information are hosted on KeepCalling's career portal. The parent company likely provides operational infrastructure, customer support systems, and business operations for the Tello brand.
• Student BeansminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStudent Beans provides exclusive student and graduate discount offers through their verification platform. Tello offers special deals for verified students, targeting the budget-conscious student demographic with reduced pricing on phone plans.
• USPSminorOthersUSPS handles physical SIM card delivery for new customers. Standard shipping via USPS First-Class takes 3-5 business days, with priority options available. Partnership enables the physical SIM distribution component of Tello's service.
• FedExminorOthersFedEx provides expedited shipping options for SIM cards and phones, including FedEx Ground (3-5 days) and FedEx Standard Overnight (2 business days). Alternative shipping partner to USPS for customers needing faster delivery.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• US Mobile: US Mobile is a fast-growing online MVNO offering customizable plans on Verizon and T-Mobile networks. Its build-your-own model and BYOD approach closely mirror Tello's positioning in the value-prepaid segment.
• Mint Mobile: Mint Mobile is a direct MVNO competitor running on T-Mobile's network with prepaid, no-contract plans targeting budget-conscious consumers. Now owned by T-Mobile, it competes head-to-head on price and online-only distribution, making it the closest comparable to Tello.
• Republic Wireless: Republic Wireless is an online MVNO offering Wi-Fi-first hybrid cellular plans, historically on T-Mobile and Sprint networks. It shares Tello's direct-to-consumer, technology-forward positioning for budget users.
• Boost Mobile: Boost Mobile is a nationwide prepaid MVNO offering unlimited and family plans at low price points. It competes directly with Tello on plan value and online-plus-retail distribution channels.
• Visible (Verizon): Visible is Verizon's direct-to-consumer prepaid wireless brand sold online with unlimited plans and party-pay features. It competes with Tello for switchers from major carriers seeking lower-cost unlimited service.
• Metro by T-Mobile: Metro by T-Mobile is a T-Mobile-owned prepaid brand operating on the same T-Mobile network as Tello. It is a direct competitor in the budget prepaid segment with nationwide retail distribution.
• Consumer Cellular: Consumer Cellular is a prepaid MVNO on the AT&T and T-Mobile networks focused on seniors and budget households. It targets a similar no-contract, value-oriented customer base as Tello with comparable plan price points.

Broad incumbents

• Google Fi: Google Fi is a tech-forward MVNO from Google offering seamless switching between T-Mobile and Wi-Fi with international roaming. It competes with Tello for international travelers and tech-savvy budget users despite higher price points.
• Cricket Wireless: Cricket Wireless is AT&T's prepaid brand, offering no-contract plans on AT&T's nationwide network with significant retail footprint. It is a broader incumbent value carrier competing for the same budget consumer segment.
• Tracfone: Tracfone is one of the largest US MVNO aggregators, owned by Verizon, operating multiple sub-brands on major carrier networks. It is a broader incumbent serving the same prepaid value segment as Tello with deeper retail distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tellomobile
• Facebookfacebook.com/tellomobile
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tellomobile

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tello