Lycamobile
T-Mobile MVNO, international focus
Type: MVNO · Network: T-Mobile · Official site
Our take on Lycamobile
What’s good
- Third-party T-Mobile MVNO with strong international value — bundled minutes to dozens of countries built into most plans
- Cheap entry tiers on the T-Mobile network
- Pay-as-you-go and 30-day prepaid options available
- No contract; bring-your-own-phone friendly
- Retail presence in immigrant-heavy neighborhoods — refill cards readily available in cash
What’s not
- Third-party-MVNO deprioritization on T-Mobile — gets queued behind T-Mobile postpaid, Mint, Metro during congestion
- Hotspot allotments are minimal
- Customer service is variable; account resolution can be slow
- No 5G UC mid-band on most plans — you get the slower low-band 5G layer
Best for: Users who specifically need international calling baked into a domestic plan, and who are price-sensitive.
Not for: Users who would benefit from T-Mobile’s mid-band 5G — Mint or Metro at similar cost get UC access.
Plans
Compare with similar carriers
Frequently asked questions
- What network does Lycamobile use?
Lycamobile is an MVNO that runs on the T-Mobile network. Coverage is identical to T-Mobile postpaid in any given location, since both ride the same towers and spectrum. Speeds during congestion may be slightly lower because MVNO traffic is deprioritized vs the underlying carrier's postpaid customers.
- Is Lycamobile an MVNO or MNO?
Lycamobile is an MVNO — a Mobile Virtual Network Operator. They lease wholesale capacity from T-Mobile and resell it under their own brand at typically lower prices.
- What is the cheapest Lycamobile plan?
The cheapest Lycamobile plan we have on file is 7GB International at $23.00/month. See the plans table above for the full list.
- Where can I check Lycamobile coverage?
Lycamobile rides the T-Mobile network, so its coverage is the same as T-Mobile's. We have a county-level coverage map at /coverage/lyca, derived from public FCC Broadband Data Collection data. Enter your ZIP to see strong/fair/poor/none classification at your specific address.
- How do I switch to Lycamobile from another carrier?
Sign up at https://www.lycamobile.us, choose "transfer my existing number," and provide your current carrier's account number, port-out PIN, and billing ZIP code. Most ports complete in 15 minutes to 4 hours. Never cancel your old service before the port completes — it usually closes automatically. See our switching guide for the full walkthrough.
- Can I bring my own phone to Lycamobile?
Yes — Lycamobile supports BYOD. Your phone needs to be unlocked (carrier-locked phones must be unlocked first by the original carrier) and band-compatible with the underlying network. Activation is via eSIM or physical SIM depending on the device and carrier.
- Does Lycamobile support 5G?
Yes. Lycamobile supports 5G via the underlying T-Mobile network — sub-6 GHz (low-band + mid-band/C-band) on most plans. mmWave 5G availability depends on the specific plan tier and your phone's hardware. Speeds in the 200–700 Mbps range are typical on mid-band 5G in covered areas.