What is a Broadband label?

What is a broadband label? 

Broadband Labels are required per FCC guidelines to provide clear & concise information about a wireless service provider’s broadband services. Think of it as a standardized label, like the nutrition facts on food packaging, but for wireless.

Why is the broadband label needed?

The FCC has mandated that all wireless providers display these labels at the point of sale.

What information is included on the broadband labels?

The labels provide a quick snapshot of important plan information like cost, data limits and performance, making it easier for you to compare plans and choose the right option for your needs.

Where can I find the Mint Mobile broadband labels?

Customers can find & compare our broadband labels on our plans page at mintmobile.com/plans/.

How is speed measured? 

Speed is measured based on how fast data can be transmitted from a source (in our case, a cell tower) to an end device (a smart phone).

What is the difference between download and upload speed?

Download speed is how fast your device is able to pull data from a source (like opening up your favorite restaurant’s menu as a PDF) while upload speed is how fast you can send data from your device to an external location (like uploading a photo of your dog to Instagram).  

What can impact my speeds?

Several factors can impact speed, such as your device or hardware, signal strength, terrain (like hills or if you’re trying to post a photo from inside a cave) or your distance from a cell tower. The speed will be reduced once the high-speed data allocation in the plan (such as the 40GB on the Unlimited Plan) is fully utilized.  

What is latency and how is it measured?

Latency is a fancy word for “delay” or “lag,” as it refers to the time between when a packet of data is sent and received (essentially the time it takes after you click “Post” on that photo for it to officially go live on your profile). Typically, the lower the latency, the faster the response time. Latency can lead to noticeable delays in streaming video, live audio and online video games. High levels of latency can also hinder participation in real-time communication services, such as telehealth visits, making it challenging to interact seamlessly.