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Simple Mobile Wins Wave7 Research's 3Q26 Prepaid Dealer Survey, Verizon Prepaid Gains Ground

10 minutes ago

5 min read

Simple Mobile is back on top of Wave7 Research's quarterly prepaid dealer survey for 3Q26, with Verizon Prepaid closing the gap behind it. If you have followed these surveys for any length of time, that headline probably feels familiar. It should. Simple Mobile has spent most of the last five years at or near the front of this list, and the brands chasing it keep changing.

Here is what the survey is, why the result matters to different parts of the telecom business, and what you may want to do with the information.

What the Wave7 survey actually measures

Wave7 Research runs a quarterly survey of prepaid phone dealers across the United States. In plain English, it asks store owners and staff which prepaid brands are selling best at their counters right now. It is a read on retail sentiment, not a subscriber count. A brand can win the dealer survey without being the largest carrier in the country.

That distinction matters. Dealer surveys capture what is moving off shelves and what sales staff feel good about recommending. Subscriber reports capture the whole base, including customers who signed up years ago and never moved.

The track record is well documented by the trade press. BestMVNO reported that <a href="https://bestmvno.com/featured/simple-mobile-is-wave7-researchs-3q24-prepaid-dealer-survey-winner">Simple Mobile won the 3Q24 survey</a>, and that it again <a href="https://bestmvno.com/featured/simple-mobile-wins-2q25-wave7-research-prepaid-dealer-survey">took the 2Q25 survey with Ultra Mobile at number two</a>. BestMVNO also covered <a href="https://bestmvno.com/featured/wave7-researchs-3q25-prepaid-dealer-survey">Simple Mobile holding off Ultra Mobile in 3Q25</a> and <a href="https://bestmvno.com/featured/simple-mobile-reclaims-top-spot-in-wave7-researchs-2q26-prepaid-dealer-survey">reclaiming the top spot in 2Q26</a>. The streak has not been unbroken, either: BestMVNO reported that <a href="https://bestmvno.com/featured/ultra-mobile-wins-wave7-1q24-prepaid-dealer-survey">Ultra Mobile snapped the run in 1Q24</a>.

So the pattern is a strong leader with real competition, not a one-horse race. Our own archive tracks the same arc, including the quarter when Simple Mobile won the 3Q24 Wave7 dealer survey.

Why Verizon Prepaid gaining ground is the more interesting line

Simple Mobile sitting at number one is the expected outcome. Verizon Prepaid moving up is the part worth a second look, and it is not the first time. BestMVNO reported Verizon Prepaid was <a href="https://bestmvno.com/featured/simple-mobile-wins-4q24-wave7-research-dealer-survey-verizon-prepaid-hot-on-heels">hot on Simple Mobile's heels in the 4Q24 survey</a>, and earlier coverage noted <a href="https://bestmvno.com/simple-mobile/simple-mobile-maintains-prepaid-market-dominance-in-wave7-research-2q23-dealer-survey">Verizon Prepaid falling back in 2Q23</a>. The brand has swung up and down the rankings more than most.

Both brands run on Verizon's network, which makes the competition unusual. For a dealer, the decision is less about coverage and more about program terms, commission structures, inventory supply and how fast you get paid. Those are the levers that tend to move a store's recommendation, and they can vary a lot by master agent.

Some analysts expect prepaid retail sentiment to keep swinging quarter to quarter as carriers adjust promotions. Treat any single quarter as a snapshot, not a trend. Three or four quarters in a row is a trend.

If you want to compare the wholesale side directly, start with the Verizon Prepaid master agent programs listed in our vendor directory.

Simple Mobile's current plan lineup

Plan structure is a big part of why a brand sells well at the counter. Here is what Simple Mobile lists on its own plans page right now. All figures below come from Simple Mobile's service plan page, and all amounts are in US dollars.

Plan detail	What Simple Mobile lists
Auto Pay pricing tiers	$57.00, $45.00, $37.50, $28.50 and $23.75 with Auto Pay
Multi-line	Add up to 4 lines at $25 per line
Alternate multi-line offer	Add 2 more lines for $25 per line, get a 4th line free
Worldwide Calling Credit	$20, $15 or $10 depending on plan
International calling	$50 and $60 Unlimited World Plans: 200+ countries when activated on the Verizon network, 125+ select countries on other networks
Video streaming	$60 Unlimited World+ Plan streams video up to 720p on Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network with a capable device
Cloud storage	Available only with active service on the $60 plan

A quick translation of the jargon: 5G Ultra Wideband is Verizon's fastest 5G tier, and 720p is standard high definition video, which looks fine on a phone screen but is not the sharpest setting available. Worldwide Calling Credit is a dollar amount applied toward international calls, not unlimited global calling.

Pricing and promotions change often. Confirm current terms on the carrier's site before you quote anything to a customer.

What this means by segment

Cell phone stores and independent dealers. This result is most directly about you, since you are who Wave7 surveys. A brand that polls well usually means easier conversations at the counter and fewer returns driven by confusion. If you want to carry the brand, the Simple Mobile dealer program details are a reasonable first stop.

Wholesalers and distributors. Dealer sentiment is an early signal for handset and SIM demand. If a Verizon-network brand is climbing, prepaid-compatible inventory tied to that network may see more pull. No guarantees here, just a signal worth watching.

Repair shops. Less direct, but useful. Shops that add activations as a side revenue line often pick brands that store staff already trust. Keeping a clean process matters more than the brand you pick, and our Simple Mobile activation guide walks through the steps.

Call centers. Prepaid brand momentum affects script design, objection handling and which plan tiers agents lead with. Multi-line offers in particular tend to need careful explanation on a call.

ISPs and home security dealers. Mostly background noise for you this quarter, though mobile attach offers continue to show up in bundled sales. Worth tracking, not worth reorganizing around.

One practical note on support calls

Most activation headaches at the counter come down to network settings, not the plan. Having the correct settings handy saves time on every line you sell. Our Simple Mobile APN settings tool covers the configuration details, and it is the kind of thing worth bookmarking on the store tablet.

The takeaway

Simple Mobile leading the 3Q26 Wave7 Research prepaid dealer survey confirms a long-running pattern. Verizon Prepaid gaining ground is the development to watch, because two strong brands on the same network give dealers real negotiating room on program terms.

If contracts or commission agreements are part of your next move, have a qualified attorney review the paperwork before you sign.

Ready to compare programs side by side? Browse the Verizon Prepaid master agent listings in the vendor directory and request terms from two or three before you commit to one.