What Phone Service Provider Works In My Locations

Best Cell Phone Coverage 2022

What'due south the bespeak of a cell telephone if you tin't apply it?

In that location are 3 major wireless networks in the The states contesting it out for coverage superiority. As information technology stands in 2022, here'south how the rankings await for the best 4G coverage and best 5G coverage.

Best 5G coverage

T-Mobile: 41% 5G coverage
AT&T: 18% 5G coverage
Verizon: 11% 5G coverage

All-time 4G coverage

Verizon: 70% 4G coverage
AT&T: 68% 4G coverage
T-Mobile: 62% 4G coverage

As 2022 continues, all the major wireless providers have fabricated announcements to significantly ramp up 5G coverage so this information may change throughout the year.

To determine which network provides the most reliable coverage beyond the country, nosotros looked at coverage data compiled by WhistleOut.¹

The best cell phone deals right at present

The Big Iii mobile carriers—AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon—are all offering not bad trade-in deals right at present. That means yous can become up to $800 off select smartphones like the iPhone 13 or the new Samsung Galaxy S22 when you lot trade-in your onetime device.

Meanwhile, smaller MVNO carriers similar Mint Mobile and Visible Wireless are offer up to six months free of gratis service or discounts on select phones to entice new customers interested in more budget-friendly smartphones.

Notice these and other offers in our monthly roundup of the best cell phone deals.

Best cell phone coverage by carrier

: Best nationwide coverage
: Stiff coverage and data speeds
: Decent coverage, fastest upload and download speeds speeds

female hiker chatting on the phone in the woods

Verizon network: All-time coverage

Verizon offers the most reliable coverage in the country.

Pros

Summit coverage
Fastest download speeds

What we like

Verizon offers by far the most coverage in the country. If you constantly find yourself without a betoken, Verizon will be your best friend.

Meridian coverage

Verizon covers 4G service for seventy% of the US.^ane On average, Verizon users written report getting 4G coverage 95.9% of the time while using Verizon's network.² Depending upon where you are in the country, your coverage volition probably feel even more reliable than that. The simply pockets of America you need to worry almost are more rural areas in the Southwest, Midwest, and Northwest.

If you live close to whatever big cities in those areas, you should expect super reliable coverage. Depending on your service location, you may be covered by 5G. Verizon'due south 5G coverage falls backside T-Mobile and AT&T at simply 11% coverage.¹

How would you rank Verizon'southward coverage experience on a calibration of 1–x?

Verizon users were asked to rate their coverage experience on the network, and the boilerplate summed out to a whopping 9.9 out of 10. That's like a picture scoring 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. I will see whatsoever movie that's 99% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Fast download speeds

We know that Verizon offers the all-time service, but what about the network's information speeds? Verizon clocks in effectually 30.2 Mbps. T-Mobile currently owns the fastest data speeds at 54.1 Mbps, and AT&T comes in second at 35.3 Mbps.

Instagram stories, YouTube videos, and online gaming apps should all pull up quickly and smoothly on Verizon'due south network.

What we don't like

Wouldn't it exist great if Verizon somehow managed to have the best coverage and cheap prices at the same time? Well, it doesn't. Verizon plans are some of the almost expensive phone plans out at that place.

Expensive

Since Verizon serves up the well-nigh reliable coverage in the country, getting on its network feels pricey. It'southward kind of like eating at the fanciest eatery in town—y'all have to pay an arm and a leg, simply damn information technology if the food's not delicious.

Here's how the pricing breaks down for Verizon data plans:

Verizon plans get expensive fast, jumping upwardly to $90 for its 5G Get More than plan. You can find much cheaper wireless plans with unlimited data on different networks, but you won't savor the aforementioned coverage reliability.

Alternative carriers on Verizon'due south network

MVNO stands for mobile virtual network operator. Translation: alternative carriers that piggyback on other wireless networks to provide service. MVNO carriers tin charge lower rates for cell phone plans, but the tradeoff is your data and coverage tin can slow down in congested areas.

If Verizon's plans price a little also much, you lot tin always become on Verizon'south network through an MVNO. An MVNO basically feels kind of like getting the cheap seats at a really expensive concert—you become to see the testify, but you don't always go the best view.

You can apply an MVNO mobile provider that works on Verizon's network, but you'll occasionally run into deprioritization. In other words, your data speeds and coverage could drop in more congested areas because the Verizon network gives priority to Verizon customers.

Our favorite Verizon MVNO is hands Visible Wireless, which offers an unlimited plan for $40 on Verizon'south network. But really, you can't get wrong with any of the Verizon MVNOs on the tabular array below.

Verizon focuses on rolling out 5G Ultra Wideband network

Verizon recently announced that it will exist amping up the rollout of its ultra-fast 5G network throughout the year. Past the end of 2022, Verizon hopes to offer the 5G Ultra Wideband to over 175 million people. ³

AT&T Wireless: Second-best coverage, second fastest download speeds

AT&T offers decent coverage and speedy downloads.

Pros

2nd all-time coverage
Free streaming data

What nosotros like

AT&T hands pulls ahead of T-Mobile in terms of 4G coverage and is actually catching upwardly to Verizon. AT&T'south 5G coverage comes in second at 18%, right behind T-Mobile.

Second-best coverage

Every bit it stands in 2022, AT&T network covers 68% of the country, and AT&T users report enjoying reliable coverage 92.nine% of the time.¹ It's about a ane–2% coverage drop from Verizon to AT&T, making the coverage difference virtually unrecognizable for most the land. The divergence between the ii providers basically comes down to rural coverage. Verizon covers a few more than remote areas that AT&T does not, simply the coverage should by and large feel the same in the vast majority of the country.

Solid download speeds

Co-ordinate to our data, AT&T users average 35.3 Mbps download speeds. It'southward a few notches above Verizon (30.2) and a few notches below what T-Mobile (54.1 Mbps) offer, merely AT&T's data speeds are however pretty reliable. I'm an agile AT&T user and very rarely see dead spots with my data speeds. For reference, hither are the average download speeds across the three major wireless networks.

Average data download speeds in 2022

With an average download speed of 35.3 Mbps, y'all should have no trouble pulling up YouTube streams, Twitter videos, or Instagram stories. You should also be able to download apps without a problem.

What we don't like

Most of the land is covered, but you should still await at AT&T'southward coverage map. For example, if you alive in Idaho or Montana, you lot should really double-check the coverage map and brand sure where you live is covered.

Confessions of an AT&T user

I've been on an AT&T family unit program for years and enjoyed by and large reliable coverage—except in more rural areas. I was but in Park Urban center, Utah, for a Sundance Film Festival event and couldn't get a point. This was frustrating considering I was trying to run into upwardly with someone and couldn't get a text out.

Providers on AT&T'south network

AT&T offers a bevy of data plans that you can choose from. Recently, AT&T cut some of its free streaming and Tv perks, just AT&T mobile withal offers plans on a reliable network.

AT&T data plans

AT&T data plans certainly fall on the pricier end of the spectrum, but you lot can get on AT&T'south service network through an MVNO as well.

Other providers on AT&T's network

Going with an AT&T MVNO can cutting your wireless bill in half. Your service won't exist quite as reliable on an MVNO, but you shouldn't see likewise dramatic of a departure. In particular, we are fans of PureTalk United states of america and Cricket Mobile.

T-Mobile: Third-all-time coverage, fastest upload and download speeds

Potent coverage with super fast information speeds

Pros

Tertiary-best coverage
Fastest upload and download speeds

Cons

Less reliable coverage in rural areas

What we similar

T-Mobile'due south coverage falls backside what Verizon and AT&T offer, simply T-Mobile makes up for it in other places, like data speed and 5G coverage.

Third-best 4G coverage

It'due south a big driblet-off from Verizon's 70% 4G service coverage to T-Mobile's 62% coverage¹—but that's not how the users run across information technology.

T-Mobile finishes last in the 4G coverage experience for users, but it's not that far behind:

T-Mobile is just 0.5% less reliable than Verizon according to users but Verizon covers viii% more territory in the U.s..¹ That's because the master deviation between T-Mobile coverage and Verizon coverage falls under rural areas. Verizon covers more of the remote spaces of the land, while T-Mobile specializes in coverage in more urban areas.

Where T-Mobile lacks on 4G coverage, information technology'south made up for with great 5G coverage. T-Mobile has 41% 5G nationwide coverage which is 23% more than AT&T and xxx% more 5G coverage than Verizon.

Fastest data download and upload speeds

Though T-Mobile comes last in 4G coverage, T-Mobile's network comes in first identify for data upload and download speeds. This is a big bargain for any of you lot who happen to post Instagram stories, Twitter videos, or YouTube videos. As well, information technology'due south a large deal for those of you who sentinel Instagram stories, Twitter videos, and YouTube videos. And so, actually, all of us.

Check out T-Mobile coming out on top for upload wireless speeds.

The average T-Mobile user gets an 10.5 Mbps upload speed and 54.one Mbps download speed, making it the fastest wireless pick out there.

What we don't like

T-Mobile'southward coverage gets much more spotty as yous venture out into the more rural areas of the country. For folks who spend a lot of time in the great outdoors, yous might run into dead spots on T-Mobile's network

Less reliable coverage in rural areas

If you hail from the great states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, or Nebraska we would say to avert T-Mobile birthday. You're jump to meet dead zones oftentimes, and that's annoying.

T-Mobile will exist retiring older network technologies

After T-Mobile acquired Sprint in Apr 2020, T-Mobile and other wireless carriers take been working to retire older network technologies like 3G to improve the performance of 4G and 5G.

T-Mobile announced that by June 30, 2022, Sprint's LTE network will be officially retired. Any customers with an old Sprint SIM card volition need to replace their SIM with 1 from T-Mobile besides as ensure Voice over LTE is enabled on their devices.^iv

Providers on T-Mobile'due south network

The most obvious option for getting on T-Mobile'due south network is, well, T-Mobile itself. T-Mobile'southward unlimited data plans pack a lot of value, merely they aren't exactly dirt inexpensive.

T-Mobile unlimited plans

Yous can always become the budget road and opt for an MVNO that uses T-Mobile's network. In that location are tons of options for MVNOs on T-Mobile's network, merely Mint Mobile would exist our top recommendation.

MVNOs on T-Mobile's network

Recap: You go what y'all pay for

If you choice the provider with the best coverage (Verizon), yous take to cope with its college-than-average toll. In other words, you lot pay for what you become and y'all get what yous pay for.

To recap, here are the rankings for best coverage providers in the country:

All-time 5G cell phone coverage by carrier

T-Mobile: 41% 5G coverage
AT&T: 18% 5G coverage
Verizon: 11% 5G coverage

All-time 4G cell phone coverage past carrier

Verizon: 70% 4G coverage
AT&T: 68% 4G coverage
T-Mobile: 62% 4G coverage

Whether y'all live in a rural expanse or a more urban area, coverage is a large deal. You never know when y'all'll need to get a text out or make a telephone call. Merely recall how many horror movies could've been prevented with good coverage.

How has your experience been with these providers? Any horror stories or tales of redemption? Let us know in the comments below!

Why does coverage thing?

Your phone doesn't piece of work without a signal. And there are plenty of places where y'all don't want to exist without a signal. The DMV is the first place that comes to mind.

FAQ

Who has the best 5G Network 2022?

The newest prison cell phone network technology is called 5G . The five stands for "5th" and the Thou stands for "generation". It comes in the wake of earlier generations like 3G and 4G.

And so, which 5G network is the best right now, in 2022? The short respond is: T-Mobile, which has the best overall 5G coverage and the fastest average 5G speeds, co-ordinate to OpenSignal. ⁱⁱ

But the longer answer is: it depends. In certain areas, Verizon is really the all-time, with its powerful millimeter moving ridge 5G technology that can give yous speeds faster than your domicile cyberspace connection. And in certain other areas, AT&T may accept the strongest 5G coverage. Verizon also recently announced a rollout to it's 5G Ultra Wideband network which may modify its performance.^three So exist sure to check the coverage maps (see above) to see what each carrier's network looks similar in your surface area.

What is mobile network coverage?

When people talk about "mobile network coverage," they're referring to the expanse in which a given jail cell telephone carrier's point works, and the force of that point. The mobile network coverage of each company will depend on where it has placed network towers and other network infrastructure.

There are three major networks in the United States—AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon—and each i has its own coverage area. Y'all tin see each visitor'due south coverage map in the article above.

Which network is most reliable?

Network reliability is a catchy subject because in that location are several factors at play. There's the outcome of overall coverage past expanse, which is different from the reliability of signal and data speeds inside that expanse.

Then, to begin answering this question, we'll say that Verizon has the best overall coverage by surface area. Yous can get a expert 4G signal in more places with Verizon than with T-Mobile or AT&T. But , that doesn't necessarily make Verizon the virtually reliable network in every city or town.

For instance, in OpenSignal's 2022 Mobile Network Experience Report , T-Mobile actually has the all-time overall download speed and upload speeds. This means that the networks may be more reliable (within their given coverage areas) for things like streaming video or playing games, fifty-fifty if they don't accept the largest coverage area by size.

Written by

Tyler Abbott

Tyler has been obsessed with watching sports as efficiently as possible since the creation of the DVR. He is always on the lookout for the all-time tech in Telly and wireless and so he tin lookout man all the sports and nonetheless have enough fourth dimension to hang out with his baby. He has written most streaming, wireless, and TV for over 3 years. He hopes the Lakers will eventually get better.