Are you ready to see your phone carrier options? While prices have risen for some of the major carriers this year, competition in the market is strong, meaning attractive deals for those who switch. Read on for the best phone carriers in the US we’ll cover. Verizon against T Mobile against AT&T as well as some of the best affordable iPhone plans of smaller carriers. This guide will also detail how to find real-world coverage maps, how to try a new carrier for free instantly with eSIM, and more.
July 2022 update: The details below have been updated with the new Verizon $30 “Unlimited Welcome Plan” the latest operator performance results from independent studies, and more.
Best Phone Carriers: Verizon vs T-Mobile vs AT&T Plus Cheap Plans
Free instant eSIM trials
While trying out a new carrier has been a hassle in the past, eSIM support on iPhone and other smartphones has opened up a new opportunity for carriers.
T Mobile Y Viewable (Verizon) they are leveraging technology that gives potential customers the ability to instantly test their networks for free alongside their current carrier.
One of the best things with eSIM testing is that you can see the signal from both your current carrier and the one you’re testing simultaneously. And you can even decide to keep using your existing provider and number for phone calls while using the trial version for mobile data.
AT&T doesn’t offer eSIM trials at this time, but you can get a prepaid SIM from an MNVO like Cricket or H20 to try out the AT&T network for a month without having to change your phone number.
Coverage
While Verizon has led the top carriers in having the most customers (and still does) along with the widest coverage for the past decade, T-Mobile has gained a lot of ground with the acquisition of Sprint and the rapid deployment of 5G. That has meant that Verizon and AT&T are both playing a little catch up with T-Mobile on 5G coverage as they work to roll out more mid-band spectrum.
However, Verizon launched 5G UWB coverage in 1,700 US cities at the beginning of this year.
TL;DR
All the coverage maps from the major carriers will probably look great on their websites, here are some tips to find out what the coverage will actually be like:
- Check coverage with independent third party open sign app
- Opensignal pulls real-world data from millions of devices and billions of measurements
- Do a quick comparison of 4G/5G coverage with signal tester for your area
- Take a free eSIM trial to test coverage (available with T Mobile Y Visible/Verizon)
- Talk to friends, family, or people at work who use the carrier you’re considering
Remember, smaller carriers (MVNOs) lease access to the networks of the three major US carriers. While you generally get the same throughput, there may be data caps and limitations during times of congestion.
Speed
Like coverage, a carrier’s speed will depend on a variety of factors including your location, device, signal strength, network congestion, and more.
And if you live in a major city or a small town, the speeds can be very different. Verizon leads with the fastest speeds of 1,000+ Mbps if you have 5G UWB coverage, but T-Mobile has higher availability right now with its more moderately fast mid-band 5G.
Below is a comparison of the average speeds of the top three carriers in the US at okla studios Y open sign from summer 2022:
TL;DR
- Verizon has the fastest top speeds as long as you have 5G UWB coverage
- T-Mobile has the fastest average 5G speeds with more mid-band coverage
Opensignal results show Average 5G download speeds in the US as of Q2 2022.
The best telephone operators: Price
Update 7/12/22: Verizon just launched its new most affordable unlimited plan:
Meanwhile, T-Mobile has added helpful new perks like free data worldwide, in-flight data, and more.
We have recently seen AT&T Y Verizon raises pricesbut strong competition has kept prices mostly close among the three.
However, as advertised by T-Mobile, it generally offers about 20% lower prices for their unlimited plans compared to AT&T and Verizon. T-Mobile also includes taxes and fees in its advertised prices.
Keep in mind that these prices may change depending on the number of lines you need.
| Price | AT&T | T Mobile | Verizon |
| unlimited basic | $35/by phone with automatic payment and 4 lines | $26.25/by phone with automatic payment and 4 lines | $30/by phone with automatic payment and 4 lines |
| unlimited updated | $40/by phone with automatic payment and 4 lines | $35/by phone with automatic payment and 4 lines | $35-45/by phone with automatic payment and 4 lines |
| unlimited premium | $50/by phone with automatic payment and 4 lines | $42.50/by phone with automatic payment and 4 lines | $55/by phone with automatic payment and 4 lines |
Unlike, T Mobile Connection, Mint MobileY Cellular Consumer offer prices as low as $10-20 per line.
Incentives and offers
All major phone companies offer (at the time of this writing) up to $800 trade-in when you buy a new device. But T-Mobile is the most aggressive with up to $650 for early termination fees or covering the current device balance.
Major carriers also include a streaming video service for free with some of the unlimited plans. And Verizon offers more than just the Disney+ package. Under the unlimited plan, you can get additional benefits like Apple Music, Apple Arcade, and more.
Meanwhile, the uncarrier holds “T-Mobile Tuesdays” to provide regular benefits and savings to customers.
Both Verizon and T-Mobile provide up to 50% of 5G home internet for their cell phone customers.
Best affordable alternatives to major carriers
If reducing the cost of your telephone bill is a priority, check out our full guide on the best affordable iPhone plans.
We review which of the major networks each carrier uses, key features and more with plans starting as low as $10 per line.
Summary of the best phone companies
It’s hard to pick a single winner when it comes to the best phone carriers. What’s most important to you will decide, probably between coverage in your location, price, incentives to switch, and how many lines you have.
But hopefully, now you’re clear on how the top carriers compare, how to independently check network coverage, and start a trial without a hitch. Thanks for reading our guide to the best phone carriers!
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