T-Mobile Coverage Map: How T-Mobile Compares to AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint

T-Mobile offers 62% nationwide coverage, while Verizon offers 70%, AT&T offers 68%, and Sprint offers 30%. Since T-Mobile’s coverage area is 6% smaller than AT&T’s, T-Mobile wins the award for third-best coverage in the nation amongst the Big Four networks.

While the Un-carrier’s 4G network covers 62% of the lower 48 states, its 3G network—which your phone falls back on when 4G is unavailable—only covers 21% of the country. Additionally, T-Mobile is the only carrier with nationwide 5G coverage right now, although we use the term 5G lightly—for all intents and purposes, it is an enhanced 4G network, as the data speeds are not remarkably faster than 4G speeds.

Regardless, T-Mobile has excellent coverage, and this extends to the MVNOs that run on their network—a group that includes Metro by T-Mobile, Mint Mobile, Red Pocket, and more.

Our T-Mobile Coverage Map Vs. T-Mobile’s

There is a very clear discrepancy between our T-Mobile coverage map and the map on T-Mobile’s website. T-Mobile’s coverage map appears to cover the vast majority of the contiguous United States, while ours shows far more coverage gaps, particularly in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Iowa, and Wisconsin. That’s because our map only reflects coverage on T-Mobile’s main network, while T-Mobile’s map includes their roaming coverage area on partner networks—these partner networks are not owned by T-Mobile and will be subject to slowing when that roaming network is busy.

T-Mobile Coverage: The Good & the Bad

There are both pros and cons to T-Mobile’s network coverage and service.

The good:

• T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network covers 62% of the lower 48 states.
• T-Mobile (while tied with AT&T) offers the fastest voice app experience according to national data.
• T-Mobile takes the prize for the fastest upload speeds amongst all the carriers.
• T-Mobile has the second-best download experience, ahead of Verizon and Sprint.
• T-Mobile’s service plans tend to be a bit more affordable than competitors like Verizon and AT&T.

The bad:

• T-Mobile’s 3G network covers 21% of the country.
• Their coverage is spotty in parts of the Midwest and the West.
• Some areas of roaming coverage may require a multi-band cell phone, meaning one that is compatible with both GSM and CDMA networks.

In addition to weighing the advantages and disadvantages, you’ll also want to check if you receive service in your area before committing to a service plan through them. You can do this through our comparison engine; simply enter your data, text, and talk preferences along with your street address.

Where T-Mobile Has the Best Coverage

T-Mobile covers about 62% of the lower 48 states, and their network has been rapidly expanding as of late.

The states that have the best T-Mobile coverage include:

• Connecticut (99% 4G coverage)
• New Jersey
• South Carolina
• Delaware
• Ohio

The states with the worst coverage include:

• Alaska (0%)
• Nebraska
• Maine
• Oregon
• West Virginia

To offset some of the gaps in coverage, T-Mobile has roaming agreements with other providers to keep you connected to voice and data services.

Who T-Mobile is Best For

T-Mobile is a great choice for those looking for solid coverage and great features on a major network. Add to that reasonable prices, no-interest phone payment plans, and international coverage (on select plans), and you can see why T-Mobile is a continually popular carrier.

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly family plan, then you’ll want to consider going with T-Mobile. Their Essentials plan costs $30/line per month for up to four lines, and it includes:

• Unlimited domestic talk, text, and data
• Unlimited talk, text, and 2G data in Canada and Mexico
• Unlimited 3G mobile hotspot
• Unlimited texting to 210+ countries

Their other four-line family plan options include Magenta and Magenta Plus, which cost $40/line and $50/line, respectively. Those family plans are packed with awesome benefits, such as Netflix, 4G LTE data in Mexico and Canada, 4G LTE mobile hotspot, international texting, global data, and more.

These family plans make T-Mobile an excellent option for families spread throughout the United States. Not only are they extremely economical, but you’re bound to get good coverage no matter where you live.

T-Mobile Coverage Vs. AT&T

T-Mobile offers 62% nationwide coverage compared to AT&T’s 68%. AT&T’s 3G network is also far more robust than T-Mobile’s, covering 71% of the United States, compared to T-Mobile’s 21%. Since 3G is what your phone will fall back on when 4G isn’t available, this could be troublesome if you’re on T-Mobile and traveling somewhere with spotty 4G service.

T-Mobile Coverage Vs. Verizon

T-Mobile’s network offers 8% less 4G LTE coverage than Verizon’s, which boasts the best coverage out of the Big Four carriers (70% 4G coverage nationally). That said, T-Mobile’s network has been growing significantly lately, and they beat out all the other carriers when it comes to the fastest uploading speeds.

T-Mobile Coverage Vs. Sprint

T-Mobile’s 4G network beats Sprint by a longshot. T-Mobile has 62% coverage, while Sprint only covers 30% of the contiguous United States. The best place for Sprint users is along the East Coast, which has pretty solid coverage.

T-Mobile Cell Phone Plans

T-Mobile offers a wide selection of cell phone plans, including unlimited data plans, prepaid plans, family plans, plans for military personnel, and plans for people 55 years of age and older. Their plans are a bit cheaper than carriers like Verizon and AT&T, which makes them a solid choice for someone who’s looking to save a little money without sacrificing quality.

Check out the list of T-Mobile plans below:

If you’re looking to save even more money on your service plan, you may want to consider some of the plans offered by T-Mobile MVNOs. MVNOs don’t tend to offer as many perks or benefits as T-Mobile, but their plans are typically cheaper.

Frequently Asked Questions