What Cell Phone Carrier Has The Best Service
Best phone carriers of 2022
Picking the best phone carrier is always a challenge, but never more than so when new devices like the Galaxy S22 go available. New phones give yous the chance to consider a new provider for your cell phone service — specially if yous tin get a meliorate bargain on that telephone by switching over to a new carrier and committing to ane of that provider'south all-time cell phone plans.
Regardless of whether you're planning to switch because of a new phone purchase or if you're just interested in finding out whether y'all're getting the best value for your monthly bill, information technology's helpful to compare the best phone carriers. You may observe that the grass actually is greener and the service better with a different provider.
That said, finding the best telephone carrier requires more than only picking the carrier who charges you the to the lowest degree for information each calendar month. Phone carriers as well stand up out with their network coverage, particularly as wireless providers are expanding their 5G networks. You should consider customer service — the best phone carriers tin can handle questions about billing every bit hands as helping you troubleshoot your device. And some carriers brand a marking by showering subscribers with plenty of perks.
Sounds like a lot to keep track of, doesn't it? That's why we're here, since nosotros've washed all the research for you lot. Right now, T-Mobile and Verizon are contesting each other for the title of best phone carrier. If y'all're willing to look beyond the major wireless providers at some of the meridian MVNOs offering prison cell phone service, you tin find good value from smaller operators similar Mint Mobile and Visible.
Today'southward peak iii best value phone carriers
The all-time phone carriers overall
When information technology comes to the best mix of data plans, coverage and perks, T-Mobile is a tough telephone carrier to beat out. While its merger with Sprint has introduced a few customer service struggles, T-Mobile withal emerges as the best phone carrier, thanks to some great data plans, excellent perks and a growing 5G network.
T-Mobile offers the best unlimited information program in the business, with its $70 Magenta plan that bakes taxes and fees into the toll of the plan and besides lets you use your data when you're overseas (admitting at slower speeds). Salubrious discounts as yous add lines also make Magenta the best family cell phone plan, particularly with T-Mobile waving the cost of a third line under a current promotion.
If yous don't demand all that data, T-Mobile's 2.5GB and 5.5GB prepaid plans are amid the cheapest you lot'll notice. T-Mobile is upgrading all of its monthly plans to include 5G coverage.
In our LTE network testing, nosotros establish T-Mobile'due south LTE download speeds were fast, even if Verizon and AT&T both finished ahead of the Uncarrier the last time we tested. But more recent testing by Ookla gives T-Mobile a clean sweep of top speeds for both 5G and overall. Rootmetrics as well gives T-Mobile the nod as the carrier with the fastest and most bachelor 5G coverage.
Speaking of 5G, T-Mobile'due south 5G service at present reaches more than 310 million people across the land. Of that full, 210 million can access its faster Ultra Capacity 5G service.
What actually sets T-Mobile apart is the perks it extends to customers. Weekly T-Mobile Tuesday giveaways include prizes and benefits while T-Mobile'south Squad of Experts program also provides excellent customer service to subscribers. Family plan subscribers can get the cost of a Netflix account covered as office of their plan, and T-Mobile now provides one gratuitous year of both Apple Television receiver Plus and Paramount Plus to Magenta and Magenta Max subscribers.
Verizon'due south plans may be pricier than the competition. But there'south plenty to like near the nation'south biggest wireless carrier, starting with the attain and performance of its network. When nosotros've tested LTE speeds, Verizon has come out on top, though for the 2d half of 2021, testing firm Rootmetrics placed AT&T alee of Verizon in more categories for the kickoff fourth dimension.
At the outset of this yr, Verizon gave its 5G service a big boost by enhancing its existing Ultra Wideband 5G network with C-Ring spectrum. More than than 90 million people now enjoy faster speeds, while Big Cerise'south nationwide network delivers lower-spectrum 5G coverage to 230 million people. (That network'south not most every bit fast as Ultra Wideband.) Verizon likewise makes it easier to experience 5G past accepting any phone — even broken ones — to reduce the cost of upgrading to a 5G phone. The carrier is moving to 36-calendar month agreements, increasing how long you need to tie yourself to Verizon if you buy your telephone in installments or get some of the all-time Verizon telephone deals.
As for the cost of service, you lot will find cheaper and easier-to-decipher unlimited information plans at T-Mobile, but Verizon'due south current plans exercise include interesting perks. Verizon'due south 5G Do More plan, which costs $lxxx a month for one line (and $180 for four) includes 600GB of cloud storage and a 50GB ceiling earlier Verizon will throttle your speeds. Play More, which costs the aforementioned, includes access to a package of Disney streaming services (Disney Plus, advert-supported Hulu and ESPN Plus) as well as a subscription to a streaming gaming service — either Apple tree Arcade or Google Play Pass.
Verizon's prepaid plans are especially bonny, now that the carrier has increased the amount of data you lot get. There'southward a 15GB plan that costs $45 a month after a $v autopay disbelieve, and loyalty rewards lower the toll fifty-fifty further. Afterward three months of service, the rate falls to $40, and nine more months takes the cost down to $35. All Prepaid plans get 5G service, too, though Ultra Wideband coverage is reserved for prepaid customers with unlimited plans.
Verizon has fared well when we've tested customer service for phone carriers, and it continues to offer an extensive selection of phones, including exclusives. (Verizon offers Ultra Wideband versions of both the Samsung Galaxy A42 5G and the Motorola Ane 5G Ace as less expensive 5G options.) If you don't heed paying a footling more on your monthly pecker, Verizon provides the operation and service that justifies the extra cost.
AT&T finds itself in an awkward position among the remaining major carriers. AT&T'due south monthly rates and promotions can't lucifer what T-Mobile offers, and Verizon still has the larger overall network (though AT&T bests Verizon on reliability and speed according to testing firm Rootmetrics). That leaves AT&T in third place in our best telephone carrier rankings, but in that location are some notable bright spots for the carrier.
For one, AT&T typically fares well in performance testing, as noted by its strong showing in Rootmetrics testing for the 2nd half of 2021.Like Verizon, AT&T is launching C-Band 5G, which brings faster speeds, though AT&T has only added this coverage to a handful of cities at present.
When it comes to plans, AT&T's most appealing unlimited data selection is its most expensive offering — an $85-a-month Unlimited Elite plan that includes the HBO Max streaming service. AT&T has removed any cap on data consumption so Unlimited Aristocracy customers won't accept their speeds slowed, and you get more hotspot data, likewise. The cheaper unlimited tiers at AT&T don't compare equally favorably to T-Mobile and Verizon plans, though all AT&T unlimited plans now include 5G coverage at no actress cost. AT&T also allows families to mix and match unlimited plans, and so that each line can feature a different tier of unlimited data. Unlimited plans also include six months of Stadia Pro streaming gaming.
AT&T'southward prepaid options provide a lot of data, likewise. A especially strong option gives you 15GB of data for $xl a month. Notwithstanding, if y'all can swing the upfront costs, paying for a full year of service, gets you 8GB of data at $25/month. AT&T's cheapest unlimited data plan is at present available through Walmart when you actuate a phone in 1 of the retailer's stores.
Multifariousness is not the spice of life when it comes to Visible's service options, as the disbelieve carrier and Verizon MVNO offers simply one service plan. Merely it's a really good option — y'all get unlimited data for $40 a month over Verizon'southward LTE network, which has been the top performer in our testing.
Visible used to place a cap on data speeds when the carrier debuted, but that restriction has since been lifted. That ways you tin can enjoy the full power of Verizon'south network, with your speeds slowing merely should the network get too congested. (That'due south standard operating procedure for networks like Visible that utilise some other carrier's towers for their coverage, though.) 5G service is now available through Visible using Verizon's coverage, with both the iPhone thirteen and Milky way S22 models. Other 5G phones are supported as well, though you lot should double-cheque which ones with Visible.
Compared to the all-time inexpensive cell telephone plans, Visible has the all-time option for families thanks to the generous discounts as you add together lines to your plan. 2 lines of unlimited data at Visible reduces the per-line cost to $35, while a family of four pays a full of $100 (or $25 per line) each month. Your Visible Party Program isn't express to people living at the same address — it can encompass friends, afar relatives or roommates. And a referral program tin can reduce your bill to just $5 for the month after a new customer you've referred joins Visible.
Visible got its start as an iPhone-only carrier, though information technology subsequently added Android phones to the mix, from flagships like the Galaxy S22 and Pixel 6 to budget offerings similar the Galaxy A42. A new early upgrade program lets you lot switch to a new device after y'all've paid off fifty% of your phone. You can also bring your own device to Visible. And iPhone owners can try out Visible for free for 15 days using their own device.
Mint Mobile offers some of the lowest rates around, provided you're willing to pay for coverage up front. Pricing starts at $15 a month for 4GB of LTE data — that'south better than even T-Mobile's Elementary Connect plan. But that price is only bachelor through the get-go iii months of your service. To maintain that low charge per unit, you've got to sign upward for a year of coverage, limiting your flexibility to change carriers if yous're non satisfied. (That approach also holds truthful for Mint's 10GB and 15GB plans too as the carrier's $30-a-month unlimited information plan.)
Mint uses T-Mobile'due south network to provide coverage, so you should look fast performance, peculiarly if you lot alive in an urban surface area. Mint says you'll get 5G or 4G coverage depending on which signal is stronger — assuming you lot've got a 5G-compatible phone, of course.
Speaking of devices, Mint sells both iPhones and Android handsets, at a wide range of prices. You can also bring your current phone to Mint if you lot prefer. Our Mint Mobile vs. AT&T and Verizon vs. Mint Mobile comparisons offer a closer look at how this discount service compares to bigger phone carriers.
Metro By T-Mobile — formerly MetroPCS — remains one of the best telephone carriers if yous don't want to spend a lot of money on your prison cell telephone service. That said, Metro is facing stepped-up competition from large-name rivals and obscure discount carriers akin. Parent company T-Mobile stole some of Metro's thunder by offering a super-cheap $xv/calendar month cell phone plan, while Verizon has doubled the amount of data it packs into its prepaid packages.
Still, there'southward plenty to like about Metro, which benefits from using T-Mobile's cellular network for its coverage. Even though Metro traffic can slow down when T-Mobile's towers get congested, in our testing, that'southward been a rare occurrence. More importantly, Metro customers with 5G-capable phones tin can enjoy T-Mobile'south 5G coverage, which at present stretches declension to coast.
Verizon may offer more than data to prepaid customers, but Metro's $40-a-month program withal includes a generous helping of 10GB of data, with streaming music from more than forty services not counting against your cap. Metro's unlimited plans — $50 for the entry level plan and $60 for a plan that includes an Amazon Prime number membership and more hotspot data — are pretty attractive, too.
Metro has a good selection of phones, with around a third of the handsets on sale costing less than $200. You tin can notice boosted savings if you port over a phone number when signing upwards for service with Metro.
No longer restricted to just Google'south own phones, the Google Fi wireless service at present supports but about whatsoever kind of handset (including iPhones). But it's really the all-time option if you have a Google Pixel device or a fully compatible third-party phones like the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 or Motorola devices including the Moto One thousand Power (2021) or Motorola Ane 5G Ace. Those phones seamlessly switch between the carriers that provide Google Fi's coverage — T-Mobile and US Cellular at this point — so yous'll e'er have the best connection bachelor. You requite that upwards if yous bring your own device to Google Fi.
Both the Pixel 5a and Pixel 6 are out, and those phones are optimized for Google Fi. In fact, Google Fi is the simply carrier to offer the Pixel 5a. Presumably, the Pixel 6a will be optimized for Google Fi, in one case that rumored phone arrives later this year.
Google Fi'south pricing is pretty compelling if you don't use a lot of information. Google charges you $20 for unlimited talk and text and and so just $10 for each gigabyte of information you use. But that's adjusted to the precise amount of data you lot eat — if y'all utilize two.5GB, say, you'll pay $25 instead of Google rounding up to $30. You tin opt for unlimited data if you prefer, but at $70 a calendar month, Google's pricing matches what T-Mobile charges for the best unlimited data plan. At that place's a $sixty unlimited information option at Google Fi, but it drops the ability to utilize your data overseas, a characteristic that makes Google Fi then appealing.
That feature lets y'all use your data and text when you're abroad in 200-plus countries. Information is also bachelor at decent speeds overseas. It's available in Google Fi's $seventy unlimited program as well as its by-the-gig pricing, just not in the new $60 pick.
Consumer Cellular is a good option for your jail cell telephone service if yous don't need a lot of data each month or you don't demand unlimited talk minutes. (Or both!) The carrier has small data tiers available at reasonable prices, and y'all can switch around your data allotment on a monthly basis if you anticipate needing more information.
The 3GB programme probably offers enough data for many users who don't stream music and movies and at $25, it'south a pretty affordable option.
Considering Consumer Cellular offers an additional 5% discount on monthly rates to AARP members, it's become a hit with seniors. The carrier uses both AT&T and T-Mobile for its coverage, and so it's likely you lot'll go good network performance no matter where you are. (And if you purchase an iPhone thirteen or 5G-ready Android phone through the carrier, you can enjoy 5G coverage.) Consumer Cellular does take some criticism for client service, but it's mostly regarded as any like shooting fish in a barrel service for managing your plan and keeping your cell phone costs depression.
Once owned and operated past Sprint, Boost Mobile is at present the belongings of Dish in a $1.4 billion purchase spurred by the Sprint-T-Mobile merger. Boost is keeping its name, and it'southward in the process of switching over to AT&T'due south network as Dish looks to build out its own network.
Boost continues to offer the aforementioned plans equally before, with your best pick beingness ane of the company's two unlimited plans. The $l plan features 12GB of hotspot information. For $lx a month, you go Hd video streaming and 30GB of hotspot data. Both unlimited data plans slow your speeds afterwards you use 35GB of data in a calendar month.
Boost's unlimited prices compare favorably to what you lot become from Metro by T-Mobile, though T-Mobile'due south prepaid service doesn't put caps on music and game streaming like Boost does. The best tiered programme at Boost gives yous 5GB of data for $25 a month, with 2GB ($15) and 10GB ($35) options as well.
If you already get your internet service from Comcast — and since it'southward the nation'due south biggest internet service provider, yous probably practise — Xfinity Mobile offers y'all the opportunity to save coin on your monthly telephone neb. The Comcast-backed phone carrier uses a combination of Verizon's cellular towers and Xfinity hotspots to offer nationwide phone coverage.
Xfinity's best plan for individuals is its $45 unlimited program. Not only is that cheaper than what you'll pay for unlimited coverage at the major phone carriers, it also includes access to Verizon's 5G network if you lot accept a 5G-capable phone. That means yous can become 5G for about half the cost of what you lot'd pay for a Verizon unlimited data plan.
Xfinity Mobile has added discounts on additional lines, eliminating one of the big cons against this best phone carrier choice. While a single line of unlimited services costs $45 a calendar month, a 2d line of data brings the per line cost down to $twoscore. A family unit of four pays $120 each month, or $30 per line.
You lot'll discover a good selection of phones at Xfinity, including the latest iPhone and Android flagships, such as the iPhone 13 and Galaxy S22. These days, Xfinity offers amend support for bringing your ain device across only the iPhone; recent Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel devices are supported, too, if you already ain those phones.
What to expect for when choosing a telephone carrier
The first thing to consider when determining the best telephone carrier for your needs is to figure out who has the best coverage in your area. Concentrate on the places where you spend a lot of time and need cell phone service, such as your home, office and frequent hangouts. Our network performance testing looks at download speeds in select cities, and third-political party testing can give y'all an thought of how networks perform on average. But to truly go a picture of local network coverage, you'll need to ask friends and family about their experience.
If yous're comfortable looking across ane of the major cell phone providers, you tin can always endeavour a discount carrier. These MVNOs turn to the larger networks to provide cellular service, so be sure to find out which network a discount carrier uses to make sure it's i that provides good service to where you live and piece of work.
In one case you've figured out which phone carriers offer the best coverage in your areas, look at plans and pricing. You'll need to figure out how much information you lot need — whether an unlimited plan is required or if you can opt for a cheaper program with tiered data. We've analyzed the all-time cell phone plans overall to help yous notice ane that fits your needs.
One other thing to consider when picking carriers is perks that come up included with a monthly subscription. You'll find more of these with larger carriers, while discount carriers and prepaid cellular service tends to skimp on the extras. Popular perks include streaming service subscriptions, high-speed hotspot data and the ability to utilize your plan while traveling overseas. (Speaking of overseas travel, we've besides got a await at the best international telephone plans from the major carriers.)
How we examination phone carriers
Nosotros evaluate network operation by heading out to 8 The states cities and running Ookla's Speedtest app to measure download speeds. For real-world testing, we download a sizable app off of Google Play and time how fast it takes to go the app on a smartphone. Nosotros broaden our own testing by looking at network operation reports from third-political party firms including RootMetrics, OpenSignal and Ookla. All that data helps u.s.a. evaluate a carrier's network performance.
Nosotros continuously review cell phone plans to compare how much data each carrier offers and how unlimited plans vary at each provider. We also expect at the all-time prepaid phone plans, including extras you have to requite upward for the lower price to evaluate whether those are adept deals or not.
We've done customer support testing in the past where we contact carriers incognito to ask them questions both well-nigh their service likewise as phones they offer. We acquit this underground testing both over the phone and through social media support accounts on Twitter and Facebook.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/best-picks/best-phone-carrier
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