Which Is The Better Cell Phone Service Provider
Best phone carriers of 2022
Picking the best phone carrier is always a challenge, just never more and then when new devices become available as the Galaxy S22 and iPhone SE (2022) accept in recent months. New phones give yous the chance to consider a new provider for your cell phone service — especially if you can get a improve deal on that phone by switching over to a new carrier and committing to ane of that provider'south best cell phone plans.
Regardless of whether you lot're planning to switch because of a new phone purchase or if you lot're just interested in finding out whether y'all're getting the all-time value for your monthly neb, information technology's helpful to compare the best telephone carriers. You lot may discover that the grass actually is greener and the service better with a different provider.
That said, finding the best telephone carrier requires more than than just picking the carrier who charges you lot the least for data each month. Phone carriers also stand up out with their network coverage, particularly as wireless providers are expanding their 5G networks. You should consider customer service — the best telephone carriers tin handle questions about billing as easily every bit helping yous troubleshoot your device. And some carriers make a marking past showering subscribers with plenty of perks.
Sounds similar a lot to proceed rail of, doesn't it? That'due south why we're hither, since we've done all the research for you. Correct now, T-Mobile and Verizon are contesting each other for the championship of best phone carrier. If you're willing to look beyond the major wireless providers at some of the top MVNOs offer cell phone service, you can find skillful value from smaller operators similar Mint Mobile and Visible.
Today'south top three best value telephone carriers
The best phone carriers overall
When it comes to the all-time mix of data plans, coverage and perks, T-Mobile is a tough phone carrier to beat. While its merger with Sprint has introduced a few customer service struggles initially, T-Mobile still emerges as the all-time telephone carrier, thanks to some slap-up data plans, excellent perks and a growing 5G network.
T-Mobile offers the all-time unlimited data plan in the concern, with its $70 Magenta plan that bakes taxes and fees into the cost of the plan and also lets y'all utilise your data when you're overseas (albeit at slower speeds). Good for you discounts as you add lines too brand Magenta the best family cell phone plan, especially when T-Mobile waives the cost of a 3rd line as it does nether a frequent promotion.
If you don't need all that data, T-Mobile's 3GB and 6GB prepaid plans are amongst the cheapest you'll find, and the company has added a $ten/calendar month 1GB program as well. As those plans include 5G coverage — something many other carriers restrict to select plans.
In our LTE network testing, we found T-Mobile's LTE download speeds were fast, even if Verizon and AT&T both finished alee of the Uncarrier the last time we tested. Merely more recent testing by Ookla gives T-Mobile a make 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's 5G service now reaches more than 310 million people across the country. Of that total, 210 million can admission its faster Ultra Capacity 5G service.
What really sets T-Mobile autonomously is the perks it extends to customers. Weekly T-Mobile Tuesday giveaways include prizes and benefits while T-Mobile'southward Squad of Experts program likewise provides excellent customer service to subscribers. Family unit plan subscribers can get the price of a Netflix account covered as part of their plan, and T-Mobile now provides one free year of both Apple TV Plus and Paramount Plus to Magenta and Magenta Max subscribers.
Verizon'southward plans may be pricier than the competition. Simply there'due south plenty to similar about the nation'south biggest wireless carrier, starting with the attain and performance of its network. When we've tested LTE speeds, Verizon has come out on top, though for the second one-half of 2021, testing firm Rootmetrics placed AT&T ahead of Verizon in more than categories for the first fourth dimension.
At the start of this year, Verizon gave its 5G service a big heave past enhancing its existing Ultra Wideband 5G network with C-Band spectrum. More than 100 million people now enjoy faster speeds, while Large Ruby-red's nationwide network delivers lower-spectrum 5G coverage to 230 million people. (That network'south not well-nigh every bit fast equally Ultra Wideband.) Verizon also makes it easier to feel 5G by accepting whatever phone — even cleaved ones — to reduce the cost of upgrading to a 5G telephone. The carrier is moving to 36-month agreements, increasing how long you need to tie yourself to Verizon if you purchase your phone in installments or become some of the best Verizon phone deals.
As for the price of service, you will notice cheaper and easier-to-decipher unlimited information plans at T-Mobile, but Verizon's current plans do include interesting perks. Verizon's 5G Do More plan, which costs $80 a calendar month for one line (and $180 for four) includes 600GB of cloud storage and a 50GB ceiling before Verizon volition throttle your speeds. Play More, which costs the same, includes access to a bundle of Disney streaming services (Disney Plus, ad-supported Hulu and ESPN Plus) likewise every bit a subscription to a streaming gaming service — either Apple tree Arcade or Google Play Pass.
Verizon's prepaid plans are specially attractive, thanks to a series of escalating discounts. You'll pay $45 a month for Verizon'south 15GB prepaid plan after a $5 autopay disbelieve, but if you lot stick with Verizon for iii months of service, that rate falls to $40. Afterwards ix months, some other $5 discount cuts your rate to $35. All Prepaid plans get 5G service, besides, 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 offering an all-encompassing selection of phones, including Ultra Wideband versions of some phones designed specifically for Verizon's network. If you lot don't heed paying a little more on your monthly nib, Verizon provides the operation and service that justifies the extra toll.
AT&T finds itself in an awkward position among the remaining major carriers. AT&T'southward monthly rates and promotions can't match what T-Mobile offers, and Verizon still has the larger overall network (though AT&T bests Verizon on reliability and speed according to testing house Rootmetrics). That leaves AT&T in third identify in our best phone carrier rankings, merely there are some notable bright spots for the carrier.
For one, AT&T typically fares well in performance testing, equally noted by its potent showing in Rootmetrics testing for the second half of 2021.Similar Verizon, AT&T is launching C-Ring 5G, which brings faster speeds, though AT&T has only added this coverage to a handful of cities at nowadays.
When it comes to plans, AT&T's most highly-seasoned unlimited information pick is its most expensive offering — an $85-a-month Unlimited Aristocracy plan that includes the HBO Max streaming service. AT&T has removed whatever cap on data consumption so Unlimited Elite customers won't have their speeds slowed, and you get more hotspot information, too.
The cheaper unlimited tiers at AT&T didn't compare as favorably to T-Mobile and Verizon plans, though that'due south irresolute a little chip. First, AT&T added 5G coverage to all its unlimited plans, matching its rivals. And at present if y'all but need one line of information, a $fifty/month Value Plus Plan offers unlimited talk, text and data (though AT&T does reserve the right to slow your speeds when the network'southward congested.)
AT&T'south prepaid options provide a lot of data, too. A particularly stiff pick gives you lot 15GB of data for $40 a month. However, if you lot can swing the upfront costs, paying for a full yr of service, gets you 8GB of data at $25/month. AT&T's cheapest unlimited information plan is now available through Walmart when you activate a phone in one of the retailer'southward stores.
Variety is non the spice of life when it comes to Visible'south service options, equally the disbelieve carrier and Verizon MVNO offers only one service plan. But it's a really good selection — yous become unlimited data for $40 a month over Verizon's LTE network, which has been the top performer in our testing.
Visible used to place a cap on information speeds when the carrier debuted, but that restriction has since been lifted. That means you can savor the full power of Verizon'southward network, with your speeds slowing but should the network become too congested. (That'due south standard operating procedure for networks like Visible that utilize another carrier's towers for their coverage, though.) 5G service is now available through Visible using Verizon'due south coverage, with both the iPhone 13 and Galaxy S22 models. Other 5G phones are supported too, though you should double-bank check which ones with Visible.
Compared to the best inexpensive cell telephone plans, Visible has the best option for families thanks to the generous discounts as you add lines to your plan. Two lines of unlimited data at Visible reduces the per-line cost to $35, while a family of iv pays a total of $100 (or $25 per line) each calendar month. Your Visible Party Programme isn't limited to people living at the same accost — it can cover friends, distant relatives or roommates. And a referral programme tin can reduce your bill to just $five for the month subsequently a new customer you lot've referred joins Visible.
Visible got its get-go as an iPhone-simply carrier, though information technology subsequently added Android phones to the mix, from flagships like the Milky way S22 and Pixel six to budget offerings like the Samsung Galaxy A53. A new early on upgrade program lets you switch to a new device after you lot've paid off 50% of your telephone. You tin can besides bring your ain device to Visible. And iPhone owners can endeavor out Visible for gratuitous for xv days using their own device.
Mint Mobile offers some of the lowest rates around, provided you lot're willing to pay for coverage up front. Pricing starts at $fifteen a month for 4GB of LTE data — that's better than fifty-fifty T-Mobile's Elementary Connect program. Only that price is just available through the first three months of your service. To maintain that low rate, you've got to sign up for a year of coverage, limiting your flexibility to change carriers if you lot're not satisfied. (That approach also holds true for Mint'due south 10GB and 15GB plans besides equally the carrier'southward $30-a-month unlimited data program.)
Mint uses T-Mobile's network to provide coverage, and so you should expect fast performance, particularly if you alive in an urban area. Mint says you lot'll get 5G or 4G coverage depending on which signal is stronger — assuming you've got a 5G-compatible phone, of form.
Speaking of devices, Mint sells both iPhones and Android handsets, at a broad range of prices. You can also bring your current phone to Mint if you prefer. Our Mint Mobile vs. AT&T and Verizon vs. Mint Mobile comparisons offer a closer look at how this disbelieve service compares to bigger phone carriers.
Metro Past T-Mobile — formerly MetroPCS — remains one of the all-time telephone carriers if you don't want to spend a lot of coin on your prison cell phone service. That said, Metro is facing stepped-up competition from big-proper noun rivals and obscure discount carriers alike. Parent company T-Mobile stole some of Metro's thunder by offering a super-cheap $15/calendar month cell phone plan, while Verizon has doubled the amount of data information technology packs into its prepaid packages.
Even so, at that place'south enough to similar about Metro, which benefits from using T-Mobile'due south cellular network for its coverage. Even though Metro traffic can slow down when T-Mobile'due south towers get congested, in our testing, that's been a rare occurrence. More importantly, Metro customers with 5G-capable phones can enjoy T-Mobile's 5G coverage, which now stretches declension to coast.
Verizon may offer more information to prepaid customers, but Metro'due south $40-a-month program still includes a generous helping of 10GB of data, with streaming music from more than 40 services not counting confronting your cap. Metro'due south unlimited plans — $50 for the entry level plan and $60 for a plan that includes an Amazon Prime membership and more hotspot data — are pretty bonny, too.
Metro has a adept selection of phones, with around a third of the handsets on sale costing less than $200. Yous can discover additional savings if you port over a phone number when signing up for service with Metro.
No longer restricted to just Google's ain phones, the Google Fi wireless service at present supports just about whatever kind of handset (including iPhones). But it's really the best option if you lot have a Google Pixel device or a fully compatible tertiary-political party phones similar the Samsung Milky way S22 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 or Motorola devices including the Moto Thousand Ability (2022). Those phones seamlessly switch between the carriers that provide Google Fi's coverage — T-Mobile and US Cellular at this point — so y'all'll e'er have the all-time connection bachelor. You give that up if you 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, once that rumored phone arrives later this year.
Google Fi's pricing is pretty compelling if y'all don't utilize a lot of information. Google charges you lot $20 for unlimited talk and text and then simply $10 for each gigabyte of information you use. But that'south adapted to the precise amount of data you consume — if you lot use 2.5GB, say, you'll pay $25 instead of Google rounding up to $thirty.
Unlimited data plans are now more compelling afterward Google dropped prices on its two unlimited offerings. The best plan, Unlimited Plus, costs $65 a calendar month and features the power to utilise your data overseas in more than 200 countries at no extra price. If you don't need that characteristic, the Just Unlimited plan now costs $l a month for one line of information. Discounts on additional lines are available.
Consumer Cellular is a good selection for your cell phone 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-scale data tiers bachelor at reasonable prices, and you lot can switch around your information resource allotment on a monthly basis if you lot anticipate needing more data.
The 3GB plan probably offers plenty data for many users who don't stream music and movies and at $25, it's a pretty affordable option.
Because Consumer Cellular offers an additional v% discount on monthly rates to AARP members, it'southward become a hit with seniors. The carrier uses both AT&T and T-Mobile for its coverage, and so it's probable you lot'll go good network operation no matter where you are. (And if yous buy an iPhone 13 or 5G-ready Android phone through the carrier, yous can enjoy 5G coverage.) Consumer Cellular does accept some criticism for customer service, merely it's by and large regarded as any piece of cake service for managing your programme and keeping your prison cell phone costs low.
Once owned and operated by Sprint, Boost Mobile is now the property of Dish in a $i.4 billion purchase spurred by the Sprint-T-Mobile merger. Boost is keeping its proper name, and it'due south in the process of switching over to AT&T'south network as Dish looks to build out its ain network.
Boost continues to offer the same plans as before, with your all-time choice being one of the company's two unlimited plans. The $l plan features 12GB of hotspot data. For $60 a calendar month, y'all get HD video streaming and 30GB of hotspot data. Both unlimited data plans ho-hum your speeds after you use 35GB of information in a month.
Boost'due south unlimited prices compare favorably to what you lot get 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 all-time tiered plan at Boost gives y'all 5GB of data for $25 a month, with 2GB ($xv) and 10GB ($35) options likewise.
If you already get your internet service from Comcast — and since it's the nation's biggest internet service provider, yous probably do — Xfinity Mobile offers you the opportunity to save coin on your monthly phone bill. The Comcast-backed phone carrier uses a combination of Verizon'south cellular towers and Xfinity hotspots to offer nationwide telephone coverage.
Xfinity's best program for individuals is its $45 unlimited plan. Not only is that cheaper than what you'll pay for unlimited coverage at the major phone carriers, information technology also includes access to Verizon's 5G network if you take a 5G-capable telephone. That means you tin can get 5G for about half the cost of what you'd pay for a Verizon unlimited data plan.
Xfinity Mobile has added discounts on boosted lines, eliminating one of the big cons confronting this best telephone carrier option. While a unmarried line of unlimited services costs $45 a month, a second line of data brings the per line toll down to $40. A family of four pays $120 each month, or $30 per line.
Don't need unlimited data? Xfinity as well offers past-the-gig pricing, starting at $15 for 1GB of data. (The 3GB program for $30/month is the more generous option.) You can switch between unlimited and by-the-gig plans for months were you don't need a lot of data.
Yous'll discover a adept selection of phones at Xfinity, including the latest iPhone and Android flagships, such every bit the iPhone 13 and Galaxy S22. These days, Xfinity offers better support for bringing your own device beyond just the iPhone; recent Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel devices are supported, besides, if you lot already own those phones.
What to look for when choosing a phone carrier
The outset affair to consider when determining the best phone carrier for your needs is to figure out who has the all-time coverage in your area. Concentrate on the places where y'all spend a lot of time and need cell telephone service, such as your habitation, part and frequent hangouts. Our network performance testing looks at download speeds in select cities, and third-party testing can give you an thought of how networks perform on average. Just to truly get a picture of local network coverage, you'll need to ask friends and family about their feel.
If you're comfortable looking beyond one of the major cell phone providers, you can always try a discount carrier. These MVNOs turn to the larger networks to provide cellular service, so be sure to detect out which network a discount carrier uses to brand sure it'south one that provides good service to where yous 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. Yous'll demand to effigy out how much data you need — whether an unlimited plan is required or if y'all can opt for a cheaper plan with tiered data. Nosotros've analyzed the best cell phone plans overall to assistance you find ane that fits your needs.
One other thing to consider when picking carriers is perks that come included with a monthly subscription. Y'all'll find more of these with larger carriers, while disbelieve 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 use your plan while traveling overseas. (Speaking of overseas travel, we've also got a expect at the all-time international phone plans from the major carriers.)
How nosotros examination phone carriers
We evaluate network functioning by heading out to viii United states cities and running Ookla's Speedtest app to measure download speeds. For real-earth testing, we download a sizable app off of Google Play and time how fast information technology takes to get the app on a smartphone. We broaden our own testing by looking at network performance reports from third-political party firms including RootMetrics, OpenSignal and Ookla. All that data helps usa evaluate a carrier's network performance.
We continuously review cell phone plans to compare how much data each carrier offers and how unlimited plans vary at each provider. We besides look at the best prepaid phone plans, including extras yous take to give up for the lower price to evaluate whether those are good deals or not.
We've done customer back up testing in the by where nosotros contact carriers incognito to ask them questions both about their service too as phones they offering. We bear this undercover testing both over the phone and through social media support accounts on Twitter and Facebook.
Which Is The Better Cell Phone Service Provider,
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/best-picks/best-phone-carrier
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