Colorado‘s stunning mountain vistas, rolling plains and forests make it a popular destination for outdoor activities along with a growing tech hub drawing new residents. But enjoying reliable cell phone coverage statewide can be tricky given the terrain and population distribution. This guide dives into the major carrier options for individuals and families to evaluate in choosing the right Colorado cell phone plan based on coverage, speed, price and features offered in 2023.
Overview of Key Factors for Picking Phone Plans in CO
Choosing a carrier and plan involves comparing several key factors:
Statewide Reach: Does the provider offer strong signals and speeds where you live, work and play? Covering both rural and urban areas is important.
5G Availability: 5G brings much faster data speeds but rollout is still limited. Check carrier 5G maps for your areas.
Monthly Pricing: Compare monthly costs across plans and carriers, checking fine print for hidden fees.
Data Amounts: Evaluate your monthly data usage to pick unlimited or tiered data plans.
Family Discounts: Most carriers offer 25-50% off additional lines making family plans more affordable.
Reliability & Speeds: Beyond coverage reach, research consistent speed performance during congested and off-peak times.
Let‘s compare how the major carriers serving Colorado residents measure up across these key decision factors.
Evaluating Major Carriers Available in Colorado
Verizon
With peaks towering up to 14,000 feet plus vast wilderness across the state, Verizon earns its reputation as the carrier with the best overall statewide presence. An analysis of latest coverage data shows Verizon offering a signal to over 99% of Colorado‘s land area.
Parts of Eastern Colorado and a handful of mountain valleys see less reliable Verizon coverage currently. But for most rural regions and suburban neighborhoods, you‘ll enjoy a steady Verizon signal plus the fastest rural data speeds.
Verizon 5G is live in select areas of Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins and a few other cities. But robust and consistent 5G still trails availability from T-Mobile and AT&T. Where 5G isn‘t active, Verizon LTE speeds remain strong based on third-party testing.
Some top-rated Verizon plan options include:
- Start Unlimited – $35/month with four lines. Unlimited talk & text but no data included.
- Play More Unlimited – $80/month per line. Unlimited everything including 25GB high-speed data.
- Prepaid – $40/month for 15GB data plus unlimited talk & text.
AT&T
Right behind Verizon for statewide reach at over 98% of Colorado, AT&T leverages lower frequency spectrum to also cover most rural regions. Speed performance can lag Verizon but works fine for web browsing and streaming video outside large file downloads.
The good news is AT&T offers the most extensive 5G coverage right now in Colorado with over 50% statewide availability. You‘ll get a 5G signal across most larger cities and even reaching smaller mountain towns and rural interstates. This makes an unlimited AT&T plan a great futureproof choice.
Top AT&T unlimited plans include:
- Unlimited Starter – $35/month per line when you have 4+ lines. 5G access included.
- Unlimited Extra – $50/month per line for 4+ lines. 50GB high-speed data per line.
- Unlimited Elite – Truly unlimited premium data up to 100GB per line. $50/month for 4 lines.
You can also save on tiered data plans like the 5GB plan costing just $25 per month per user in a four line bundle.
T-Mobile
With Verizon holding the best overall statewide reach title and AT&T leading for 5G availability at this point, what makes T-Mobile compelling? The answer comes down to forward-thinking mid-band 5G spectrum being rapidly built out across Colorado‘s urban and suburban zones.
T-Mobile manages over 98% Colorado population coverage currently using a savvy mix of low and mid-band resources. They are aggressively expanding mid-band 5G delivering blazing fast speeds where active now in neighborhoods in Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins and more.
Standout T-Mobile plans include:
- Essentials – $100/month for 4 lines. Unlimited talk, text & data.
- Magenta – $140/month for 4 lines. Unlimited premium data plus Netflix Basic streaming.
- Magenta Max – $172/month for 4 lines. Truly unlimited data, 40GB SMHS and Netflix Standard.
For T-Mobile users in rural regions or traveling, LTE and low band 5G bolster coverage successfully to keep you connected outside major metros today. Mid-band 5G expansions will continue closing existing gaps.
So while no carrier is perfect statewide, hopefully breaking down Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile by regional strengths and plan options is helpful if you base where you live on what each offers.
Now let‘s cover some money-saving prepaid carriers and MVNOs that also leverage the big networks.
Prepaid Carrier Options for Colorado Cell Plans
Beyond the major postpaid unlimited plans, prepaid carriers offer big savings by delivering access to the same leading networks. Here are some top options for bargain hunters to consider:
Google Fi leverages T-Mobile, US Cellular and Three signal in Colorado to hit over 98% statewide users covered. Their $50 Unlimited Plus plan gives you unlimited talk, text, data plus 18GB of high-speed mobile hotspot access per line. If you don‘t need unlimited data, pay just $10/GB.
Visible utilizes Verizon‘s robust LTE and 5G networks to deliver unlimited everything for just $40 taxes and fees included each month. Speeds are capped at 200 Mbps downstream and 50 Mbps upstream with no mobile hotspot data. But heavy data users will love Visible.
Mint Mobile is an affordable way to tap into T-Mobile‘s fast 5G and LTE coverage for as little as $15 monthly when you pay for a year upfront. You get unlimited talk and text on every plan plus 4G/5G data amounts between 4GB and unlimited. Mobile hotspot data and HD streaming carry restrictions.
Metro by T-Mobile gives you access to the same great T-Mobile network starting at $40 monthly for a 10GB data plan or $60 for unlimited high-speed data. Taxes and fees are included and adding a second line drops prices to $25 per user monthly.
Key Things to Know About Cell Phone Service in Colorado
Beyond just coverage and pricing, be sure to consider a few other important factors when picking cellular service in Colorado:
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Study carrier coverage maps carefully for neighborhood level gaps many overlook initially.
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Contact carriers to have on-record verification of strong signals for your addresses where you live, work and play.
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Check carrier data speeds in different locations during peak and off-peak times based on your typical usage patterns. Real-world speeds vary widely.
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Take advantage of free signal boosters and in-home equipment offered by some carriers and plans to augment rural reception.
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Be realistic about your monthly data needs before committing to expensive unlimited data plans if you can manage with 6GB or less instead.
How to Determine the Best Plan Matching Your Needs
Comparing plans objectively matching what you want in a cell phone plan involves:
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Estimate your monthly data usage considering streaming, hotspot needs etc. to pick unlimited vs tiered data plans.
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Compare total monthly plan costs across carriers factoring in fees, taxes and potential discounts for multiple lines or prepaid plans paid in advance.
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Check carrier coverage maps at neighborhood levels where you live, work and frequent to ensure adequate reach. Don‘t assume ads tell the whole story.
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Test actual download and upload data speeds in key locations during peak usage evenings and weekends to get real-world performance metrics.
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Factor in any carrier incentives available exclusively for switching subscribers plus account perks like streaming services, roaming data amounts or hotspot allowances.
Getting the right plan for your location and usage ultimately requires going beyond vague ads to put in research effort. Arm yourself with the data plan details and performance metrics matching what you need to stay conveniently connected across Colorado‘s amazing landscapes and ever-growing urban zones. Reach out with any questions!
