I often get asked by family and friends some variation of "Which cell phone carrier is the best?" There‘s no one-size-fits-all answer. The big three networks – AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon – now deliver solid nationwide coverage with plenty of plan choice. Rather than blindly signing up for a logo, smart shoppers should weigh lifestyle habits against performance metrics and pricing.
This comprehensive 2023 carrier comparison guide will arm you with that knowledge. I analyze network speeds and reliability plus evaluate plan costs and special features. My goal is to help you become an informed wireless customer able to find the right fit. Comparison tables, real-world testing data and easy explanations of concepts like 5G aim to eliminate confusion.
Here‘s a preview of what we‘ll cover across AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless:
History – Major mergers and key tech milestones
Coverage Maps – 4G LTE and 5G building progress
Speed Tests – Real-world smartphone data performance
Plan Options – Single, family, prepaid and unlimited
Perks – Video streaming, hotspot data and travel
Customer Service – Ratings and commonly reported issues
Recommendations – Best carriers by usage factors
Let‘s dive in and start untangling one of life‘s persistent questions…who‘s got the best wireless?
A Brief History of the Top U.S. Wireless Carriers
We rely so heavily on our mobile devices today that it‘s hard to imagine enduring those early years of spotty connections and outrageous bills. Returning a bit back in time lets us appreciate how competition ultimately benefited consumers.
Cingular Becomes the New AT&T
AT&T dates all the way back to Alexander Graham Bell and the first telephone. Flash forward to 2000 when several Baby Bell regional holdings formed a joint venture known as Cingular Wireless. After fully acquiring their partner, Cingular‘s parent company SBC Communications rebranded as AT&T in 2007.
This set the stage for AT&T Mobility to emerge through several key acquisitions like Dobson Communications which bolstered rural presence. Hungry for more subscribers and spectrum, AT&T later unsuccessfully tried merging with fourth ranked T-Mobile.
Today AT&T continues investing tens of billions annually into network upgrades and additional spectrum purchases to expand 5G availability. As of early 2023 AT&T 5G reaches over 230 million Americans.
T-Mobile Shakes Up the Industry
T-Mobile US arrived as a relative small player in wireless launching regional digital networks in the early 2000s. But thanks to innovations like eliminating annual contracts and overage fees, T-Mobile steadily disrupted larger rivals. Their consumer-friendly "Un-carrier" branding cemented T-Mobile as a value leader.
After a failed 2011 merger attempt with AT&T, T-Mobile acquired smaller competitor MetroPCS in 2013 growing to all major U.S. markets. But T-Mobile‘s aspirations for closing the coverage and spectrum gap motivated pushing for the major Sprint merger finalized in 2020.
Gained mid-band spectrum supercharged the New T-Mobile 5G network now blanketing 290 million+ people – an undeniable asset.
Verizon‘s Spectrum Quest
Verizon Wireless emerged in 2000 from the merger of Bell Atlantic and Vodafone airing the first wide-area U.S. digital service. As smartphone adoption skyrocketed, Big Red cemented itself as the premium national carrier with emphasis on rural buildouts and industry-leading network investment.
Verizon was also first to successful 4G LTE and now 5G deployments, focusing heavily on super high frequency millimeter wave (mmWave). While Verizon‘s overall 5G availability today lags due to the immense costs of deploying mmWave, expect rapid partnerships enabling more targeted mid-band coverage too.
Bottom line, all three carriers now enable hundreds of millions of customers to reliably call, text, video chat and Internet browse on the go thanks to constantly evolving network tech. Now let‘s explore exactly how they each deliver mobile nirvana.
Coverage and Speed Performance
While it‘s easy to see "5G" logos and assume next-generation networking everywhere, in reality most current cell sites still broadcast good old 4G LTE signals. Customers continue relying on this mature technology for voice and reasonable data.
Think of 5G enhancements more like a bonus accelerating certain usage scenarios. Understanding how AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile leverage all available spectrum today paints a clearer picture.
Blanketing America in 4G LTE
Given the tremendous costs involved in running a nationwide wireless network, it‘s taken decades to erect enough cell towers broadcasting over licensed spectrum able to relay signals across all environments. 4G LTE became that enabling technology.
| Carrier | 4G LTE Coverage | Avg Download Speed |
|---|---|---|
| AT&T | 99% Americans | 66 Mbps |
| T-Mobile | 99% population | 59 Mbps |
| Verizon | 98% + 2.4 million sq miles more than AT&T | 76 Mbps |
LTE stands for Long Term Evolution. This 4th generation cellular communication standard transmits across many frequency bands below 6 GHz to practically blanket the country. Peak download speeds tip 150 Mbps with typical smartphone performance still impressively fast compared to old 3G networks.
You can think of 4G like a reliable highway transporting data to and from your apps and browser. All three carriers deliver an excellent LTE experience today. But as you see Verizon does edge ahead running performance tests.
The bottom line is regardless of your carrier, 4G LTE works wonderfully for existing smartphone uses like GPS, music, decent video streaming and web access. 5G aims to enhance not replace this key foundation.
5G Coverage Expansion
While hype outpaced reality the past few years, legitimate nation-wide 5G networks are now maturing quickly. But again, it helps to consider this a supplementary enhancement to existing 4G routes. Think adding express lanes to ensure smoother traffic flow thanks to greater overall capacity and speed limits.
| Carrier | 5G Coverage | 5G Download Speed | Spectrum Bands |
|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | 230 million Americans | 1 Gbps peak | Low/Mid/High |
| T-Mobile | 290 million+ | 400 Mbps avg | Low/Mid |
| Verizon | 230 million and growing | 3.4 Gbps peak | High-band mmWave |
Rather than a single technology, 5G more accurately captures a collection of engineering techniques combining advanced hardware and software at the emitter end. Carriers mainly focus on utilizing newly available swaths of wireless airwaves opened up by the FCC.
Sorting Through the Spectrum Soup
Low-band – Comprised of sub-1 GHz frequencies in the 600-850 MHz range historically used for analog TV broadcasts. While unable to carry ultra fast speeds, low-band travels several miles making it great for rural sites. AT&T and T-Mobile invested here.
Mid-band – Using previously unavailable bands from 1 GHz to 6 GHz, mid-band strikes an optimal balance between speed and reach. T-Mobile‘s treasure trove of 2.5 GHz spectrum acquired from Sprint makes its mid-band 5G shine countrywide. Verizon aims to add more mid-band coverage in coming years partnering with carriers auctioning off excess capacity.
High-band (mmWave) – This extremely high band spectrum above 24 GHz was previously unusable for mobile devices. But utilizing advanced antenna tech, mmWave now facilitates incredible speeds – think 1-3 Gbps! The compromise is range, topping out around 1,000 feet. Urban environments ripe with obstructions also hamper signals. Still, Verizon bets big here.
Weighing 5G Use Cases
Are blazing fast peak download speeds crucial for social media scrolling or Spotify streaming? Not really. But certain emerging usage scenarios truly benefit from the extra 5G lane.
Enhanced Mobile Broadband – Smoother 4K video streaming, multiplayer gaming, video conferencing and augmented reality apps.
Massive IoT – Supporting sensor fleets, logistics tracking, smart agriculture.
Ultra Reliable Low Latency – Remote precision medicine, autonomous vehicles, smart grid automation.
While T-Mobile boasts the widest 5G availability right now thanks to mid-band spectrum depth, Verizon‘s limited mmWave 5G footprint still manages 3x faster throughput speeds when near a node.
As 5G networks continue maturing over the next 3-5 years, expect more balancing between coast-to-coast coverage and gigabit peaks depending on use.
The bottom line is all three carriers now provide a baseline 5G experience with room for growth. Evaluate 5G service in your specific area to confirm availability from each provider.
Plan Breakdown: What‘s the Best Value?
While capable network coverage is table stakes for carriers nowadays, attracting and retaining subscribers still requires attractive phones deals bundles into monthly rate plan pricing. Let‘s explore what‘s available.
Major Plan Types
Today‘s rate plans largely embrace the unlimited data concept with a few tweaks regarding full speed data amounts before potential throttling kicks in. Video streaming can also face resolution downgrades. Beyond unlimited, metered shared data pools still resonate for some light users. Prepaid options also abound.
Unlimited – For $60-90/month when data buckets cause stress
Shared – Pool chunk of data across family for $35-50 per line
Prepaid – No contract flexibility with data from 5GB to unlimited
| Carrier | Cheapest Unlimited | Avg Family Pricing | Perks |
|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | Unlimited Starter $65/line |
$42/line for 4 | 10GB hotspot HBO Max possible |
| T-Mobile | Essentials $60/line |
$32/line for 4 | Netflix included 40GB high-speed hotspot |
| Verizon | Start Unlimited $70/line |
$45/line for 4 | Disney Bundle 15GB high-speed hotspot |
Comparing the nitty gritty details of plans and policies could fill a book. But focusing on these key factors should help match needs. As you see all carriers embrace unlimited data options both for individuals and for families wanting to save per line. T-Mobile regularly prices aggressive grabbing the value title.
Then carriers further differentiate by baking in streaming services and generous hotspot data to tempt subscribers. Verizon bundles Disney+ for life to appeal to families. AT&T only unlocks HBO Max on premium tiers.
Prepaid Value
Beyond postpaid, cost conscious consumers can tap decent prepaid options too.
- AT&T Prepaid – 5GB for $40/month
- T-Mobile Prepaid – $40 for 10GB
- Verizon Prepaid – $45 for 15GB
For the truly budget minded or mobile users with fairly light monthly data needs, prepaid plans with no contract commitment offer short term flexibility. Just know video streaming and hotspot allotments get axed lowest here. Prioritization can also tank at congested times versus postpaid subs. Still, inexpensive emergency backup connectivity makes prepaid serve a purpose for some.
The bottom line on wireless plan choice is prioritizing must have features like video streaming against the out the door monthly cost. Individual needs swing pricing winds between T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T. But unlimited data on 5G networks seems to resonate most in 2023.
Factoring Customer Service Reputation
Delivering reliable nationwide wireless connectivity seems easy until you consider the tremendous IT resources and personnel needed operating behind the scenes. Things can and sometimes do go wrong even with mature networks. So judging carriers on customer support diligence seems reasonable.
Ratings Snapshot
- AT&T – ACSI Rating: 70 out of 100 (OK)
- T-Mobile – ASCI Rating 71 out of 100 (OK)
- Verizon – ASCI Rating 73 out of 100 (Good)
Analyzing insurance giant ACSI along with other consumer survey firms in 2022, carrier satisfaction hovers in the average to good range overall. Let‘s peek at common pain points.
Technical Issue Resolution – Solving device connection problems, error messages or restoring interrupted service.
Billing Clarity – Eliminating confusing charges across multiple pages and systems.
Plan Change Policies – Paying transfer fees when switching service mid cycle.
While no carrier scores perfect on all fronts, Verizon does pull ahead matching premium pricing to better customer management. But don‘t assume subpar treatment elsewhere. Compare carrier forum commentary in your area.
The bottom line is investigating customer service reputation should rightfully influence your wireless carrier decision. Chances are network availability drives everything. But confirming support competence makes sense too.
Editor‘s Picks: Finding Your Carrier Match
Hopefully now rather than defaulting to a logo, you feel empowered to properly evaluate carriers against individual needs and budgets. Keep these key factors in mind:
Current Devices – Do you already own unlocked phones able to switch networks via SIM card swap? This vastly simplifies transferring service. Certain desirable models remain exclusive to carriers too.
Network Availability – Carefully weigh 4G LTE and 5G coverage right where you live, work and play most. Testing speeds across traveled routes also proves wise beyond marketing hype.
Plan Usage Factors – Consider realistic monthly data and video streaming needs for anyone connecting phones or tablets. Family or bundled pricing may better fit higher consumption.
Still unsure where to begin? Below I break down wireless carrier recommendations by few common profile examples. Your use case likely fits one.
Best 5G Performance – Verizon
If you demand max speeds today with some future proofing, Verizon Wireless rules. Their smaller high-bandwidth mmWave 5G footprint hits insane peaks despite less universal availability. Mobile pros Call of Duty gamers.
Best Nationwide 5G – T-Mobile
Travel wider across America without coverage gaps? Then ultra efficient T-Mobile 5G powered by broad mid-band spectrum is your pick. Performance suffices on capable devices with impressive capacity suitable for large crowds.
Best Family Value – T-Mobile
When tallying multiple lines of unlimited data across family members streaming and scrolling for hours, value leader T-Mobile shines. Their family pricing averages lowest for 4+ people even includingtaxes. And T-Mobile Tuesdays freebie giveaways sweeten pot. Thrifty families rejoice.
Best Premium Perks – Verizon
Seeking premium treatment plus access to best-in-class streaming services? Then highest scoring Verizon Wireless should fit your needs despite the upcharge. FiOS customers may appreciate further mobile bundle discounts too. Media moguls indulge.
Hopefully breaking down these major factors helps take the confusion out of choosing your next wireless carrier in 2023. Feel free to reach out if any other questions pop up! Coverage is always evolving.
