Picking which of the cell phone companies would be best for you is no easy choice. With so many providers and mobile plans to choose from, you can’t just pick one without thinking about all your options. Are you looking for the most flexible cell phone plans? Do you want a wide selection of quality phones at affordable prices? Are you looking for a network with the best nationwide coverage? Indeed, there are a lot of questions to ask as you search for the best wireless carriers.
In reality, though, picking a carrier is all about trade-offs. There isn’t one network that trumps the rest of the competition in terms of price and performance. Thus, the best way to go about your search for a cell phone service provider is to know what you will use your phones for.
To further help you with narrowing down the choices, we’ve done a quick review of the top wireless carriers today.
AT&T
Solid network performance and fast speeds aren’t all that AT&T can offer. They’ve also made a reputation for offering the best phone selection, as well as excellent customer service. However, its complex cell phone plans can be a little too much to comprehend for the average person.
The Pros
- Great customer service. Going undercover to assess the customer support at AT&T only gave us one conclusion: their customer service has got you covered for any concern, topping the support provided at Verizon and Sprint.
- Extensive cell phone options. When you find Verizon’s phone choices are limited, you’ll be delighted of the extensive list of phones you can get with AT&T.
- Excellent 4G speeds. One thing that AT&T can boast about is their huge 4G LTE coverage, which makes it a close runner-up to Verizon in this aspect.
The Cons
- Limited low-data options. While the carrier has a one-month data rollover policy in place to help you step down to a lower-capacity plan, its plans offer no middle ground.
- Confusing access fees. Although AT&T has simplified its mobile selection, the per-device access fees it charges subscribers often differ depending on how you use data and how you bought your phone.
If you dislike the limited cell phone models you can get on Verizon, or find T-Mobile’s plans somewhat unappealing, your next best option may be AT&T. Nevertheless, surveys have shown that subscription to the network costs more than Verizon and its coverage is a step behind that of T-Mobile.
T-Mobile
A combination of budget-friendly features and aggressively priced phone plans make T-Mobile’s offers quite attractive to a lot of consumers. For starters, their music streaming won’t eat up your data and, they provide rollover data that adds up over 12 months. Strategies like these are exactly what catapulted T-Mobile to the top of many wireless carrier rankings.
The Pros
- Tempting perks. For just $50/month, you get features like BingeOn and Music Freedom that let you stream as much video and music as you want without taking a chunk off your monthly data cap.
- Attractive international travel plans. An excellent choice for frequent travelers, T-Mobile provides low-speed data roaming and free texting in most countries. And those moving to Mexico and Canada can now enjoy home rates of US subscribers, too!
- Competitively priced mobile data plans. Making a reputation for offering very cheap cell phone plans, the carrier remains a popular option among budget-conscious consumers that use up a lot of data.
- Solid network performance. While T-Mobile’s improving rural coverage still lags behind the other major wireless carriers, it has fared pretty well in terms of connectivity within cities.
The Cons
- Average customer support grade. While giving T-Mobile’s customer support a call isn’t a pain in the neck like with some networks, there isn’t anything outstanding about their service either.
- Average network speed outside cities. Compared to the connection speed offered by Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T in rural areas, T-Mobile remains a disappointment. We’re hoping it gets better as the telecom company rapidly expands its LTE.
If you live in or near major cities, T-Mobile could be a good choice. Not only do they offer excellent yet cheap deals, they also have good hardware selection and packages to offer to Android users and frequent flyers.
Sprint
For years, Sprint has been in hot pursuit of the top cell phone companies in the U.S. and their efforts are starting to pay off. Not only have they vastly improved their customer service, their tempting unlimited data plans have also made heads turn their way. Sadly, Sprint’s network speed leaves much to be desired and this may be the reason why the telecom brand continues to lag behind the competition.
The Pros
- Excellent data plans for individual users. The carrier is known for generosity, so even as Verizon and AT&T stopped offering unlimited data, Sprint continues to.
- Friendly customer service. Working out any kinks on your plan or bills is easy with Sprint, thanks largely to a very accommodating customer support team.
The Cons
- Restrictions on which unlocked phones can be used with Sprint. Due to CDMA network restrictions, users can’t just pair any cell phone to their Sprint mobile plans.
- Unimpressive network speed performance. The only major complaint a user may experience with Sprint is its network speeds and performance, which even finished behind lesser known wireless carriers outside the Big 4.
While Sprint’s efforts at improving their competitiveness against other major cell phone companies are beginning to show, a huge letdown is that its network speed continues to be its undoing. So unless your plan shopping on a tight budget, we recommend any of the other three top cell phone companies.
Verizon
In terms of network performance, Verizon continues to impress with its impressive 4G LTE speeds. They’ve also made good on their promise of having extensive network coverage nationwide. They fare well in the areas of customer service and are putting up very attractive mobile offers. In other words, they remain a tough contender among top cell phone companies in the country.
The Pros
- Attractive mobile plans for individual subscribers. Offering a dependable connection and a robust, yet only decent selection of smartphones, Verizon Wireless is a sensible choice for most people. And if you’re looking for a single-line phone plan, the odds are that Verizon is the way to go.
- Fastest 4G network performance among the Big 4. Thanks to its wide-reaching 4G LTE coverage, the carrier continues to impress with the most expansive connection in both rural and metropolitan areas.
- Extensive customer support. With the strength and accessibility of its phone and online support, Verizon’s customer service passes with flying colors.
The Cons
- Restrictions on the unlocked phones that can be used with Verizon. Customers planning to switch to Verizon can’t use their old phone as CDMA network puts restrictions on handset models.
- Access fees charge on all cell phone plans. A major complaint among subscribers is the fact that they have to pay extra for postpaid and prepaid plans.
Verizon is still the indisputable king of cell phone companies in America and it shows in their reliable connectivity and superb device selection. Such dependable service and superb offers will cost consumers more, however.
Frankly, knowing what cell phone carrier to go for is an exercise in patience. Just comparing the prices of various mobile phone plans from each of the top cell phone companies can be quite exhausting. However, the entire thing shouldn’t be that hard if you know exactly what you need from your mobile phone plan. Are you willing to pay for quality mobile phone experience? Go Verizon. Are you looking for a decent plan for a shoestring budget? Try T-Mobile. Finally, there’s the matter of coverage. If your current location has a stable connection for Sprint, it makes sense to subscribe to their phone plans. Meanwhile, if your Pokemon Go habits require steady 4G connectivity, AT&T has got your back.