Which cell phone carrier has the best signal strength for cities and best overall tower coverage? (T-Mobile, Verizon)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am currently with sprint and the coverage here in DFW is very spotty and eradic. I heard that Verizon was better (including in rural areas) but they are a little too expensive for my taste. Who else could I go with for good coverage but cheaper than Verizon? BTW, I' am not looking to get a smartphone, just a regular cell phone.
There is no "one true best" carrier for everyone. Even if you ask "Who has the best coverage in (insert city here)", the answer varies wildly by person. Maybe you only get one bar inside your office building, but as I drive past on the street I get three. You would say coverage sucks in that area, while I would say it's fine.
My personal experience is that Verizon offers better coverage in the places I go. This is mostly rural PA, smaller cities like Harrisburg and Scranton, and the occasional big pond like Philly or NYC. At Lollapalooza I was getting about 20Mb/s down on LTE. I have no complaints about their service. For me and my needs, Sprint and AT&T are noticeably deficient, both in coverage and network performance. Haven't used T-Mobile in about ten years so I can't say much about them.
I am currently with sprint and the coverage here in DFW is very spotty and eradic. I heard that Verizon was better (including in rural areas) but they are a little too expensive for my taste. Who else could I go with for good coverage but cheaper than Verizon? BTW, I' am not looking to get a smartphone, just a regular cell phone.
If you like Verizon and want to try their 'coverage' then take a look at Page Plus Cellular dot com. This is a pre-paid service that leases Verizon facility. Rates are cheaper and includes national coverage. You might be able to carry over your current Sprint phone device. Both are CDMA.
I would only add that many years ago I did have Sprint in urban Dallas with no problems whatever. You might also take a look at Virgin Mobile USA. They lease Sprint service. VM requires the purchase of a VM phone. Most have moving parts, of which I'm not enamored.
Also, take a look at MetroPCS dot com. They will flash a phone for ten bucks.
Typically due to frequencies used, people on here have reported that Verizon and AT&T will get better indoor reception, while TMobile and Sprint can lack, but as has been said, this can vary depending on your area one way or the other.
You can have 20 homes on one block and varied reception for the same carrier. Across the US Verizon is the best but not the best in every location. As a whole it would be Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, and T-Mobile in that order but with roaming agreements it also can vary. Prepaid carriers roam on each others networks as well.
I've used the four major networks (sometimes using a pre-paid "burner" phone), and always keep coming back to Verizon. If you don't want to pay for their service, I don't know what to tell you, except to try the other three, or as others suggest, try Page Plus.
Apparently, Straight Talk Mobile (a joint venture between Trac Fone and Wal-Mart) uses Verizon as well, but only on their CDMA phones, which are not available in all areas. Most areasg use GSM networks from T-Mobile and AT&T, depending on the SIM they give you. (CDMA phones don't use a SIM, so if your Straight Talk phone has a SIM, it's not using Verizon.) I think your best bet to find a CDMA phone for Straight Talk would be to drive to a Wal-Mart in a rural area.
I am currently with sprint and the coverage here in DFW is very spotty and eradic. I heard that Verizon was better (including in rural areas) but they are a little too expensive for my taste. Who else could I go with for good coverage but cheaper than Verizon? BTW, I' am not looking to get a smartphone, just a regular cell phone.
Verizon is far and away the best coverage in most places and you can go to Wal*Mart and get a phone that works on Verizon's network for $45 a month unlimited text and talk. Welcome To Straight Talk
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
