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iPhone Text Effects: Tips and Tricks
March 18, 2025
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You might assume Rhode Island’s small, densely-populated nature would make it fertile ground for good cell phone coverage, and you’d mostly be right. The state is home to generally excellent coverage from all three major networks, i.e. Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.
However, Rhode Island is also home to lots of coastline (400 miles) and bodies of water (20,749 acres), which can impede cell phone signals as they travel from cellular towers to phones. Thus, the overall coverage percentages skew slightly lower in Rhode Island than they do in other states.
That said, if you’re smart about choosing the carrier that best serves your area of Rhode Island, you should have no problem enjoying fast, reliable coverage. That’s where this article comes in: we’ll explain which carriers perform the best in the state, and show you how to use our interactive maps to check coverage in your specific town or region. Read on to learn about getting the best cell phone coverage in Rhode Island.
Table of contents
What We Like
- Verizon and AT&T both deliver the most 4G coverage in Rhode Island (66%)
- T-Mobile offers the most 5G coverage in Rhode Island (56%)
What We Don't Like
- Signal availability can be spotty along Rhode Island’s many waterways
- Verizon’s 5G coverage is expanding in Rhode Island, but is currently far less than what’s offered from competitors AT&T and T-Mobile
Verizon is tied with AT&T for delivering the most 4G coverage in Rhode Island. The carrier’s 5G network, meanwhile, offers decidedly less statewide coverage than the ones belonging to its competitors.
Verizon 4G Coverage in Rhode Island
Verizon’s 4G LTE network covers 66% of Rhode Island’s 1,214 square miles. To ensure Verizon covers your specific area of the state, zoom in using the map above.
Verizon 5G Coverage in Rhode Island
Verizon’s 5G network is a bit more limited in its reach in Rhode Island, covering a little over a quarter (26%) of the state.
That said, the carrier is actively expanding its network reach in Rhode Island, so you can expect this percentage—and the availability of the carrier’s fastest network speeds—to increase in the coming weeks and months.
AT&T delivers the most 4G coverage (tied with Verizon), and the second-most 5G coverage, in Rhode Island.
AT&T 4G Coverage in Rhode Island
AT&T’s 4G network covers 66% of Rhode Island’s 1,214 square miles. That’s a full 5% more coverage than runner-up T-Mobile.
AT&T 5G Coverage in Rhode Island
AT&T’s 5G network spreads across 44% of Rhode Island, with only a few isolated dead spots east of Warwick and North Kingston and around Charlestown.
Much of AT&T’s current 5G coverage is made up of the carrier’s so-called 5G+ spectrum, which delivers super-fast speeds, low latency times, and enhanced reliability.
T-Mobile serves up the most 5G coverage, and the third-most 4G coverage, in Rhode Island.
T-Mobile 4G Coverage in Rhode Island
T-Mobile’s 4G network spans 62% of Rhode Island, which is a bit less than frontrunners Verizon and AT&T (both cover 66% of the state). That said, your town may very well be covered by T-Mobile’s 4G—use the map above to find out.
T-Mobile 5G Coverage in Rhode Island
T-Mobile wields the best 5G network in Rhode Island, covering over half (56%) of the state. What’s more, a good portion of this 5G coverage is made up of the carrier’s 5G Ultra Capacity network, which delivers incredibly fast speeds for latency-free browsing, streaming, and gaming.
While we’ve outlined cell phone coverage from the three major U.S. cell phone carriers, it’s important to know that you aren’t limited to these companies if you need cell phone service in Rhode Island. A variety of smaller carriers, or MVNOs, also operate in the state, allowing you to sign up for equivalent plans, with similar coverage, for less than you’d otherwise pay.
All of these carriers lease from the aforementioned major carrier networks to provide coverage to their customers. If you’re signed up with Spectrum Mobile, for example, you’ll have access to Verizon coverage, since the carrier runs on that network. Here are some popular MVNOs, and the networks they operate on:
Boost Mobile
Metro by T-Mobile
Networks they use
Metro by T-Mobile
Networks they use
Optimum Mobile
Spectrum Mobile
Cox Mobile
Straight Talk
Networks they use
Cricket
Networks they use
Visible
Networks they use
Google Fi
Networks they use
Xfinity Mobile
Mint Mobile
Things to Know about Cell Phone Coverage
Cell Phone Coverage Speeds
When it comes to cell phone coverage, you don’t just need a cellular signal—you need that signal to provide adequate speed. That’s why it’s important to distinguish between 4G and 5G coverage in your area. In general, 5G provides faster speeds and greater reliability than 4G. However, that’s not always the case, as there may be instances when the speeds of these respective coverage types are actually quite similar.
How to Get the Best Cell Phone Coverage
There’s more to getting the best coverage than just signing up with the carrier that offers reliable service in the places you spend time. These include:
- Your phone: The newer and more cutting edge your device, the more likely you’ll be able to tap into the fastest speeds. Some older phones don’t have the built-in technology to connect to the fastest 5G bands, resulting in slower service. The newest 5G devices, like the Apple iPhone 16 or Samsung Galaxy S24 series don’t have this problem.
- Your software: It’s important to make sure your software is up to date, as an out-of-date operating system can translate to an inability to connect to the fastest network speeds.
- Your cell phone plan: Depending on the mobile plan you have, your data may experience deprioritization during times of network congestion. If this is consistently happening to you, it may be worth investigating whether you can sign up for a plan that includes more premium (i.e. un-deprioritized) data.
- Your location: Certain types of coverage, like high-band 5G, has difficulty penetrating solid materials, like concrete walls. As simple as it may sound, moving to an unobstructed location may help you connect to these fast networks more reliably.
Our methodology
We sourced our cell phone coverage metrics from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which collects data voluntarily submitted by the four major national carriers (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, UScellular). Read More
The FCC incorporates standardized propagation model assumptions into its data, and notes that a user’s actual experience may vary based on end-use factors like network congestion and terrain. Read Less
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best network in Rhode Island?
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AT&T and Verizon wield the best 4G networks in Rhode Island, while T-Mobile offers far and away the most 5G coverage in the state.
How do I find the best cell coverage in my area of Rhode Island?
To determine the best cell phone service in your area of Rhode Island, we recommend taking a look at our 4G and 5G coverage maps and zooming in to inspect your local area.
Is AT&T good in Rhode Island?
AT&T is an excellent choice in Rhode Island, since the carrier offers the most 4G coverage (tied with Verizon), and second-most 5G coverage (behind T-Mobile) in the state.
Learn More Network Coverage Maps
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