T-Mobile offers the best 5G coverage in the country, ahead of fellow major carriers Verizon and AT&T. T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network, on the other hand, trails those same carriers in terms of nationwide reach. Here’s a snapshot of T-Mobile’s national coverage networks, in terms of area covered:
- T-Mobile 5G Network: 29% of the United States covered
- T-Mobile 4G LTE Network: 37% of the United States covered
These numbers only tell part of the story, however. In this article we’ll explore the ins and outs of T-Mobile’s 4G and 5G coverage maps, so you can figure out whether T-Mobile is the best choice for the places you work, live, and play.
T-Mobile 5G Coverage Map
T-Mobile wields the largest 5G coverage network in the country. If you’ve watched a NFL game recently, you’ve probably seen one of their commercials (with or without Patrick Mahomes) touting this 5G coverage.
T-Mobile’s big move into 5G began with its acquisition of Sprint in 2020, as the company merged that network with its own. T-Mobile’s 5G network consists of both slower, “Extended Range” 5G, and faster, “Ultra Capacity” 5G.
T-Mobile’s incredible investment into 5G has paid dividends, outdoing the likes of Verizon and AT&T’s 5G networks in terms of both reach (percentage of the U.S. covered) and speed (thanks to the company’s super-fast Ultra Capacity 5G network).
Here’s how T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon compare in terms of nationwide 5G reach:
- T-Mobile: 29%
- AT&T: 28%
- Verizon: 12%
What is Extended Range 5G?
T-Mobile’s Extended Range 5G offers broad coverage, spreading to many rural and remote areas throughout the country, thanks to low-band frequencies that can travel long distances and penetrate buildings better than higher frequencies. While Extended Range 5G speeds aren’t as fast as T-Mobile’s Ultra Capacity 5G, they still provide improved performance over 4G LTE.
What is Ultra Capacity 5G?
T-Mobile’s Ultra Capacity 5G (UC) is its high-speed offering, leveraging mid-band and millimeter-wave frequencies to deliver multi-gigabit speeds in select areas. Ultra Capacity 5G primarily serves metro areas and high-traffic locations, offering speeds up to 10 times faster than 4G LTE.
T-Mobile 4G Coverage Map
While T-Mobile rules that States when it comes to 5G coverage, the carrier’s 4G network is a slightly different story.
T-Mobile 4G coverage covers 37% of the country, which trails both Verizon and T-Mobile—instead of investing more in its 4G coverage, T-Mobile has opted to make a hard pivot to 5G. T-Mobile’s 4G coverage is generally best along both coasts, but somewhat less present in the mountain west and inland Pacific Northwest. Here’s how the three carriers compare in terms of 4G reach in the America:
- T-Mobile: 37%
- AT&T: 58%
- Verizon: 56%
Check out T-Mobile’s 4G coverage map below.
T-Mobile Coverage vs. Verizon vs. AT&T
When it comes to nationwide coverage superiority, it's really a three horse race between T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T. UScellular trails far behind these market leaders in terms of the overall reach of its 4G and 5G networks.
Here’s how the three carriers—along with UScellular—stack up:
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If you consider coverage an important factor in which carrier you go with for your next cell phone plan, Verizon and AT&T are probably safer bets than T-Mobile. However, if you live in an area where T-Mobile 5G coverage is present, going with them may actually get you the fastest cell phone data speeds.
T-Mobile International Coverage
T-Mobile’s coverage extends beyond the border of the United States into Canada and Mexico. Most T-Mobile subscribers can tap into this international coverage for free in both countries.
T-Mobile’s investment in towers in Mexico and Canada has been significant, and is ever-growing. Many American travelers who cross the borders report reliable coverage on their phones while visiting.
Beyond this, however, T-Mobile is generally regarded as one of the most travel-friendly cellular carriers. Take, for example, T-Mobile’s Go5G Plus. The plan includes all of the following international perks:
- Unlimited talk, text, and 15GB/month in Canada and Mexico
- WiFi and texting on flights where available
- Unlimited texting and 5GB/month of data in 215 countries
T-Mobile’s excellent travel perks, coupled with its expansion into Mexico and Canada, makes one of the best overall carriers for international coverage.
Prepaid Carriers on the T-Mobile Network
T-Mobile’s 4G and 5G network hosts a variety of smaller prepaid cell phone carriers that sublease space on it. That includes not only the company’s own Metro by T-Mobile, but other popular brands like Mint Mobile, Boost Mobile, and Google Fi. Here’s a more extensive list:
Carriers that use T-Mobile Network
- Metro by T-Mobile
- Google Fi
- Boost Mobile
- Straight Talk Wireless
- US Mobile
- Tello
- Consumer Cellular
- Ultra Mobile
- TextNow
- Red Pocket
It's important to note that these carriers’ reliance on subleased network space from T-Mobile can in some instances result in slightly inferior service. Major carriers tend to prioritize their customers ahead of those who use their networks via smaller carriers like Mint Mobile, at least in times of network congestion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does T-Mobile use Verizon towers?
No, T-Mobile does not use Verizon’s towers to provide cell phone coverage to its customers. T-Mobile owns and operates its own network of 4G and 5G cellular towers throughout the country.
Which is better for coverage, Verizon or T-Mobile?
T-Mobile offers better 5G coverage than Verizon, but inferior 4G coverage. T-Mobile is a great choice for coverage in urban areas, where its 5G network is strong and reliable.
Does T-Mobile have good coverage?
T-Mobile has good 5G coverage, better than Verizon and AT&T, in fact. However, the carrier’s 4G network trails its competitors in terms of nationwide reach.
