Best Cell Phone Coverage in Michigan

The Carrier with the Most Coverage in Michigan

If you want coverage in the most places in Michigan, what carrier is best?

The answer is simple: AT&T.

AT&T has the most coverage in Michigan. Its 4G LTE and 5G networks cover 88.9% of the state. 

You can further break AT&T's coverage down into areas with good, great, or poor reception.

Here's the full breakdown of AT&T coverage in Michigan:

• Total coverage area: 88.9%
• Great reception: 36.2%
• Good reception: 27%
• Poor reception: 25.7%
• No coverage: 11.1%

The network with the second best coverage in Michigan is Verizon. 

Verizon covers 78.2% of the state with its 4G LTE and 5G networks.

But how good is the quality of the coverage on Verizon?

Here are the full details of Verizon's coverage in Michigan:

• Total coverage area: 78.2%
• Great reception: 29.9%
• Good reception: 23.5%
• Poor reception: 24.8%
• No coverage: 21.8%

T-Mobile is the third best option in Michigan.

Its 4G LTE and 5G networks cover 68.6% of the state.

How good is the quality of coverage?

Here is how the quality of T-Mobile's coverage is broken down in Michigan:

• Total coverage area: 68.6%
• Great reception: 19.6%
• Good reception: 20.8%
• Poor reception: 28.2%
• No coverage: 31.4%

But how do AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile compare side-by-side in terms of overall coverage and reception quality in Michigan?

Use the comparison below to see how the three carriers stack up:

Cell Phone Coverage Comparison in Michigan

Best Cell Phone Plans in Michigan

Okay, now that you know the carrier with the best coverage and fastest data speeds in Michigan, what cell phone plan should you sign up for?

There are a few great options.

And some of them can save you a LOT of money.

But how?

It turns out that the big carriers, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, are known as MNOs, or mobile network operators. They build and operate their own networks by putting up cell towers, laying fiber optic cable, and purchasing spectrum licenses from the FCC.

The MNOs will also sell access to their networks to MVNOs.

What is an MVNO?

An MVNO, or mobile virtual network operator, is any carrier that does not own its own wireless network. Instead, these small carriers purchase network access from AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon.

Popular examples of MVNOs include Mint Mobile, Boost Mobile, and Visible.

Why is this important to you?

Understanding MVNOS is important because it means you can sign up for service on an MVNO and get the exact same coverage as one of the major carriers. Whichever major carrier the MVNO has an agreement with is the underlying network you will use for coverage.

MVNOs can also save you a LOT of money, too, because they have more affordable plans.

In addition to negotiating low wholesale rates for network access from the major carriers, MVNOs also use other cost-saving strategies such as operating online only to pass additional savings on to consumers.

Would you save money by signing up for an MVNO?

See for yourself by comparing some highlighted plan options on each of the major networks below: