If you’re in search of a new cell phone plan, you may have come across T-Mobile.
T-Mobile is known for offering more affordable cell phone plans than the other two major carriers, Verizon and AT&T.
But, how does T-Mobile’s coverage hold up?
Will T-Mobile still give you service in the areas you need it? Or is it worth paying a few extra bucks to get a plan on one of the other networks?
In this article, we will explore T-Mobile’s coverage and compare it to the other major carriers to help you make an informed decision.
T-Mobile Coverage
T-Mobile is a mobile network operator, or MNO, which means it builds and operates its own network.
T-Mobile puts up towers, installs equipment, purchases spectrum licenses from the FCC, and develops its own LTE and 5G network cores to manage the back-end of the network.
T-Mobile also publishes its own coverage map.
But… let’s just say T-Mobile's self-published map can be a little overly optimistic.
On June 30th, 2022, the FCC collected signal strength data from the carriers to help create more accurate coverage maps.
The FCC made the data publicly available, so we used the data to create a custom map of T-Mobile's coverage.
We didn't just want to rely on the FCC data though. So, we created a crowd-sourced map of T-Mobile's network. The map is created from over 1.6 million speed tests submitted by real T-Mobile customers.
Check out both maps below:
T-Mobile Coverage Quick Stats
- Network: T-Mobile
- Total area covered: 35%
- Total square miles covered: 1,279,933
- 5G area covered: 26%
- 5G square miles covered: 910,378
The above data comes from the FCC, which collected data from all network operators on June 30th, 2022.
The FCC displays what percentage of area in the United States each carrier covers.
Currently, the network with the highest percentage of area covered is just 55%. This may seem lower than you would expect, but it’s because large areas of rural land where no one lives, like the vast wilderness of Alaska (17.5% of the land area of the United States) remain uncovered.
We calculate the total square miles covered by T-Mobile’s network by multiplying the percentage of area covered by the total area of the United States, which was reported as 3,805,927 by the United States Census Bureau.
What network does T-Mobile use?
T-Mobile uses their own 4G LTE and 5G networks to provide coverage.
T-Mobile 5G Coverage
T-Mobile is one of the leading providers when it comes to 5G coverage.
They cover about 26% of the United States land area with 5G.
According to T-Mobile, its 5G network covers 98% of the US population.
T-Mobile has been rapidly expanding and building out its 5G network since its acquisition of Sprint in 2020, and many people are seeing dramatic improvements in T-Mobile’s network since they last used it.
If you haven’t used T-Mobile in a while, it may be worth taking advantage of T-Mobile’s free trial offer to test the service in your area.
T-Mobile LTE Coverage
T-Mobile’s nationwide LTE network covers 99% of Americans.
T-Mobile vs. AT&T Coverage
T-Mobile coverage is a little bit worse than AT&T coverage.
AT&T covers more of the United States than T-Mobile, with 55% total coverage compared to 35% total coverage.
However, both providers have similar 5G footprints. T-Mobile 5G covers 26% of the area in the US with 5G, while AT&T’s 5G network covers 31%.
T-Mobile also has faster median download and upload speeds than AT&T, as reported by Ookla.
Both T-Mobile and AT&T will likely perform well in cities, but in more rural areas AT&T may be a better option.
You can check AT&T coverage in your area here.
T-Mobile vs. Verizon Coverage
T-Mobile’s coverage is a little bit worse than Verizon’s coverage.
T-Mobile covers 34% of the United States, while Verizon covers an impressive 55% of the United States.
That said, T-Mobile has more 5G coverage than Verizon does. T-Mobile boasts 26% 5G coverage compared, while Verizon only has 12% 5G coverage.
T-Mobile also has faster speeds than Verizon, getting median download speeds of 151 Mbps and median upload speeds of 12.5 Mbps.
Verizon got median speeds of just 69 Mbps down and 9.3 Mbps up.
Both carriers will likely provide adequate coverage in major cities, and T-Mobile will likely deliver faster speeds.
Verizon’s more expansive coverage footprint will likely come in handy outside of major cities, though.
You can check Verizon coverage in your area here.
T-Mobile Coverage by State
This data is from the FCC.
T-Mobile Data Speeds by State
This data comes from our crowd-sourced coverage map.
T-Mobile Coverage Frequently Asked Questions
Is T-Mobile coverage good?
Yes, T-Mobile has good coverage. Its 4G LTE network covers over 99% of Americans, and its 5G network covers 98% of Americans, so chances are you'll be covered.
Does T-Mobile offer 5G?
Yes. T-Mobile covers over 98% of the U.S. population with its nationwide 5G network.
Does T-Mobile have coverage in Canada?
T-Mobile has roaming agreements with carriers in Canada to provide talk, text, and data services Canada.
Does T-Mobile have coverage in Mexico?
T-Mobile has roaming agreements with carriers in Mexico to provide talk, text, and data services Canada.
Does T-Mobile have international coverage?
Yes, T-Mobile offers international coverage.
T-Mobile partners with carriers in over 215 different countries and territories to make sure T-Mobile customers have service.
International data is typically included for free, but international calls are around $0.25 per minute. See T-Mobile's website for more details about international rates and features.