See how Sprint's coverage map compares to that of AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon and see if the carriers has decent coverage in your area. Sprint's network coverage is the fourth best of all the major US cellular networks. In other words, Sprint has the worst coverage in the country, behind Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T.
In five of six U.S. regions, Sprint
has the most network quality problems per 100 connections in terms of call, messaging and data services, J.D. Power says.
This Cellphone Carrier Has the Worst Network Quality, Customers
- T-Mobile: 863 out of 1,000 points.
- Verizon: 838.
- AT&T: 837.
- Sprint: 808.
For now, all customers will stay with the same Sprint and T-Mobile network and service they've been using. Sprint customers can now visit a T-Mobile store for service; most T-Mobile branded stores can now serve both Sprint and T-Mobile customers.
The good: T-Mobile's 4G LTE network covers 62% of the lower 48 states. T-Mobile has the second-best download experience, ahead of Verizon and Sprint. T-Mobile's service plans tend to be a bit more affordable than competitors like Verizon and AT&T.
The group of four major cell phone providers in the U.S. is known as the Big Four, and it includes Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint. Without question, Verizon's 4G LTE network has the best coverage, with 70% nationwide coverage, followed by AT&T with 68%, T-Mobile with 62%, and Sprint with 30%.
While we work on bringing everyone over to T-Mobile, Sprint customers can start enjoying T-Mobile Tuesdays and our expanded 5G network. For now, they'll still access their account, manage their plan, and pay their bills here. Qualifying plan and capable device required.
The bundling of a video streaming services with unlimited plans is a thing now—see AT&T with its free HBO, T-Mobile with its free Netflix—and Sprint has joined the party by offering Hulu to its Unlimited Freedom customers. This guide provides a rundown of Sprint's deal.
The merger deal's terms call for T-Mobile, the larger of the two companies, to effectively buy Sprint in an all-stock transaction valued at $26.5 billion.
Monthly price comparison
| Monthly price comparison | 1 line | 4 lines |
|---|
| *Restricted LTE data download speeds. **Prices include taxes and/or fees. |
|---|
| T-Mobile | $65 | $125 |
| AT&T | $75 | $180 |
| Verizon | $80 | $180 |
Short answer: yes. But not all carriers and not all your phone's features will work with every carrier. Cell phone carriers use two types of technology to connect your phone to their network: GSM and CDMA. Sprint phones use CDMA technology, which means they sometimes don't play as well with GSM networks.
We'll pay it off. Get a new phone and we'll pay off your current phone and service contracts – up to $650 per line or $350 in early termination fees, via virtual prepaid card and trade-in credit.
Overall, T-Mobile and Sprint today operate a total of 110,000 towers. If the merger is approved, the companies plan to shutter 35,000 towers and build 10,000 new towers, resulting in the end ownership of a total of 85,000 towers.
If all goes perfectly, Sprint and T-Mobile customers will gain access to a broader network on a par with the AT&T and Verizon networks in coverage and speed. It remains unclear whether customer support quality will get better or worse after the merger.
New York (CNN Business) Sprint was a storied American brand, but it is no longer. T-Mobile, which closed its $30 billion merger with the wireless carrier in April, officially retired the Sprint brand Monday.
We'll reimburse your remaining device balance and early termination fees, up to $650 per line—on up to 5 lines—via trade-in credit and virtual prepaid card. Limited time offer; subject to change. New financed or leased device, qualifying credit, port-in from eligible carriers, and qualifying service required.
If you still owe on your phone, you'll need to pay it off before you can go from one cell provider to another. You also want to make sure you will not have any termination fees. In some cases, your new carrier will cover these as part of a deal, but you'll want to check with both you old and new carrier to find out.
That's the $26 billion question. T-Mobile and Sprint promise a combined network that'll deliver better service at lower prices. They argue that their combined scale would help them build out a faster, more efficient network.
New and existing T-Mobile customers can score a free phone by adding a new line. There is one catch; to receive a free phone, a new voice line must be added to any of the carrier's postpaid voice plans. The phones are free thanks to the 24 monthly bill credits that are applied to each participating subscriber's account
Best Cheap Unlimited Cell Phone Plans 2021
| Plan | Data | Price |
|---|
| Mint Mobile Unlimited Plan | Unlimited Data (up to 35GB/month) | $30/month |
| Visible $40 Unlimited Plan | Unlimited Data (anytime deprioritization) | $40/month |
| Metro by T-Mobile $60 Unlimited | Unlimited Data (up to 35GB/month) | $120/month |
The best mobile networks in 2020
- EE: The best mobile network for 4G and 5G performance.
- iD Mobile: The best mobile network on a budget.
- Three: The best unlimited deals.
- Tesco Mobile: The best network for customer satisfaction.
- Giffgaff: The best for low-cost, high-data deals.
How good is Boost Mobile's performance? Boost Mobile uses Sprint's network, which means it doesn't have the best service (for now). Any phone on Boost Mobile's service gets about the same service as any phone on Sprint's service.
The best cheap cell phone plans under $40
- T-Mobile. The best cheap cell phone plan you can get right now.
- Metro by T-Mobile. The best discount carrier overall.
- Republic Wireless. Most flexible cheap cell phone plans.
- Visible. The most data for $40 a month.
- Mint Mobile.
- Boost Mobile.
- Google Fi.
- Consumer Cellular.
Which Are GSM? In the US, Sprint, Verizon, and US Cellular use CDMA. AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM. Most of the rest of the world uses GSM.
For many people, AT&T is the superior choice, thanks to its more reliable network, faster performance and better phone deals. However, T-Mobile offers less expensive unlimited plans and much better customer service. Both offer free streaming subscriptions when you opt for a more expensive plan.
- Our pick. Verizon Wireless. The best for most people. This is the most reliable network in most parts of the US.
- Also great. T-Mobile Magenta. More data for streaming and downloading.
- Also great. Consumer Cellular. Affordable multiple-line plans.
- Budget pick. Mint Mobile. A cheap prepaid option.
Boost was previously part of Sprint, which is now owned by T-Mobile. Dish also secured access to T-Mobile's network for seven years, allowing its subscribers to use T-Mobile's network while Dish builds out its own 5G service. Dish says the new Boost Mobile has more than 9 million subscribers.
Best value unlimited plans:
- Best deal: Metro by T-Mobile unlimited plan for $50 (runs on T-Mobile network)
- Alternative pick: Visible (runs on Verizon's 4G LTE network)
- Best offer: T-Mobile Magenta plan for $70.
- Alternative pick: Sprint Unlimited Basic plan for $60.
- Base plan: Verizon Start Unlimited plan for $70.
