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Local
Cellular Network Reviews
Expect
AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless to cover each state
with
adequate service, with local variations noted here.
NEBRASKA: Viaero Wireless is the rural coverage leader in Nebraska and northwestern Kansas. For a large part of both states, US Cellular is a top choice with only the panhandle of the state uncovered. AT&T has no service of their own in Nebraska other than around Omaha and in the Nebraska panhandle. T-Mobile provides almost no service in Nebraska outside of Omaha. NEVADA: There is a big difference between urban and rural Nevada cellular service. If you live in rural Nevada, you would do well with Choice Wireless in the western half of the state. NEW HAMPSHIRE: Our top choice in New Hampshire is US Cellular with a slight coverage advantage and consumer-friendly policies. However, US Cellular isn't available in the entire state. NEW JERSEY: AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile serve the majority of the state equally well. NEW MEXICO: Choice Wireless serves several rural areas and small towns in the state with good coverage and competitive plans. If you spend time in the Navajo Nation, Choice has the best broadband coverage but Cellular One of Northeast Arizona has the best overall coverage.  AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile serve the majority of the state equally well. NORTH CAROLINA: Look for US Cellular as the top choice in eastern North Carolina and around Ashville. In the western part of the state, Carolina West Wireless tries hard to serve their home market better than the others. Coverage in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is quite variable. Public records indicate good service near the entrances to the park but signals within the park are unrelaible. NORTH DAKOTA: Standing Rock Wireless has been built to serve the Standing Rock Reservation along the North and South Dakota border and even the major carriers admit Standing Rock serves the area better than anyone. OHIO: AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile serve the majority of the state equally well. OKLAHOMA: The area from I-35 eastward is served best by US Cellular with good coverage and a customer-friendly experience. The panhandle is also covered by PTCI. Oklahoma is one state that has several rural areas served with cellular from the local co-op telephone company. One of the most well-established of them is Bravado Wireless which has added more phones to their selection and simplified their plans after their name change. OREGON: US Cellular does a great job in rural areas and, if they're available near you, are a preferred choice. PENNSYLVANIA: Check out Blue Wireless if you live in north central Pennsylvania and the other carriers don't perform well where you live and travel. Another carrier across several counties of northern Pennsylvania is Indigo Wireless with excellent coverage and econmical plans if you don't mind a 3G-only network. PUERTO RICO: Claro leads with more coverage over the island than others with T-Mobile rates as a close second. Verizon does not serve Puerto Rico, but has some roaming available there with certain phone models. RHODE ISLAND: With more urban areas than other states, there is little difference among the Top 3. SOUTH CAROLINA: There's little difference among carriers in South Carolina. SOUTH DAKOTA Standing Rock Wireless has been built to serve the Standing Rock Reservation in the absense of the major carriers. Aberdeen, South Dakota has their own wireless carrier, NVC Wireless, which is worth checking out if you live there but their own coverage area is quite limited. TENNESSEE If you live close to Memphis and most of your travel is south into Mississippi, we heartily recommend that state's best carrier, C Spire Wireless which also serves much of western Tennessee. A little farther to the east, MobileNation serves a small part of rural Tennessee between Menphis and Nashville. Coverage in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is quite variable. Public records indicate good service near the entrances to the park but signals within the park are unreliable. TEXAS For a state as large as Texas, it's difficult to declare any carrier "The Best", but if we had to choose, it would be AT&T. Wichita Falls and surrounding areas are lucky to have US Cellular available, one of our top-rated carriers. West Central Wireless around the Hill Country is a good choice for both coverage and service. Tampnet provides cellular service in the Gulf of Mexico, however, AT&T and T-Mobile customers can roam on the Tampnet network. US VIRGIN ISLANDS: Viya Mobile provides very good wireless coverage. Verizon does not serve USVI, but has some roaming available there with certain phone models. Rural Utah north of I-70 is served best by Strata Networks whose superior network extends across the border into Wyoming and extreme northwest Colorado. Choice Wireless serves several rural areas and small towns across the south border of the state with good coverage and competitive plans. Utah is one of the few places with no coverage on significant sections of Interstate highways, including I-70 west of Green River and I-80 east of Salt Lake City. There are several popular national parks in Utah and some of them have good cellular service, however, that service is supplied from outside park boundaries and cannot be relied upon in areas inside each park. Also, a large percentage of Utah is covered by National Forest lands which generally do not permit cellular sites. VERMONT Our top choice in Vermont is US Cellular with a slight coverage advantage and consumer-friendly policies, however, US Cellular isn't available in the entire area.The VTel network is good for broadband in rural areas of the state (although, we haven't been able to verify that this is actually working). VIRGINIA US Cellular serves the western part of the state and is our preference over most others there. If you live along the Kentucky or West Virgina borders, check out Appalachian Wireless with some of the best coverage in those areas. WASHINGTON US Cellular does a great job in rural areas and, if they're available near you, are a preferred choice. Southeast Washington is well-served by Inland Cellular. US Cellular is a great choice for extensive coverage in West Virginia. Appalachian Wireless provides very good service along the Virgina border. WISCONSIN: About half of the state is covered by US Cellular and if they're in your neighborhood, we prefer them over almost all others. WYOMING Wyoming's own Union Wireless does a very good job, especially across the western half of the state. There are a few small carriers that do a respectable job locally, and may provide the best signal in some communities including Choice Wireless serving a few small towns with good coverage and competitive plans. Yellowstone National Park has coverage in several areas: near park entrances, at Yellowstone Lake, around Old Faithful and a few other locations, but service cannot be relied upon in many areas of the park. ► Go to States, A-M ► Back to the Top |
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