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Best Phone Coverage in McKenzie, TN: Cell Service in the Volunteer State

By
Kyle Reyes
September 15, 2023

Housing just over 5,000 people, McKenzie, TN, is a small county in a great state. McKenzie is about two hours from both Nashville and Memphis, making it a quaint place to live that’s far from any major city. This is a calm and low-key place to live. 

Image courtesy of the City of McKenzie, TN

Due to this, the three major carriers have not developed their networks here with as much rigor as they have in other states. Finding the best cell phone coverage in McKenzie, TN, is key to staying connected during your travels. This article will list the top three carriers for the best cell phone coverage in McKenzie, TN, what we like about each carrier, and how to decide which is best for you.  

Our research found that Visible Wireless, Cricket Wireless, and AT&T are the top three for best phone coverage in McKenzie, TN. This article features detailed information on the following: 

  • Map of the fastest cell phone coverage in McKenzie, TN
  • Local and national carriers that cover McKenzie, TN
  • Frequently asked questions about phone coverage in McKenzie, TN
Best Cell Phone Coverage in McKenzie, TN || Source

Phone Coverage in McKenzie, TN, at a Glance

Lightning-Fast Data Speeds on Major Networks

Tennessee is full of areas with high populations and a lot of people coming and going, but McKenzie is not one of those towns. McKenzie, TN, is a slow country town with friendly residents and a beautiful landscape. There are no 5G networks in McKenzie just yet, but the 4G LTE in the area is strong enough for the majority of your cell phone’s activities. Even though there are no 5G networks in the area, there are few reports of any congestion, making both major networks and MVNOs excellent options for getting the best cell phone coverage in McKenzie, TN. 

Coverage in McKenzie, TN, is a different equation than coverage in smaller, more populated cities and counties. Let’s jump into the best cell phone coverage in McKenzie, TN. 

Local and National Cell Phone Carriers in McKenzie, TN

The top three carriers in McKenzie, TN, are Visible Wireless, Cricket Wireless, and AT&T. 

Verizon’s network is the strongest in McKenzie, TN, closely followed by AT&T’s network. While 5G networks are not developed in the area, the 4G LTE coverage is very strong in and around McKenzie. When we say Verizon, we mean Verizon’s network. As a major wireless provider, Verizon, along with T-Mobile and AT&T, own their networks. They are in charge of maintenance and upgrades. Because of this, cell phone plans at major wireless networks give unlimited high-speed data and faster average data speeds for more money each month. 

This article, however, focuses on Mobile Virtual Network Operators or MVNOs. These companies rent their bandwidth from the big three networks to give their customers cheaper access to data. The two major downsides to MVNOs are that their plans offer limited high-speed data and lower data priority, meaning your data gets slowed down whenever bandwidth is strained. Data priority is most important in cities or areas where many people are gathered. Since that is rare in McKenzie, TN, some of the most significant downsides to MVNOs are non-problems. You can save big with MVNO plans, which we will discuss in this article. 

Let’s look at which of these carriers use the network that gives people in McKenzie, TN, the best phone coverage.

McKenzie, TN Coverage Map Visible || Source

#1 in McKenzie, TN: Visible Wireless 

Fastest 5G and 4G LTE in McKenzie, TN

Visible Wireless is our top pick to provide the best cell phone coverage in McKenzie, TN. Visible is one of the few MVNOs that provide unlimited high-speed data on its cell phone plans, making this an MVNO for high-data users. Visible uses Verizon’s network, which provides some of the best cell phone coverage in McKenzie, TN.

Visible’s unlimited high-speed data plans are a spectacular way for single-line high-data users to make the most of an MVNO. Let’s look at what Visible Wireless has to offer. 

Price: From just $30/month

Plan: Visible Wireless has two wireless plans. Each of them has unlimited high-speed data, an amazing feature of this MVNO. The two Visible Wireless phone plans are as follows:

  • $30 per month for Unlimited
  • $45 per month for Unlimited plus

Visible is great for any McKenzie, TN resident. The other MVNOs, while they have unlimited plans, do not offer unlimited high-speed data. Many MVNOs offer unlimited 3G data and a limited quantity of high-speed (5G or 4G LTE) data with each plan. They are often well-priced but only provide between 25 and 50 GB of high-speed data. Visible is the perfect plan for you if you use more than that each month. There is a striking difference between 3G and 4G LTE data speeds. On 4G LTE, you can do almost everything on a smartphone, barring HD streaming and mobile gaming. Websites take a bit longer to load, but it is only a few seconds. 

3G data speeds, on the other hand, let you do almost nothing on your device. As median data speeds grow, mobile app and UI developers have upped the amount of data needed to run many applications. We recommend high-speed data at all times, and Visible ensures that’s the case! 

Visible’s basic unlimited plan has high-speed data on Verizon’s 5G and 4G LTE networks but does not allow users on Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network. The regular MVNO rules apply with Visible’s unlimited plan, where your data will be slowed in times of high traffic in your area. The networks are not as strong in McKenzie, TN, as they are in more populated areas of the States, but we don’t think you will run into any data deprioritization as you travel throughout the county. 

One of the big benefits of major wireless networks is the priority data. Anytime there is stress on the bandwidth, the network owner will slow down all MVNO users. This frees up some bandwidth for their own customers to keep maximum speeds. In cities and other major population centers, networks often slow down their MVNO customers. In a rural county like McKenzie, that is far less frequent. You should have the same coverage and signal strength with VIsible as you would with Verizon. 

👍 What We Liked

  • Affordable Plans. The low price point of Visible’s unlimited plans is a huge draw for single-line users. 
  • Verizon’s Coverage. Verizon Wireless has great coverage in McKenzie, TN. While Verizon does not offer 5G coverage in the area, no network has that strong coverage in the area, either.  

👎 What We Didn’t Like

  • No family plans. There are no multi-line savings from Visible. Their plan is great on its own, but what you see is what you get. 
  • Data deprioritization. We do not expect your data to slow down due to deprioritization in McKenzie, TN, but you may find slowdowns if you travel the country. 

McKenzie, TN Coverage Map Cricket Wireless || Source

#2 in McKenzie, TN: Cricket Wireless

Best Cell Phone Plan Range in McKenzie, TN

Cricket Wireless uses AT&T’s mobile networks to provide the best cell phone coverage in McKenzie without you having to pay a premium cost for service. Cricket customers receive the same coverage throughout McKenzie as they would with AT&T, making Cricket Wireless an amazing way to receive the best cell phone coverage in McKenzie. 

Cricket Wireless, among MVNOs, is very similar to major wireless providers in their plans and the multi-line savings. Both Cricket and Visible offer unlimited high-speed data, but Cricket is best for multi-line accounts, and Visible is best for single-line accounts. Cricket also has a pair of limited-data plans, but the pricing on those is not amazing compared to the competition. Let’s check them out. 

Price: Varies

Plan: Cricket Wireless has four plans, two of which provide unlimited high-speed data and two that provide limited data. 

Cricket Wireless's four plans for one line are as follows:

  • Unlimited data + 15 GB Mobile Hotspot
  • Unlimited data
  • 10 GB data
  • 5 GB data

While the base pricing of Cricket’s plans is rather pricey, the company provides excellent multi-line savings. 

These multi-line savings are what really draw us to their service. Cricket is one of the more expensive MVNOs, but they offer plans that are most similar to what you see with a major wireless network. Thirty dollars for unlimited high-speed data with a three-cell phone account is an amazing price point. 

Cricket’s two unlimited plans provide unlimited high-speed data, which separates them from the other AT&T MVNOs in our eyes. Few MVNO data plans offer the same. 

We recommend unlimited high-speed data plans for all but the lowest-data users. As data speeds increase, so does your phone’s data consumption. It is all too easy to burn through any limited data allocation before the month is done, leaving you with slow, slow 3G data for the rest of the time. These unlimited plans are not meant for high-data users. If you are a high-data user (>50 GB a month), then unlimited high-speed data plans are your best option. 

👍 What We Liked

  • Multi-Line Savings. While the prices start high, multi-line accounts rack up serious savings. 
  • Reliable Network.  Cricket Wireless works on AT&T’s network, providing all its users with some of the best cell phone coverage in McKenzie, TN. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

  • High Starting Prices. The single-line pricing of Cricket plans is much higher than other MVNOs that provide similar amounts of data. 
  • Strange Pricing. The multi-line pricing on the two limited-data plans means low-data users cannot save as much as those on unlimited plans. 
AT&T Coverage Map McKenzie, TN || Source

#3 in McKenzie, TN: AT&T

Most affordable cell phone plans in McKenzie, TN

AT&T’s network provides some of the best cell phone coverage in McKenzie, TN, and is best for people who travel regularly. 

AT&T has excellent cell phone plans and network strength up and down the East Coast. AT&T offers basic and premium unlimited high-speed data. Their basic data is strong, and their premium data ensures you have maximum data speeds no matter where you are. You may not run into any congestion in McKenzie on MVNO data, but there is much more congestion in Memphis and Nashville. Let’s look at all of AT&T’s cell phone plans!

Price: Varies

Plan: AT&T offers three unlimited plans at various price points. Their price is comparable to the plans at Verizon. 

AT&T offers three unlimited plans. 

  • AT&T Unlimited Starter Plan
  • AT&T Unlimited Extra Plan
  • AT&T Unlimited Premium Plan

Like all major wireless networks, AT&T’s unlimited plans start at a high price point and become much more affordable with the addition of new lines. With three cell phone plans, AT&T has a basic plan with new bells and whistles, a medium plan, and a premium plan with many extras. 

  • AT&T’s starter plan has unlimited high-speed data with 3 GBs of high-speed hotspot data.  
  • AT&T’s extra plan comes with 50 GB of premium data and 15 GB of high-speed hotspot data. 
  • AT&T’s premium plan comes with unlimited premium data and 50 GB of high-speed hotspot data.

We recommend AT&T’s starter plan as a new customer (unless there is a great deal on a higher-tier plan) because it lets you see how the basic data work in your day-to-day activities. You will save a lot if you stick to their lowest-tier plan, but the bells and whistles of higher-tier plans are a great addition if you use them frequently. The 50 GB of high-speed hotspot data lets you spend a fair bit of time on the web on a personal computer. 

Unfortunately, AT&T limits streaming speeds on all but their premium cell phone plan. This makes their other plans imperfect for people who like to stream video when out and about. If you have a big commute to work and like to boot up your favorite Netflix shows or watch some TikTok, you will notice significantly less resolution than when you stream on WiFi. You can mitigate this by downloading shows in advance and trying to connect to WiFi whenever you can. 

👍 What We Liked

  • Large 5G Network.  AT&T has a great 5G network. AT&T is constantly working to improve its coverage and the speed of its network. While it does not yet cover McKenzie, it may extend its coverage there over the next few years. 
  • High-Speed Hotspot. Three GBs might not seem like a lot, but it is a great emergency pool in case you ever need to connect your laptop and there’s no WiFi in sight. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

  • SD Streaming. Cutting video streaming off at standard definition for the starter and the mid-tier plan is a tough sell for anyone who likes to stream video when on the move. 
  • Price. This is a common qualm with major wireless networks, but AT&T’s prices are steep. Overall, prices at major wireless networks are challenging to pay without multi-line discounts. Find some friends to take out an account together and enjoy serious savings if you can. 
T-Mobile Coverage in McKenzie, TN || Source

Get to Know Your Local Carrier Options in McKenzie, TN

We focused on AT&T and Verizon’s networks in this article, as they provide better coverage in and around McKenzie than T-Mobile at this time. We highlighted some of our favorites, but there are many options from which to choose. While we hope one of these three is the perfect fit for you, you can compare carriers at Really.com for more information.

Where’s your favorite place to go in McKenzie, TN? 

FAQ: Your Questions About Cell Phone Coverage in McKenzie, TN, Answered

Which phone service has the best coverage in Tennessee?

Verizon has the best coverage throughout Tennessee. 

How to determine which cell carrier has the best coverage in my area?

We recommend looking at local message boards and coverage maps to determine the best cell carrier in your area. While Verizon’s network is the best overall in the state, there are many locations where its network is weaker than the competition.

How do I find the strongest network in my area?

We recommend checking local coverage maps to determine the strongest network in your area. 

TLDR: Visible Wireless is your best bet for fast phone coverage in McKenzie, TN

Use really.com to compare! 

What’s your favorite place in McKenzie, TN? The best cell phone coverage is crucial to stay connected on your travels. We love MVNOs for McKenzie, TN residents, as there’s not a lot of congestion, and there is little 5G coverage to be had throughout the county. If you want more info about plans available in McKenzie, TN, you can compare carriers at Really.com to decide which phone carrier is best for you.

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Kyle Reyes
Kyles Reyes is a journalist from Pittsburgh, PA that specializes in the wireless industry, phone plan comparisons & advice.
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