Best Phone Coverage in Miami, FL: Cell Service in the Magic City

Miami is a hopping town with tons of culture, excellent cuisine, and a lot of tourists. This means networks are busy! Well known by the three major networks, there is serious coverage in Miami, FL. This article will discuss the best cell phone coverage in Miami, FL, and break down the top three carriers in the area. 

Whether you are moving down there or are simply dissatisfied with your current carrier, this article is here to answer all your questions. With our help, you can decide which new carrier is right for you. 

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

• Map of the fastest cell phone coverage in Miami, FL
• Local and national carriers that cover Miami, FL
• Frequently asked questions about phone coverage in Miami, FL

Phone Coverage in Miami, FL at a Glance

Lightning-Fast Data Speeds on Major Networks

Miami, FL, is a bustling city with just under 500,000 residents. As you can see in the coverage map, the city is pretty evenly covered, with T-Mobile taking the lead in the city’s fringes and then AT&T covering the entire region further inland. This separates those two carriers from Verizon. While Verizon has good coverage in the area, they’ve fallen behind the other two carriers in terms of the overall best cell phone coverage in Miami, FL. 

Let’s break down what the top three carriers in Miami, FL, bring to the table. 

Local and National Cell Phone Carriers in Miami, FL

The top three carriers in Miami, FL, are T-Mobile, AT&T, and Cricket Wireless. 

T-Mobile is your best option for cell phone coverage in Miami, FL. T-Mobile is the best because of its extensive 5G coverage in the area, with tremendous bandwidth and a strong network that’s able to withstand the high usage of Miami’s residents and tourists alike. AT&T’s network is a bit weaker in the city but their coverage of Miami’s suburbs and overall Florida coverage is excellent, making them a great pick if you are traveling throughout the state. 

The third carrier on our list is Cricket Wireless, a Mobile Virtual Network Operator. MVNOs 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. Cricket Wireless, fortunately, offers a pair of plans with unlimited high-speed data, but customers will experience more data slowdowns than AT&T’s customers. Data priority is most important in high-traffic cities Miami, FL, especially ones that see large gatherings for events or tourism throughout the year. 

#1 in Miami, FL: T-Mobile

Fastest 5G and 4G LTE in Miami, FL

T-Mobile has the best cell phone coverage in Miami, FL. Their 5G network is exceptionally strong in the area, maximizing the number of devices that can use high-speed data before anyone is slowed down. This makes every tier of their data better and better. Mobile data tiers are divided into these three categories:

1. At the top is priority data users. These are T-Mobile customers who get the fastest data possible. 
2. Tier two is basic data users. These T-Mobile customers have used all of their priority data and are now in danger of data slowdowns if the network becomes congested. 
3. The first users to receive data slowdowns are MVNO users. Cricket Wireless is an MVNO that uses AT&T’s network, and its customers will receive slowed-down data if the network ever shows signs of congestion. 

One of our favorite parts of T-Mobile’s cell phone plans is that their Essentials plan, the least expensive, comes with 50 GB of high-speed data. This means regardless of your plan, you will have some quantity of priority data each month. Fifty GB goes quickly if you have a multi-line account, but it lets you and the other people on your account see the differences when you have tier one and tier two data. While T-Mobile’s network evades congestion throughout the majority of Miami, FL, there are always certain spots that have above-average congestion. Many T-Mobile users find that they do not run into congestion using T-Mobile’s basic data plans. 

Price: Varies

Plan: T-Mobile offers three unlimited plans at various price points. While these plans are all very expensive, multi-line accounts save big. 

The biggest change between the plans, besides the price, is the amount of premium data your account receives. Premium data means you will receive high-speed data unless the network is flooded (think Marlin's stadium amount of people). If you want the highest chances of high-speed data in your day-to-day, and you notice congestion on their basic data, then premium data should be a priority. 

T-Mobile provides some of the best cell phone coverage in Miami, FL. Their network extends out to the beaches and provides beach-goers with high-speed data while they enjoy the weather and the waves. The next time you visit the Bayside Marketplace, you can rely on the network to keep you connected while you wander through isles of amazing stores. 

👍 What We Liked

• Large 5G Network. T-Mobile’s 5G coverage is second-to-none. They have long prioritized constructing their network, and their service has improved a lot over the years.  
• Premium Data. Starting their plans with 50 GBs is a great feature that neither of the other major networks has done. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

• Phone Deals. Be wary when you see awesome new customer deals at T-Mobile. They are usually only available if you select their most expensive cell phone plan. 
• Spotty Rural Coverage. While T-Mobile’s 5G network is excellent, it lacks the country-wide coverage that AT&T and Verizon share. If you remember the coverage map from the beginning of the article, AT&T’s coverage is better as you get into the rural areas surrounding Miami. 

#2 in Miami, FL: AT&T

Best Cell Phone Plan Range in Miami, FL

AT&T is just behind T-Mobile in providing the best cell phone coverage in Miami, FL. AT&T’s coverage is reliable and fast, with few dead spots or other slow zones throughout the city. Whether you are in Miami proper or are living in the ‘burbs, you can access your mobile network confidently, knowing that you are covered. Their 5G coverage is still a bit lacking throughout the city, but the spots you see on the coverage map are well covered by their 4G LTE network. 

Price: Varies

Plan: AT&T offers three unlimited plans at various price points. 

AT&T offers three unlimited plans. 

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

AT&T’s unlimited plans start at a high price point and become much more affordable with the addition of new lines. Multi-line savings are similar among the three major providers and are essential to avoid paying huge cell phone bills each month. These are the basic details of AT&T’s three cell phone plans: 

• 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.

This is a great trio of plans, with the hotspot data an excellent addition for those who can make use of it. While the unlimited premium data is great, the added cost of the 50 GB hotspot data will weigh on your cell phone bills unless you can make the most of it. We like to highlight the premium data as one of the biggest benefits of high-tier plans, but as you shop around for the best cell phone coverage in Miami, FL, make sure to see what the plans have to offer and decide which one is the best for you!

👍 What We Liked

• Reliable Network. Many customers report excellent high-speed data, even in the most tourist-heavy areas of the city like Little Havana and the Miami Zoo.  
• Hotspot Data. High-speed hotspot data can come in handy if you often find yourself out and about and need to access the web on a laptop or tablet. 

👎 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. Overall, prices at AT&T are challenging to pay without multi-line discounts. If you can, find some friends to take out an account together and enjoy serious savings. 

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#3 in Miami, FL: Cricket Wireless

Most Affordable Cell Phone Plans in Miami, FL

If you think that this coverage map looks familiar — You’re right! Cricket operates through AT&T’s mobile network, so you will receive the same coverage throughout Miami, FL, as you would with the major wireless carrier. This is an amazing way to receive the best cell phone coverage in Miami, FL, without paying the premium prices of AT&T’s network. The downside is that Cricket Wireless, as an MVNO, gets the most data slowdowns throughout the city, so AT&T’s customers receive high-speed data as often as possible. 

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 draws us to their service. Cricket is one of the more expensive MVNOs, but they provide unlimited high-speed data with their two more expensive plans, justifying the cost in our eyes. As they work on AT&T’s network, you can rest assured that Cricket’s service in Miami, FL is one of the best. 

Cricket’s two unlimited plans provide unlimited high-speed data, which is what separates them from the other AT&T MVNOs in our eyes. There are few MVNO data plans that offer the same. Make sure you read the fine print as you browse other MVNO deals. Lots of MVNO unlimited plans offer unlimited 3G data and a limited amount of high-speed data, taking them out of the running for high-data users. Most of these plans offer between 30 and 50 GB per month, which, while sizable, is not a lot if you use your phone on the mobile network every day. 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 month. 

👍 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 some of the best cell phone coverage in Miami, FL, to all its users. 

👎 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. 

Get to Know Your Local Carrier Options in Miami, FL

This article highlighted two of the three major wireless carriers, but rest assured that Verizon is another fantastic option for the best cell phone coverage in Miami, FL. Their 5G network, while not as reliable as T-Mobile’s, covers the majority of the state and outputs excellent connection. This article only delivered three cell providers, but many more are available if none of these seems like the right choice for you and your fellow account members. 

One of the biggest factors in choosing a carrier is whether you are a single-line account or a multi-line account. All of the options on this list benefit greatly from multi-line accounts, but many carriers have fantastic single-line deals. Two of our favorites are Tello Mobile and Visible Wireless. Neither offer multi-line savings but have great single-line pricing. Visible Wireless offers unlimited high-speed data for only $30 a month on Verizon’s network. Tello Mobile offers various low-data plans, perfect for those who don’t need to use much mobile data. 

FAQ: Your Questions About Cell Phone Coverage in Miami, FL, Answered

Which phone service has the best coverage in Miami, FL?

T-Mobile has the best cell phone coverage in Miami, FL, with its high-speed and very reliable network across the state. All three major networks are racing to keep up with cell phone usage, as each phone uses more and more bandwidth to stream. 

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What is the best cell phone carrier in South Florida?

AT&T has the best cell phone coverage in South Florida. Their network reaches the edges of South Florida, providing reliable coverage out to the beaches. 

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

While T-Mobile is the best overall, AT&T does exceptionally well in the state of Florida. They are almost as fast and reliable as T-Mobile, making AT&T a great choice for cell coverage in Miami, FL. If you want more specific data, we recommend checking out local coverage maps of the area and asking friends and family nearby about their cell phone coverage. 

What cell phone carrier truly has the best coverage?

AT&T and T-Mobile are equally fast and reliable in Miami, FL. That being said, there are plenty of areas where Verizon is best. 

TLDR; T-Mobile is your best bet for fast phone coverage in Miami, FL

Use really.com to compare! 

Miami, FL, offers many excellent options for solid cell phone coverage. With so many tourists venturing to Miami beaches, all three major wireless networks have upgraded their cell coverage. If you want more info about plans available in Miami, FL, you can compare carriers at Really.com to decide which phone carrier is best for you.