Best Phone Coverage in Phoenix, AZ: Cell Service in the Valley of the Sun

Phoenix is the capital of Arizona and a large city housing around 1.6 million people. There is a lot going on in this amazing city, and maneuvering around the city with the best cell phone coverage in Phoenix, AZ, is essential to make the most of your time in the town. 

We are here to help you find the best cell phone carrier in the area that provides you with all you need on a day-to-day basis. 

Our research found that Verizon Wireless, Visible Wireless, and T-Mobile are the top three for best phone coverage in Phoenix, AZ, overall. This article features detailed information on the following: 

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

Phone Coverage in Phoenix, AZ, at a Glance

Lightning-Fast Data Speeds on Major Networks

As a major metropolitan area, Phoenix has loads of residents and visitors moving through the city, all using their phones. Some stream music, others video. Some use maps, browse the web, or game. All of these users contribute to congestion within the city, meaning the three tiers of data priority really come into play. They are as follows:

• Priority One: People who have premium data on a major wireless network. These users have the highest data speeds at all times. If congestion gets serious enough (think Sun's game crowds), there are times when no one has high-speed data, but those times are few and far between. Priority one customers always have the fastest possible data.
• Priority Two: Customers with basic data on a major wireless network. These have the fastest data unless priority three is already slowed down and congestion remains.
• Priority Three: All MVNO users. These are the first users to receive data slowdowns at any time of congestion. 

There are a lot of great options to receive the best cell phone coverage in Phoenix, AZ, but Verizon has the crown for number one in the area. 

Local and National Cell Phone Carriers in Phoenix, AZ

The top three carriers in Phoenix, AZ, are Verizon Wireless, Visible Wireless, and T-Mobile. 

Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile are both major wireless providers. Major wireless providers are in charge of the maintenance and upgrades of their cell networks. Because of this, cell phone plans at companies like Verizon and T-Mobile give unlimited high-speed data and faster average data speeds for more money each month. 

Occupying number two spot on this list, however, is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator or MVNO. 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 a lot of people are gathered. Phoenix knows its fair share of congestion, so Visible Wireless, and other MVNOs, are great ways to save money as long as you are okay with data slowdowns every now and again. 

Let’s take a look at the best cell phone coverage in Phoenix, AZ.

#1 in Phoenix, AZ: Verizon Wireless

Fastest 5G and 4G LTE in Phoenix, AZ

Verizon’s network coverage and speed cement their number one spot. They are the network that provides the best cell phone coverage in Phoenix, AZ. While Verizon’s lightning-fast 5G network (download speeds upwards of 100 Mbps) is incredible, it is only available in select locations in the country. The dark red spots in the coverage map denote their most powerful 5G network, leaving a lot of areas with spotty coverage. Verizon’s network is amazing almost all the time. There are some problems along the ragged edges of their 5G networks, where 5G-compatible cell phones will stick to a weak 5G network rather than switching to a strong 4G LTE network.

While it is rather annoying, it only happens in a few areas in Phoenix, notably a few miles out of the city on back roads. Verizon outputs some of the best cell phone coverage in Phoenix, AZ, in the majority of the metro area and beyond. 

Price: Varies

Plan: Verizon offers a pair of unlimited plans. One has unlimited high-speed data, and the other has unlimited premium high-speed data.  

Verizon offers two unlimited plans. 

• Welcome Unlimited, priced at $65/55/40/30 a month per line
• Unlimited Plus, priced at $80/70/55/45 a month per line

While expensive, multi-line savings make these two plans much more affordable. On top of unlimited premium data, the unlimited plus comes with the following: 

• 30 GB mobile hotspot
• Device savings
• Price guarantee
• Premium data

Regardless of the number of lines, the unlimited plus plan is $15 more per line on your account. This is a lot, but the premium data comes in handy in spaces with high data usage. It is hard to gauge how important premium data is. There are many areas around Phoenix where Verizon’s network is strong enough to keep everyone using full-speed data, but you will absolutely notice any time your data is slowed down on basic data, and it is really annoying. 

If possible, we recommend starting on Verizon’s welcome unlimited plan and doing a little of your own experimentation over a few months. If you notice a lot of congestion in the areas you frequent, that might mean it is time for a switch to their more expensive plan to ensure maximum data speeds wherever you go. If it’s not a big deal, then you can enjoy the $15-a-month savings!

Alongside the base plans, Verizon offers a package of optional add-ons that each add $10 to your cell phone bill. The best part is that you can skip them entirely and stick to the base plan price, but if you find any Verizon add-ons you like, adding them to your plan always saves a few dollars on the service. 

👍 What We Liked

• 5G Ultra Wideband Coverage. When you have 5G data, it is incredible. There are some troubles with phone network priority, but Verizon’s 5G coverage is fantastic.  
• Family Plan Savings. Verizon single-line costs are crazy. We recommend finding friends and family to create a multi-line account and enjoy serious savings. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

• Price. Even though they have a strong network and provide services to make the price worthwhile, Verizon is very expensive. If you are planning to open a single-line plan, the best way to utilize Verizon’s amazing network is through an MVNO like Visible Wireless. 
• Customer Service. This appears to be a common trend among cell phone companies, but there are many negative experiences with Verizon’s customer service.

#2 in Phoenix, AZ: Visible Wireless

Most Affordable Cell Phone Plans in Phoenix, AZ

Visible Wireless is our favorite MVNO on Verizon’s network because it provides unlimited high-speed data for only $30 a month. Visible provides some of the best cell phone coverage in Phoenix, AZ. 

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 best for single-line high-data accounts. There are no multi-line discounts at Visible Wireless, so if you have more people on your account, the multi-line discounts available at other companies will lessen the savings from Visible Wireless. Other MVNOs are amazing in their own right, but they do not offer unlimited high-speed data.  This means most MVNOs are only good for low-data users, as they 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. 

While Visible’s plan offers unlimited high-speed data on Verizon’s 4G LTE and 5G networks, users are still the first to get slowed down in any time of congestion. Phoenix, with everyone moving through the city every day, sees a lot of congestion. In specific areas, however, congestion is hard to track because it could be really bad in Downtown and perfectly fine in West Acres. In a similar vein, it could be terrible in West Acres one day and completely fine throughout the next week. We recommend exploring during your months with Visible. Since Visible Wireless is contract-free, it means you can switch off if you ever find the congestion to be too annoying and inconvenient. 

👍 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 Phoenix. It is fast, reliable, and provides the best cell phone coverage in Phoenix, AZ.

👎 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. This is a big one in Phoenix, AZ. While Visible provides fantastic coverage, the data speeds vary a lot. 

#3 in Phoenix, AZ: T-Mobile

Best Cell Phone Plan Range in Phoenix, AZ

T-Mobile has amazing 5G coverage throughout the nation, but Verizon bests them for the best cell phone coverage in Phoenix, AZ, and around the state. The image above shows that T-Mobile’s 5G coverage is rather excellent in the city, but they leave significant swaths of the state devoid of 5G coverage for now. T-Mobile, along with Verizon and AT&T, plans to upgrade coverage and network strength all over the country in the coming years. 

While Verizon gives the best cell phone coverage in Phoenix, AZ, in 2023, T-Mobile is working to change that in the future!

Price: Varies

Plan: T-Mobile offers three unlimited plans at various price points. Like AT&T and Verizon, these plans are very expensive as the single-line plan and offer immense multi-line savings. 

T-Mobile is a great choice for cell phone coverage in Phoenix. The biggest difference between T-Mobile and Verizon in their unlimited plans is the premium data. Verizon has two cell phone plans, one with unlimited priority data and one with unlimited basic data. T-Mobile has three unlimited plans, and all of them have some priority data. Essentials has 50 GB, Go5G has 100 GB, and Go5G Plus has unlimited. The addition of priority data on the lower two tiers of plans is a great boon in Phoenix, as you start every month with premium data to ensure maximum speeds wherever you go. 

While T-Mobile’s network is amazing, it falls a bit behind the others in its ability to penetrate deep into buildings. You may notice spotty service inside highrises and other many-floored buildings. Outside of this, T-Mobile’s 5G network coverage means they can output lightning-fast coverage to many more devices than they could on 4G LTE, almost completely eliminating congestion problems in this city. Whenever T-Mobile’s network is congested, they start slowing down lines on MVNOs. T-Mobile basic data is almost never slowed down in Phoenix, making Essentials a great pick for multi-line plans. 

Out of the three major wireless networks, T-Mobile’s has improved the most over the past couple of years. With its 5G network, users have fast and reliable data. Thousands of people throughout the city can stream and access the internet with no congestion on either T-Mobile data plan. 

👍 What We Liked

• Large 5G Network. T-Mobile has the best 5G coverage in the United States. This high-speed data lets you stream HD video and audio with little to no buffering as you travel through the city. 
• Premium Data. While it is an unlikely occurrence, a surprise slow-down of your mobile service is quite vexing. We really like that T-Mobile offers 50 GB of premium data on their least expensive plan. They are the only major wireless network to do so. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

• Phone Deals. T-Mobile’s phone deals, which you may have seen recently, are locked behind their most expensive cell phone plan. Only accept one of their new customer deals if you know it will save you money in the long run or if you want to open an account on their Go5G Plus cell phone plan. 
• Price. This is a common qualm with major wireless networks, but T-Mobile’s prices are steep without multi-line discounts. 

Get to Know Your Local Carrier Options in Phoenix, AZ

While we did not include AT&T on this list, they are another great option for cell phone coverage in Phoenix, AZ. AT&T has a tremendous nationwide network, just like Verizon and T-Mobile. It all comes down to who provides the best cell phone coverage in your local area. 

We mentioned one amazing MVNO in this top three, but there are tons of MVNOs out there from which to choose. Two others we love are Mint Mobile (on T-Mobile’s network) and Tello Mobile (on Verizon’s network. Neither of these MVNOs offer unlimited high-speed data, making them better suited for low-data users. In a city like Phoenix, there are tons of WiFi zones that spread throughout the city, so if you are careful with your data usage and download what you can in advance, these two MVNOs are a fantastic way to save while enjoying the best cell phone coverage in Phoenix, AZ. 

There’s a lot of desert in Phoenix, AZ! The best phone coverage keeps your data strong as you venture into the wilderness. 

FAQ: Your Questions About Cell Phone Coverage in Phoenix, AZ, Answered

Is Verizon or AT&T better in Phoenix, AZ?

Verizon provides some of the best cell phone coverage in Phoenix, AZ. It is better than AT&T’s network in the area. 

How do I find the best phone coverage in my area?

You can find the best phone coverage in your area by checking local coverage maps. While Verizon provides the best cell phone coverage in Phoenix, AZ, there are other areas in the state where T-Mobile or AT&T provides the finest coverage.

Is Verizon or T-Mobile better in Arizona? 

Both carriers have areas where they excel in Arizona. While Verizon provides the best cell phone in Phoenix, AZ, T-Mobile is a better choice in Wickenburg. 

TLDR; Verizon is your best bet for fast phone coverage in Phoenix, AZ

Use really.com to compare! 

Verizon provides the best cell phone coverage in Phoenix, AZ, with T-Mobile right behind in terms of coverage. If you want more info about plans available in Phoenix, AZ, you can compare carriers at Really.com to decide which phone carrier is best for you.