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Best Phone Coverage in St. Louis, Missouri: Enter the Gateway Arch Into Great Cell Phone Coverage

By
Sara Nuss
August 19, 2023

There’s something about St. Louis, Missouri that is nothing like a lot of other cities within the United States. St. Louis is known for their fierce passion with their sports teams, the blues music scene, and the Gateway Arch that expands across the city. This city was given the name the ”Gateway to the West” because of the endless frontiers that lie past the city. 

Main image courtesy of Visit the USA.

No matter where you live, making sure that you have reliable cell phone service and coverage should be of utmost importance to you and your family. Ensuring that you can easily send text messages and make phone calls, and even surf the web or scrolling through social media efficiently with 5G data are important for any cell phone plan.

St. Louis, Missouri is a popular place to live, but knowing if you have the best cell phone coverage possible is crucial!

In this article, learn more about the following topics in St. Louis, Missouri:

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

Phone Coverage in St. Louis at a Glance

St. Louis is an incredible city that many people live and thrive in, but getting to know the best cell phone service and coverage and who offers it is crucial.

Out of Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile that are predominantly used in the area, Verizon has been rated the best for plenty of reasons. Verizon covers up to 100% of St. Louis with reliable service and coverage and they are also known for their 4G LTE and 5G range. They offer 99% 4G LTE and 76% 5G reliability throughout the city of St. Louis. 

AT&T is another popular mobile provider that is used throughout St. Louis and they are known for being neck and neck in terms of reliability and coverage. Covering 100% of St. Louis, you’ll efficiently be able to make phone calls and send text messages with ease. They also offer 100% 4G LTE and 97% 5G coverage for top notch speeds too. 

Another great option if you want a plan directly through a mobile provider is T-Mobile because of their lightning fast 5G speeds and coverage. They also cover up to 100% of St. Louis with exceptional call and text performance while providing some of the fastest 4G LTE and 5G data speeds. Customers can enjoy 96% 4G LTE and 99% 5G availability throughout St. Louis. 

It’s also important to consider the opinions of citizens who live in St. Louis and who they believe offers the best cell phone coverage. Many agree that Verizon Wireless and AT&T have the best options where dead zones are almost nonexistent. Verizon Wireless is known to work in many rural areas, while T-Mobile works at its best in the city itself. All have been stated to work well within the city, in the Metro-East, and even all throughout downtown. 

Local and National Cell Phone Carriers in St. Louis

Sometimes there is nothing more stressful than trying to manage a budget and cell phone plans ultimately play a role in this a lot of times. While you don’t want to give up your current plan, making a change with it can help you save money, and the best option is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO).

Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are the big named providers, such as Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and  T-Mobile who own their own network to give their customers the best service and 5G speeds possible. MVNOs share the network of a MNO to give their customers access to the best service and coverage possible in their area, but paying only a fraction of the cost. MVNOs can work all over the city of St. Louis, no matter if you’re visiting the Gateway Arch, or even at a St. Louis Cardinals game.

For example, AT&T and Verizon Wireless are carriers from Mobile Network Operators, which means they maintain their own networks. Credo Mobile, on the other hand, is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), which means they buy minutes from an MNO with extra capacity and resell under their own brand. In this case, Credo Mobile uses the power of Verizon Wireless’ network to provide reliable coverage at a lower price.

A common con to understand about any and all MVNOs is that they have the tendency to suffer from deprioritization. Deprioritization is where your service and 4G LTE or 5G speeds slow down significantly due to congestion during busy hours throughout the day. MNO customers do not experience a difference in their coverage or data speeds while MVNO ones do, but unlike MVNOs, they pay more for their cell phone plan and also have to sign a lengthy contract. 

Let’s take a look at which of these carriers use the network that gives people in St. Louis the most coverage.

Verizon 4G (Light Purple) and 5G (Dark Purple) Coverage in St. Louis, Missouri || Source

#1 in St. Louis: Verizon Wireless

Best for 4G LTE and 5G Range in St. Louis

When selecting a new cell phone plan, sometimes getting one directly through a particular MNO is your best bet because of the reliable cell phone service and coverage 24/7. If you decide to do this, Verizon Wireless is the best due to their wide 4G LTE and 5G range, and reliable call and text performance.

 

Features of a Verizon Wireless cell phone plan include:

  • Unlimited talk, text, and data
  • 4G LTE or 5G nationwide coverage
  • Unlimited mobile hotspot
  • Spam protection
  • Unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada
  • 24/7 access to customer service
  • Entertainment perks

Price: While a plan directly through Verizon Wireless may not be the cheapest option, it is the most reliable. For as little as $35 to $50 per month, you can choose a plan and make any of them family plans if needed.

Plan: Verizon Wireless offers three signature plans that all include unlimited talk, text, and data, but depending on the one you choose, it determines what types of entertainment perks you get. From streaming services, such as Apple Music to Disney+, or even a Walmart membership, there are many perks you can add to your plan, or ones that come with it.

👍 What We Liked

  • Verizon’s Network Coverage. For decades, Verizon Wireless has offered some of the best cell phone plans and their reliable service and coverage has been a hit inside major cities and outside too. 
  • 100% Unlimited Plans. All of Verizon Wireless’ cell phone plans are 100% unlimited where you get everything from talk, text, data no matter the plan that you choose and how many lines you need.

👎 What We Didn’t Like

  • More Expensive MNO. Verizon Wireless is known for being one of the most expensive MNOs to choose when signing up for a cell phone plan, which is why many people choose a cheaper option, such as an MVNO.
  • Pay More For Better Entertainment Perks. The more money that you spend on a Verizon Wireless cell phone plan, the more entertainment perks that you can get, such as streaming services, or even a Walmart membership. 
AT&T 4G (Light Purple) and 5G (Dark Purple) Coverage in St. Louis, Missouri || Source

#2 in St. Louis: Cricket Wireless (AT&T)

Best for Full Service MVNO in St. Louis

MVNOs are known for providing more affordable prices for people who are on a budget, and it’s the main reason why a lot of people switch from MNOs. Cricket Wireless is a popular option that uses AT&T’s reliable service and coverage and it’s a full-service MVNO that offers all of the basics that you need, plus more.

Features of a Cricket Wireless cell phone plan include:

  • Fast nationwide 5G coverage
  • High-speed data access
  • Unlimited talk, text, and picture messaging
  • HD voice and Wi-Fi calling
  • Cricket Call Defense to protect you from spam calls
  • Affordable Connectivity Program if you’re eligible
  • Mobile hotspot on most plans
  • HBO Max included in plan price
  • Cloud storage available
  • International calling to Canada and Mexico
  • International text to 37 countries
  • Save more money by adding more lines

Price: Even with using AT&T’s reliable network, Cricket Wireless is still able to provide its customers with some of the most affordable prices. For as little as $30 to $60 per month, you can get all of the essentials that you need, such as unlimited talk and text, and determine how much data is necessary for you and your family.

Plan: Cricket Wireless offers everything from set data allotment plans and even unlimited ones too. When it comes to set data allotment plans, you can select either 5GB or 10GB, or you can spend a little more money and get unlimited data with ultra fast speeds through AT&T’s network.

👍 What We Liked

  • AT&T’s Network Coverage. When it comes to choosing Cricket Wireless, it’s popular among individuals because it uses AT&T’s network that offers reliable call and text performance and great 5G coverage.
  • Full Service MVNO. Customers through Cricket Wireless can enjoy everything from unlimited talk, text, and even data while enjoying spam protection and other unique features. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

  • Poor Customer Service. Many customers that have a cell phone plan through Cricket Wireless have stated that they’re not satisfied with the customer service. This is widely due to it not having reliable answer times and issues not getting resolved fast enough.
  • Lack of a Cell Phone Selection. When signing up for a new cell phone plan, you may need a cell phone, but Cricket Wireless doesn’t have a wide selection. The main types of cell phones they offer are from Apple. 
T-Mobile 4G (Light Purple) and 5G (Dark Purple) Coverage in St. Louis, Missouri || Source

#3 in St. Louis: Ting Mobile (T-Mobile)

Best for its Affordability in St. Louis

Ting Mobile offers some of the most affordable cell phone plans and they also use T-Mobile’s ultra fast 5G speeds with reliable service and coverage. 

Features of a Ting Mobile cell phone plan include:

  • Unlimited talk and text on all plans
  • Set data allotment plans
  • T-Mobile’s fast network service and coverage
  • All plans except the Flex plan include an allowance of 4G LTE and 5G data
  • Once data cap is reached, high-speed data will slow down to 2GB for the remainder of the billing cycle
  • No hidden or extra fees
  • Mobile hotspot on all plans
  • No data overage charges
  • 2G data speeds after exceeding data allotment

Price: Ting Mobile offers some of the most affordable cell phone plans to many people where you can pay as little as $10 to $55 per month on the plan of your choice and depending on the features you need for it.

Plan: There are a few different options for cell phone plans through Ting Mobile where you can choose set data allotment plans, and even a pay-per-GB plan. The allotments range from 5GB, 12GB, 22GB, and 35GB, or you can pay $10 per month for a plan plus $5 for every GB that you use. It is important to note that there are no unlimited plans through Ting Mobile. 

👍 What We Liked

  • Affordable Prepaid Plans. Ting Mobile is an MVNO that has some of the most affordable cell phone plans out there for individuals who are on a tight budget. 
  • T-Mobile’s Reliable Network Coverage. T-Mobile’s service and coverage is used on every Ting Mobile plan where customers can enjoy their incredible 5G data speeds and coverage. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

  • Expensive Cell Phone Options. Ting Mobile offers cell phones to individuals who need one upon signing up for a cell phone plan, but they can be expensive due to making customers finance it for an extra fee on their monthly prepaid plan. 
  • No Truly Unlimited Plans. There are no unlimited data plans offered through Ting Mobile and once you reach your data cap, your speeds will slow down drastically. 
Verizon 4G (Light Purple) and 5G (Dark Purple) Coverage in St. Louis, Missouri || Source

Get to Know Your Local Carrier Options in St. Louis 

While you can get a cell phone plan through one of the most popular MNOs, such as Verizon Wireless, AT&T, or even T-Mobile, their plans tend to be more expensive, so here are the best MVNOs to get in St. Louis, Missouri:

  • Boost Mobile
  • Ting Mobile
  • Tello
  • US Mobile
  • Consumer Cellular
  • Red Pocket
  • Twigby
  • Good2Go Mobile
  • Pure Talk
  • Ultra Mobile
  • Straight Talk Wireless
  • Tracfone
  • Net10 Wireless
  • And more!
St. Louis, Missouri is a place full of passion for sports, tourist attractions, the blues music scene, and even great cell phone coverage. Image courtesy of Miss Tourist

FAQ: Your Questions About Cell Phone Coverage in St. Louis, Answered

It can be stressful getting the best cell phone plan for you and your family, so here are some frequently asked questions about coverage in St. Louis, Missouri to consider!

How to Determine the Best Cell Phone Coverage in My Area

Figuring out who has the best cell phone coverage in your area is much easier than you may think. All you need to do is pull up a coverage map and plug in your address where it will give you the mobile provider with the best cell phone coverage specifically where you live.

What Phone Carrier Truly Has the Best Coverage?

The fierce competition between Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile has been strong for many years, but Verizon has always seemed to have a slight edge compared to the other two. This is due to their wide 4G LTE and 5G range available virtually everywhere, and little dead zones even in rural areas.  

Who is Cheaper: Verizon Wireless or T-Mobile?

Many people oftentimes struggle with choosing between Verizon Wireless or T-Mobile and while Verizon is the better choice, T-Mobile is a cheaper option for customers. 

Verizon Wireless is your best bet for fast phone coverage in St. Louis, Missouri 

St. Louis, Missouri allows and has access to all three major MNOs throughout the United States, but Verizon Wireless offers everything you need when it comes to selecting the best plan for you and your family!

Figuring out which new cell phone plan is perfect for you and your family can be tough, so make sure to consider checking out Really for everything you need! With the help of Really, you can easily compare phone plans to stay within your budget and also learn who offers the best coverage in your area. You will also have the ability to sort plans by price, check the best value, and even click on plans they want to learn more about too. 

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Sara Nuss
Sara Nuss is a journalist from Pittsburgh, PA that specializes in wireless, dewi, phone plan advice & blockchain.
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