Best Phone Coverage in Van Nuys: Cell Service in the Los Angeles Area

The best phone coverage in Van Nuys, California, is divided among Verizon, AT&T, and Visible Wireless. Coverage in Van Nuys is excellent, with each carrier showing up big in their network development.  The three major networks all have serious coverage in the city, and their MVNOs provide affordable alternatives for cell phone users interested in saving on their cell phone bills. 

There are lots of plans, each providing a slightly different set of features and perks. In this article, we will dissect which carriers provide the best phone coverage in Van Nuys, CA, download speeds, reliability, and the best and worst of each of the top carriers. 

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

• Map of the fastest cell phone coverage in Van Nuys
• Local and national carriers that cover Van Nuys
• Frequently asked questions about phone coverage in Van Nuys

Phone Coverage in Van Nuys at a Glance

Lightning-Fast Data Speeds on Major Networks

Van Nuys is nestled right in San Fernando Valley, making it no surprise that the phone coverage in this area is excellent. All the major providers have laid down 4G LTE and 5G networks in the area that houses some of the biggest film studios in the United States. Our discussion of the best phone coverage in Van Nuys focuses on Verizon, AT&T, and Visible Wireless, as each company has great coverage in the area and excellent cell phone plans. 

Even with the new customer deals and multi-line savings, major wireless plans are quite expensive. MVNOs, companies that rent bandwidth from the major networks instead of building and maintaining one of their own, have affordable alternatives. Visible Wireless is one such MVNO, distinguished by its excellent unlimited data plan at the low price of $25 a month. Choosing a new carrier is difficult, so let’s discuss the best phone coverage in Van Nuys to help you decide!

Local and National Cell Phone Carriers in Van Nuys

The top three carriers in Van Nuys are Verizon, AT&T, and Visible Wireless. 

Verizon and AT&T are major wireless networks, meaning they own and operate their own infrastructure throughout the country. Visible Wireless, on the other hand, is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). MVNOs receive bandwidth leased from the major wireless networks and offer more affordable plans that often have high-speed data caps and the potential for deprioritized data in times of high bandwidth usage. 

Let’s look at which of these carriers provides the best phone coverage in Van Nuys.

#1 in Van Nuys: Verizon Wireless 

Fastest 5G and 4G LTE in Van Nuys

Verizon stands at number one in Van Nuys because of its 5G network’s speed. Verizon boasts the fastest speeds compared to the three networks in the United States, with max download speeds of over 100 Mbps. That is fast enough to do anything you wish on your mobile device. 

The downside is their lack of 5G coverage. In Van Nuys, you will not always receive their fastest coverage, but even the slower 5G network speeds give you a lot of flexibility to stream audio and video on the go. 

There are many gardens and parks throughout the city, making nature lovers feel right at home. Verizon covers you when you walk trails throughout the parks or set sail on the Los Angeles River. 

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

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. 

The unlimited premium data is worth the extra $15 a month if you want to guarantee the fastest speeds wherever you go. This is not as common in Van Nuys, but if you travel to the major population centers in California, you will find much more congestion. The big signs of upcoming congestion are anywhere that attracts tourists or travelers. Concerts, sporting events, and tourist spots are well known for attracting increased congestion in a given area. 

A few residents complain about Verizon coverage in Van Nuys, citing spots with bad coverage like Montara and Pescadero. 

👍 What We Liked

• Reliable Coverage. Verizon’s networks cover 100% of Van Nuys’s area, providing excellent service to all within the city. Signal strength may vary, but expect to have reliable coverage wherever you are. If you are on the Welcome Unlimited plan, expect to have full-speed data except in times of exceedingly high usage. 
• Family Plan Savings. Verizon's family plans to make up for its single-line costs. Be wary of opening up a Verizon line if you have no intention of starting a family plan. While Verizon offers no-contract plans, keep your eyes open for deals or other promotions that tie you to their company in one way or another. If you are stuck in a contract, then their family plans are extra important to save you money each month.  

👎 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 Van Nuys: AT&T 

Best Cell Phone Plan Range in Van Nuys, CA

AT&T is right up there with Verizon for the best phone coverage in Van Nuys. Verizon’s 5G network is a little faster, but AT&T has great cell phone plans. When you’re exploring Universal Studios Hollywood, you better believe your cell service from AT&T is firing on all cylinders. 

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, priced at $65/60/45/35/30
• AT&T Unlimited Extra Plan, priced at $75/65/50/40/35
• AT&T Unlimited Premium Plan, priced at $85/75/60/50/45

Like Verizon, 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.

AT&T’s premium plan also comes with UHD streaming, perfect for watching your favorite shows on the go. It does mean, however, that the other two plans available at AT&T only allow SD streaming when on mobile data. 

If you like to browse TikTok or stream your favorite show while taking the Community Shuttle to work, avoiding AT&T’s starter plans might be best. 

👍 What We Liked

• Large 5G Network. While not as large as T-Mobile’s network, AT&T has a great 5G network. It is fast and covers an impressive area of Van Nuys, and AT&T is constantly working to improve its coverage and the speed of its network. 
• Premium Data. While it is an unlikely occurrence, a surprise slow-down of your mobile service is quite vexing. The second-tier plan with 50 GBs of premium data works as a great bridge between their first and third plans. Be careful, however, because the 50 GBs are shared between every user, so it will go quickly.  

👎 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. If you can, find some friends to take out an account together and enjoy serious savings. 

#3 in Van Nuys: Visible

Most Affordable Cell Phone Plans in Van Nuys, CA

Last but not least is Visible Wireless, an MVNO that uses Verizon’s network. Visible opens up the possibility for users to experience Verizon’s fantastic network for a fraction of the cost, especially for single-line accounts. Visible is elevated to our favorite MVNO in Van Nuys because it offers unlimited high-speed data plans, unlike most MVNOs. Many unlimited plans at MVNOs offer a limited amount of high-speed data and unlimited low-speed data at 2G or 3G speeds. Running 3G speeds will barely update your maps when you’re heading to Costa Grande for some delicious tacos! 

For many high-data users, the 30-50 GB of high-speed data allocated per month is not enough. Many cell phone activities eat up data, turning your 30 GB data allocation inside out before you hit the halfway point of each month. 

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 Wireless offers two cell phone plans, each with unlimited high-speed data. 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. 

In Van Nuys, California, as long as there are no surprise conferences in the convention center, we believe you’ll be good to go. There are numerous complaints about Visible’s customer service and overall difficulties with the transfer process for new customers, but if you make it past any issues with the sign-up process, you will receive unlimited high-speed data on Verizon’s nationwide network for just $30 a month. That’s a pretty sweet deal. 

👍 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 Van Nuys. While there are reports of dead spots around the city, we expect you to receive excellent coverage while in Van Nuys.  

👎 What We Didn’t Like

• No family plans. There are no multi-line savings from Visible. Their plan is great on its own, but it starts to fall off the top tier if you compare it to the multi-line plans from some other MVNOs. 
• Data deprioritization. While this is true of all MVNOs, it is unfortunate that your data will slow whenever there is a high strain on the bandwidth in your area. There is no telling when your mobile data will slow, so it could never be a problem. 

T-Mobile Coverage in Van Nuys || Source

Get to Know Your Local Carrier Options in Van Nuys

While not included on this list, T-Mobile has an excellent presence in Van Nuys, and dozens of MVNOs operate on the three major networks, providing affordable and reliable coverage in the area. We highlighted Visible Wireless as our favorite MVNO, but if you aren’t too keen on using Verizon’s network, here is one awesome MVNO for each major network. 

Cricket Wireless is our pick for AT&T because they are another MVNO with an unlimited data plan without a cap, and it also has cheaper options for low-data users. Unfortunately, their unlimited data plan is very expensive, so you won’t see much savings compared to AT&T. 

Mint Mobile is our pick for T-Mobile MVNOs. They are known for affordable cell phone plans, but it is worth noting that their unlimited plan is not unlimited high-speed data. Mint’s unlimited plan comes with 35 GB of high-speed data before your data is throttled to 3G speeds. Mint Mobile’s plans are priced excellently relative to major networks, and their contract-based savings make it so anyone can enjoy their lowest possible prices if they are willing to sign a yearlong contract. 

FAQ: Your Questions About Cell Phone Coverage in Van Nuys, Answered

Which phone carrier has the most coverage?

Verizon has the most nationwide coverage and the best phone coverage in Van Nuys, CA. AT&T and T-Mobile are right behind Verizon in their nationwide coverage, and T-Mobile, notably, has the best 5G network in 2023. 

Who has the most 5G coverage?

In 2023, T-Mobile has the most 5G coverage. Every major network has impressive 5G coverage, but right now, T-Mobile is the best of the three, with AT&T coming in a close second and Verizon trailing in third place. While Verizon’s coverage is a bit lacking, they provide the fastest 5G speeds where it is available. 

Who has the best cell phone coverage in the Bay Area?

Verizon Wireless has the best phone coverage in Van Nuys and the greater Bay Area. 

TLDR: Verizon is your best bet for fast phone coverage in Van Nuys

Use really.com to compare! 

You have lots of options to find fast phone coverage in Van Nuys, but Verizon takes the cake with its reliable service, lightning-fast speeds, and loads of add-ons. In terms of MVNOs, Visible Wireless is at the top of the pack with its spectacular unlimited data plans. These and AT&T are our top three picks for the best phone coverage in Van Nuys. If you want more info about plans available in Van Nuys, compare carriers at Really.com to decide which phone carrier is best for you.