Sprint vs Verizon Wireless Coverage in 2024: What You Need to Know
As a 20-year wireless industry veteran, I‘m often asked—which is better: Verizon or Sprint/T-Mobile coverage? With Sprint and T-Mobile having merged, this battle is more hotly contested than ever. Based on the latest expert testing data and network capabilities analysis, here are the key facts to help you decide.
Verizon Still Dominates Rural America
Recent testing from PCMag shows Verizon with LTE coverage for 83.2% of rural locations, compared to just 69.1% for Sprint/T-Mobile. Why does Verizon have such an advantage in the hinterlands?
| Network | Rural LTE Coverage |
|---|---|
| Verizon | 83.2% |
| Sprint/T-Mobile | 69.1% |
- Verizon holds nearly double the low-band spectrum of its rivals in rural areas, allowing signals to travel further and penetrate buildings better.
- Verizon has focused deployment on wider reach rather than just density. For rural users, that means better everyday reliability.
So while both networks are continually improving, Verizon maintains a commanding lead in the race to cover American farmland. Fringe areas off the interstates will see better everyday performance on Verizon—for now.
Neck-and-Neck in the Burbs
When it comes to the suburbs, Verizon and Sprint/T-Mobile are now essentially deadlocked. OpenSignal‘s latest testing found both carriers offer 96% LTE availability in suburban locales. Speeds are nearly identical as well, with Verizon at 33 Mbps down versus Sprint/T-Mobile at 34 Mbps down.
Latency is equally impressive on both networks—roughly 35ms. That means quick website loading and smooth video streaming, regardless of your carrier choice. Neither network has a distinct advantage in suburban settings at this point.
T-Mobile Dominates 5G Availability
While next-gen 5G is still rolling out, T-Mobile has a substantial head start thanks to its mid-band spectrum holdings. Mid-band offers a perfect blend of coverage breadth and speed.
T-Mobile‘s mid-band 5G already covers 85% of Americans while Verizon‘s ultra wideband mmWave 5G only reaches about 25%. Most phones can‘t even access Verizon‘s UWB network yet.
| Carrier | 5G Spectrum Used | % of Americans Covered |
|---|---|---|
| Verizon | mmWave | 25% |
| Sprint/T-Mobile | Mid-band | 85% |
So if accessing blistering 5G speeds today is key, T-Mobile is far ahead in next-gen deployment reach. But stay tuned—the 5G race is still in its infancy.
Plan Pricing Often Favors T-Mobile
In head-to-head plan comparisons, T-Mobile regularly undercuts Verizon, sometimes substantially. With Sprint customers having been merged under the T-Mobile billing system, plan options favoring heavy data usage are more plentiful and flexible at T-Mobile/Sprint.
For example, T-Mobile‘s Magenta Max plan offers truly unlimited data—including unlimited hotspot usage and full-speed international roaming for just $85/month with autopay. Verizon‘s closest equivalent clocks in at a whopping $180/month.
So T-Mobile subscribers often get better value along with competitive coverage. If you stream lots of video or use phone hotspots, check T-Mobile‘s pricing.
The Bottom Line
- Verizon still reigns supreme for rural users needing reliable everyday coverage.
- Suburban dwellers see equal performance on either network.
- T-Mobile has a substantial 5G availability lead thanks to mid-band spectrum.
- T-Mobile plans frequently offer heavy data users better bang-for-the-buck value.
Evaluate the carrier coverage for your areas of use before deciding. But it‘s clear both these wireless heavyweights deliver strong nationwide LTE with 5G upgrades coming. For most users nowadays, it‘s becoming more of an issue of plan pricing and 5G roadmaps rather than a decisive coverage advantage in rural areas.
