Best Cell Phone Coverage and Carriers in Texas

Texas is the second largest state in America, meaning wireless carriers have much ground to cover. While the Lone Star State is home to many rural areas, there's outstanding signal strength all throughout.

Perhaps you're moving to Texas or looking for better coverage, but either way, you'll want the best service possible. To help you decide which carrier deserves your hard-earned cash, we've got an interactive coverage map to help you see signal strength in your area. All you have to do is punch in your address, and we do the rest.

Let's explore the best cell phone coverage in Texas so you can select the right wireless service. 

Cell phone coverage in Texas

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Texas is a huge state— nearly 800 miles wide, as Only In Your State reports. And it doesn't stop there: The Texas Capitol building is higher than the United States Capitol, and the Lone Star State claims the third-tallest Ferris wheel in America. 

Because of its sheer size, there's a lot of ground to span for cell towers. Luckily, all three major carriers—AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile—have reliable coverage in Texas. And, thankfully, Texas has many cell phone stores, so you can find a brick-and-mortar location near you.

Why it's important to pick the right coverage

We rely on our phones for nearly everything: calling, texting, streaming music, turn-by-turn navigation in the car, work, viewing restaurant menus...you get the picture. Thus, you need your mobile device to actually function. Without strong reception, you'll miss out on key cell phone functionality. And in such a big state, you don't want to mess with Texas's dead zones. It's important to pick the carrier with the strongest coverage in your area.

Best coverage in Texas by network

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AT&T has the widest network reach in Texas and takes the cake for the state's best 4G LTE network. Verizon's 4G LTE comes in second, and T-Mobile is in third for 4G coverage, but the Un-carrier dominates the 5G landscape above all other carriers.

You can check coverage near you by punching your address into our search tool. Alternatively, use our interactive coverage map below by selecting a network and zooming in on your neighborhood. 

Percentages give a great general sense of mobile connectivity, but specific coverage maps provide the full picture. Luckily, you don't have to visit each carrier's website to find this information—instead, you can use WhistleOut's interactive coverage maps below.

AT&T has the most reliable network coverage in Texas

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AT&T is a network stalwart, evident by its incredible 96.25% 4G LTE coverage area in Texas. That's more than Verizon, the nationwide leader in 4G. Whether you're in a city like San Antonio or off the beaten path, Big Blue gives you more bars in more places.

While its 5G nationwide network is still growing, there's a decent 44.86% AT&T 5G coverage in Texas. While this pales in comparison to T-Mobile, even that small presence beats Verizon’s 5G presence. You'll largely find AT&T 5G in Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, Waco, and Houston.

Best AT&T phone plan with reliable service 

Because of its strong coverage throughout all of Texas, AT&T is a terrific choice. Our favorite AT&T plan is its Premium 2.0 package, which affords unlimited talk, text, and high-speed data with a generous 100GB mobile hotspot allowance.

Alternatively, check out the best AT&T prepaid plans. Want to lower your bill? Grab some family members or friends and sign up for an AT&T family plan to enjoy multi-line savings. Or, if you need home internet, grab an AT&T bundle for cheaper monthly pricing.

Best phone plans on AT&T's network

One of the easiest ways to enjoy AT&T's awesome coverage in Texas without breaking the bank is by signing up with a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). An MVNO is a smaller carrier that doesn't own and operate its own cellular towers but instead piggybacks off of a major carrier. Generally, MVNOs provide the same great service at more affordable monthly prices.

Our favorite AT&T MVNO is Cricket Wireless. You'll have a choice between three unlimited plans. Cricket's top-shelf Unlimited offering sports a 50GB mobile hotspot allowance and perks like HBO Max with ads.

We also recommend Red Pocket, a mobile virtual network operator powered by AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. With unlimited plans as low as $30/month, you've got plenty of reasons to switch.

Popular plans on AT&T's network

Check out more awesome AT&T network plans below:

How good is Verizon's coverage in Texas?

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Verizon offers the best overall nationwide 4G LTE coverage spanning 71% of the United States. But in Texas, Verizon reaches an impressive 91.35% of the state. With its superb reach, Big Red provides reliable mobile connectivity. Whether you're in a metropolitan area like Austin or a more remote location, Verizon delivers great signal strength.  

While Verizon has an entire section of Texas missing from its 4G LTE coverage, probably due to topography, its overall statewide coverage remains strong. When it comes to 5G in Texas, Verizon reaches a paltry 10.27% of the state. But this isn't terribly surprising considering its measly 12% nationwide 5G footprint, which is well behind AT&T and T-Mobile.

That said, Verizon's 5G is blazing-fast where available, and Big Red is aggressively expanding its mobile network. You'll mostly see Verizon's 5G in Houston and Dallas, but expect it to pop up in more metropolitan areas as its network expands.

Best Verizon phone plan

Choosing Verizon as your carrier in Texas is a great choice because of its excellent 4G LTE signal strength. However, you'll want to pick the right plan. The best Verizon plan overall is Unlimited Plus which provides unlimited talk, text, and high-speed premium data along with a generous 30GB mobile hotspot allowance. You can even sign up for select discounted perks like streaming services.

For more choices, take a look at the best Verizon prepaid plans. While Big Red's plans can get pretty pricey, a Verizon family plan lets you add lines to save. Or, you can bundle cell phone and internet service for lower monthly bills.

Best phone plans on Verizon's network

Want the same rock-solid Verizon coverage at a fraction of the price? Consider one of the best Verizon MVNOs on the market. Our favorite cell phone plan on Verizon's network is Visible's Visible+ plan. You'll enjoy unlimited talk, text, data, and mobile hotspot (tethering data is capped at 10Mbps).

We also recommend US Mobile, a neat MVNO that gives you a choice of Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile's networks. Our suggestion is US Mobile's competitively-priced $44/month Unlimited Premium package which touts truly unlimited premium data and 50GB hotspot. But even its base Unlimited Starter plan gives you 70GB of data and 10GB hotspot.

Popular plans on Verizon's network

View more Verizon and Verizon MVNO plans below:

T-Mobile's 5G network beats AT&T and Verizon in Texas

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T-Mobile comes in last with its nationwide 4G LTE coverage and likewise falls short to Verizon and AT&T in Texas, reaching 74.53% of the state. T-Mobile is in third for 4G LTE coverage, which is the same as its nationwide ranking.

Nevertheless, the Un-carrier dominates the 5G landscape with its exceptional 64.94% 5G reach in the Lone Star State. And when traveling outside of Texas, you'll have superb 5G connectivity considering that T-Mobile spans a sizable 53% of the United States. That's lightyears ahead of Big Blue and Big Red.

Best T-Mobile phone plan

Going with The Un-carrier in Texas is a fantastic choice for widely-available 5G. But you'll need the right cell phone plan. Our favorite T-Mobile plan is its Experience More option, which offers unlimited talk, text, and premium data alongside a sizable 50GB mobile hotspot allocation.

For a good value alternative, consider one of the best T-Mobile prepaid plans. You can always lower your monthly bill by adding lines on one of the best T-Mobile family plans. Bundling T-Mobile phone and internet also lets you plunge prices.

Best phone plans on T-Mobile's network

Smaller carriers piggybacking off of T-Mobile's network give you a best-in-class 5G network at a fraction of the cost. Google Fi is one of our favorite T-Mobile MVNOs. Its top-tier unlimited plan features unlimited talk, text, and data. You'll also enjoy perks like YouTube Premium and 100GB of Google One cloud storage.

On a budget, Mint Mobile is a terrific choice with its unlimited plan as low as $30/month. That's an absolute steal for loads of data on the nation's best 5G network. Note, though, that you do need to prepay for three, six, or 12 months of service upfront. Still, if you've got the cash on hand, that's nearly unrivaled savings.

Popular plans on T-Mobile's network

Take a look at more terrific T-Mobile-powered plans below: