2017 RANKING & REVIEWS
TOP RANKING BEST CELL PHONE SERVICE
Who Are the Best Mobile Service Providers for Your Cell Phone Service
To many people, their cell phone is their life. This means choosing the absolute best cell service providers is one of the most important decisions you can make.
That is why we have created a 2017 cell phone service comparison to show you the best cell phone service providers this year.
Award Emblem: Top 6 Best Cell Phone Service Providers
In this list of the top cell phone service providers, you will see:
- Coverage maps from each of the top mobile service providers
- Plan price options from mobile phone service providers
- Bundle/family options from most of these cell phone service providers
- Any added benefits from each of these best mobile service providers
This information on mobile service providers will help you choose the absolute best cell phone service for your unique needs in 2017.
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AdvisoryHQ’s List of the Top 6 Best Cellphone Service Providers
List is sorted alphabetically (click any of the best cell phone service provider names below to go directly to the detailed review section for that best cell phone service):
Top 6 Best Mobile Service Providers | Brief Comparison & Ranking
Cell Phone Service Providers | Plan Cost Range for One Phone | Is Overage Possible? |
| AT&T | $50 – $155 | No |
| Cricket | $30 – $70 | No |
| Metro PCS | $30 – $60 | No |
| Sprint | $20 – $100 | No |
| T-Mobile | $40 – $70 | No |
| Verizon | $35 – $80 | No |
Table: Top 6 Best Cell Phone Service Options | Above list is sorted alphabetically
How Much Data Do You Need with Your Best Cell Phone Service?
As you will quickly see, one of the only differences among the best cellphone service providers is how much they charge for different amounts of optimized data.
Image source: Pexels
Many people are not sure how much data they need. They do not want too much and overpay for it, but they also do not want too little and run out of necessary LTE data.
The average person only uses 2GB to 3GB of data per month. If you stream a lot of movies or listen to music constantly, that data usage will go up significantly.
For example, streaming Netflix in standard definition is about 1 to 1 ratio. One hour of play is one gigabyte.
If you want to keep your data lower to give you the best cell phone service price from these best mobile service providers, only stream videos through Wi-Fi.
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AdvisoryHQ’s Selection Methodology
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Please click here “AdvisoryHQ’s Ranking Methodologies” for a detailed review of AdvisoryHQ’s selection methodologies for ranking top-rated credit cards, financial accounts, firms, products, and services.
Detailed Review – Top Ranking Best Cellphone Service Providers
Below, please find a detailed review of each mobile phone service provider on our list of top cell service providers. We have highlighted some of the factors that allowed these mobile phone service providers to score so highly in our selection ranking.
AT&T Review
First up on our list of best cellphone service providers is AT&T. Here is the voice coverage from this best cell phone service provider:
Image Source: AT&T
Here is the best cell phone service data coverage from AT&T:
Image Source: AT&T
AT&T’s plan structure is similar to what you will see for the other cell phone service providers on our cell phone service comparison with one exception. AT&T will charge differently depending upon what type of device you have.
Here is an example price for one regular smartphone:
- $50 a month for 1 GB
- $60 a month for 3GB
- $40 a month for 4GB
- $100 a month for 10GB
AT&T also has a family share cell phone service plan that includes unlimited talk and text and shared data. The prices for that shared data are:
- 3GB for $60
- 6GB for $80
- 10GB for $100
- 16GB for $110
Another reason AT&T is considered one of the best mobile service providers is that you have the ability to stream DIRECTV programming without using any of your data.
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Cricket Review
Next up on our list of top cell phone service providers is Cricket. This best cell phone service provider is owned by AT&T, so the coverage is the same. See coverage maps above for details.
As one of best cellphone service providers, Cricket has five plans to choose from. All of these cell phone service plans include unlimited talk and text nationwide. But there are differences when it comes to data and international use:
- 1 GB = $30 a month: 1 GB of data and no other features
- Basic = $40 a month; $35 with auto pay: 3 GB of data, eligible for group save discount
- Smart = $50 a month; $45 a month with auto pay: 8 GB of data, eligible for group save discount, unlimited international texting, data plus talk and text to and from Mexico, Canada, and the United States
- Pro = $60 a month; $55 with auto pay: 12 GB of data, eligible for group save discount, unlimited international texting, data plus talk and text to and from Mexico, Canada, and the United States
- Unlimited $70 a month; $65 with auto pay: Unlimited data, eligible for group save discount, unlimited international texting, data plus talk and text to and from Mexico, Canada, and the United States
Bundling deals are a common feature among the best mobile service providers, and Cricket has a nice option. Each new line that you add takes $10 off the mobile phone service bill. If you choose this option, though, you cannot use the auto pay discount.
This best cell service also offers “BridgePay,” the ability to break your bill into two periods with two payments.
Metro PCS Review
Let’s move on to the next best cellphone service providers: Metro PCS. This best cell service runs off the T-Mobile network, so look at the maps below for coverage. There is no annual contract.
Like many cell phone service providers, Metro PCS automatically makes talk and text unlimited. You will have to choose how much high-speed data you need for the month.
Here are the plan options you can choose from this best cell phone service provider:
- $30 for 1GB LTE Data
- $40 for 3GB LTE Data
- $50 for 8GB LTE Data
- $60 for Unlimited LTE Data
As one of the best cellphone service providers, any taxes or regulatory fees are included in the price of these mobile phone service plans.
All of these cell phone service plans come with Hotspot capabilities and Data Maximizer™. This service helps limit the amount of data you use when streaming videos.
To save even more money with this best cell phone service, Metro PCS offers a family plan for up to 5 family members. Each line that you add will bring a $5 a month savings.
Sprint Review
Sprint is the next of the big cell phone service providers with their own networks. As one of the best mobile service providers, their voice coverage looks like this:
Image Source: Sprint
And the data coverage from this cell phone service looks like this:
Image Source: Sprint
Just like the other mobile phone service providers, Sprint offers unlimited talk, unlimited text, and unlimited 2G data. What you pay for in these best cell phone service plans is higher LTE data:
- XS: $20 for 1 GB LTE Data
- S: $30 for 3 GB LTE Data
- M: $45 for 6GB LTE Data
- L: $60 for 12GB LTE Data
- XL: $80 for 24 GB LTE Data
- XXL: $100 for 40GB LTE Data
Sprint also has one of the best cell service unlimited plans. It often runs different promotions. Currently, they offer 5 lines for $90 a month. This best cell phone service provider also offers family shared data plans:
- 6GB for $45
- 12GB for $69
- 24GB for $80
- 40 GB for $100
All of these best cell phone service plan come with Sprint Global Roaming, which is unlimited text and unlimited 2G data in select countries.
Another reason Sprint is considered one of the best cellphone service providers is that they have a Direct 2 You program. You can get your new phone anywhere you want. They will deliver and transfer all you need from your old phone for $25 and tax.
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T-Mobile Review
Out of all the larger cell phone service providers, T-Mobile is doing something a little different with their cell phone service plans.
If you choose T-Mobile for the best cell phone service, you really only have three main options: pre-paid individual plans, pay-as-you-go, or Unlimited.
Their pre-paid individual cell phone service plans include unlimited talk and text. Your data options would be:
- $40 a month for 3GB LTE Data
- $50 a month for 5GB LTE Data
- $60 a month for 10GB LTE Data
As one of the rare cell service providers offering pay-as-you-go, Sprint’s plan works like this:
- You pay $3 a month, which gets you any combination of 30 talk minutes or 30 texts
- For any other minute or message you use, you pay 10 cents
- You can add $5 a day for 500MB of 4G LTE data
- You can add $10 a week for 1GB of 4G LTE data
Or you could choose their completely unlimited mobile phone service plan, which includes all taxes and fees. The prices listed are if you choose auto pay.
- $70 for one line
- $60 each for two lines
- $47 each for three lines
- $40 each for four lines
Since this is one of the best mobile service providers, it is vital to show you their nationwide coverage map:
Image Source: T-Mobile
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Verizon Review
The last of the best cellphone service providers for 2017 is Verizon. Known as one of the best mobile service providers for coverage, you will find the 4G LTE coverage for this best cell phone service below:
Image Source: Verizon
And here is the voice and messaging coverage for this best cell phone service provider:
Image Source: Verizon
Verizon’s plan options are similar to almost all of the other best mobile service providers. Talk, text, and low data speeds are unlimited. Here are the prices on this best cell service for the higher data speeds:
- S: 2GB for $35 a month + carryover data
- M: 4GB for $50 a month + carryover data
- L: 8GB for $70 a month + carryover data
Like others on this cell phone service comparison, Verizon offers unlimited plans as well:
- $80 a month for one line
- $70 each for two lines
- $54 each for three lines
- $45 each for 4 lines
Conclusion – Top 6 Cell Phone Service Providers
Now that you have the list of the best mobile service providers, here are the biggest points you can learn from our cell phone service comparison:
- When it comes to cell phone service providers offering unlimited plans, T-Mobile is cheaper than Verizon. Depending on what promotion Sprint is running at the time, it could be the cheapest.
- When it comes to smaller mobile phone service providers, Cricket is cheaper as long as you sign up for their auto pay.
- When it comes to individual plans for the big cell service providers, Sprint and T-Mobile are the cheapest.
- When it comes to the best cellphone service providers for shared family, Sprint is far cheaper than AT&T. The multi-line bundle deals for Cricket and Metro PSC are good, too.
The mobile service providers you choose for the best cell phone service for you depends on your needs. Any of these cell phone service providers may be the right choice for you in 2017.
AdvisoryHQ (AHQ) Disclaimer:
Reasonable efforts have been made by AdvisoryHQ to present accurate information, however all info is presented without warranty. Review AdvisoryHQ’s Terms for details. Also review each firm’s site for the most updated data, rates and info.
Note: Firms and products, including the one(s) reviewed above, may be AdvisoryHQ's affiliates. Click to view AdvisoryHQ's advertiser disclosures.
