AT&T providing both 4G LTE and 5G network across the country. However, the 4G LTE and 5G coverage are not uniform compared to other service providers. In this article, we will take you through the coverage map of AT&T. Additionally; we will dig into its comparison compared to the other three carriers.
Steps To Check AT&T Coverage Map In Your Area
Are you pleased by AT&T’s service, and do you wish to know if they are available in your residence? Here is a step-by-step procedure for knowing the AT&T coverage map in your area.
- Open your preferred browser, Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Microsoft Edge, and browse the URL: att.com/maps/wireless-coverage.html.
- You will see a text field where you are required to provide your ZIP Code. Ensure the ZIP code you give is correct and matches the one for your state. Besides, you will see a map painted in different colors according to the coverage.
- If you want to view the AT&T 5G map coverage, kindly go to att.com/5g/coverage-map. This will give you an overview of how the 5G network covers your area. Kindly note that AT&T 5G network is not available in all states in the country. However, you can find it in more than 18,000 cities and towns inclusive.
How Accurate Is AT&T’s Coverage Map
AT&T has a 4G LTE coverage of 68%, making it second after Verizon by 2% and above T-Mobile by 6%. When you look at the map, you will see this coverage indicated; however, the coverage is an approximation. The maps you see represent only the outdoor coverage, so there may be variation when considering the actual coverage. However, the AT&T coverage variation does not differ much from the map coverage.
The maps you see results are from high-level approximation, which may be affected by several factors. These include the terrain, weather, buildings, and the gadget you are using, among other factors. You may find a place indicated as the area covered, but for example, it is not because of the terrain. Other areas may be receiving service because of affiliated carriers in the region. Sometimes the arrangements between these affiliated carriers may change, leading to coverage changes.
AT&T Coverage Area Can Compare
AT&T offers 4G, 5G, and 5G+ network services to customers across the country. However, the coverage is not uniform compared to its competitor. Here is a quick look at how these networks provided by AT&T compare with other carriers.
AT&T 4G LTE Network
Previously, we mentioned that AT&T is second after Verizon in terms of 4G LTE network coverage. The difference between the two carriers is 2%, as you will see below. This does not mean that AT&T has poor coverage regarding 4G LTE. The only strength that Verizon did and that has brought the difference is that they have invested more in rural areas coverage. Fortunately, AT&T has more extensive coverage than T-Mobile, with a difference of 6%, which is good coverage. It has excellent rural network coverage as compared to T-Mobile. Here is the breakdown of how the three are ranked in terms of coverage.
- Verizon is leading with 70% of 4G LTE coverage
- AT&T follows with 68% of 4G LTE coverage
- T-Mobile follows with 62% of LTE coverage.
AT&T 5G Network
As we have seen in the 4G LTE coverage, AT&T still comes second to the 5G coverage. However, this time round, it is second after T-Mobile, which has taken a mile to provide a 5G network across the country compared to other carriers. Verizon comes behind AT&T in terms of coverage, with more than half the coverage of the AT&T network. In the breakdown, you see T-Mobile leading with more than three times the coverage of Verizon. Here is the study of the carriers’ coverage:
- T-Mobile has 53.79% of 5G coverage.
- AT&T has 29.52 of 5G coverage.
- Verizon has 12.77 of 5G coverage.
AT&T 5G Plus
AT&T offers two types of 5G networks which are 5G and 5G+. The only difference between the two is that 5G plus has short ranges resulting in faster speeds than 5G networks. The AT&T plus is available in about 40 cities across the country. Some of these cities include:
- Louisville
- Charlotte, Raleigh
- Atlanta
- New Orleans
- Baltimore, Ocean City
- Detroit
- Chicago
- Indianapolis.
AT&T Best Coverage States
AT&T has the best coverage to cities compared to other carriers. Here is the coverage in cities on 4G LTE and 5G networks.
1. Leading states in terms of 4G LTE coverage
AT&T has good 4G LTE coverage compared to the 5G coverage across the country. There are states where you will find its strength is more than in other cities. As seen above, 4G LTE coverage for AT&T is 68% across the country. But this is the overall coverage approximation when summing up the cities with good coverage and others with minimal coverage. Here is the state coverage for 4G LTE, starting with leading states.
| State | Coverage in percentage (%) |
| Delaware | 99.99 |
| Indiana | 99.99 |
| Connecticut | 99.98 |
| South Carolina | 98.98 |
| Rhode Island | 98.95 |
2. Leading states in terms of 5G coverage
The AT&T 5 coverage is at 29.52 for the whole country. AT&T is rolling out the 5G network and ensuring it covers the entire country. Here is the percentage coverage by the states.
| State | Coverage in percentage (%) |
| Delaware | 82.65 |
| New Jersey | 80.22 |
| Maryland | 78.16 |
| Rhode Island | 75.36 |
| Ohio | 70.59 |
Where Does AT&T Not Have Coverage
AT&T has an approximation coverage of 32% of the areas that do not have the 4G LTE coverage and has almost 67% of the area without a 5G network. This means some states do not have AT&T network coverage. There are some states like Mississippi that do not have coverage for AT&T at all. If you want to know whether your state has AT&T, you can search at att.com/maps/wireless-coverage.html. The map has a key that you follow, indicating the areas without AT&T in a white square.
AT&T vs. Verizon Coverage Map
Both AT&T and Verizon have good 4G LTE coverage, but Verizon is ahead by 2%, as seen above. Verizon has 70% of the coverage compared to AT&T’s 68%. If you are using these two networks, one might get a good experience than the other, but they are both reliable.
There is a significant difference in the 5G coverage of the two carriers. AT&T has got coverage of 29.52% compared to Verizon coverage, which is 12.57%. Over the years, there has been a notifiable increment in AT&T 5G coverage. This makes it better when you compare it with other carriers. Here is a summary of the analysis of the two carriers:
| AT&T percentage coverage. | Verizon percentage coverage. | |
| 4G LTE | 68% | 70% |
| 5G coverage | 29.52% | 12.57%. |
The two carriers have excellent urban coverage, but Verizon has good coverage in rural areas.
AT&T vs. T-Mobile Coverage Map
AT&T has good coverage compared to T-Mobile in terms of 4G LTE coverage across the country. It beats T-Mobile by almost 6% to be the country’s position, two after Verizon with 68%, and T-Mobile with 62% comes third.
However, T-Mobile leads in 5G coverage across the country. AT&T has 29.52% coverage, while T-Mobile leads with 53.79% 5G coverage across the nation. However, plans are underway, and AT&T is laying its 5G network, which is believed to increase in the following years. Kindly note that the 3G network was phased out in the United States, and no carriers are using it. Here is the tabulation of the coverage in percentages.
| AT&T percentage coverage. | T-Mobile percentage coverage. | |
| 4G LTE | 68% | 62% |
| 5G coverage | 29.52% | 53.79%. |
AT&T vs. Sprint Coverage Map
AT&T’s 4G LTE network has good coverage compared to Sprint coverage. As seen above, AT&T has coverage of 4G LTE, which is more than 27% of Sprint’s coverage. This gives its customers an upper hand in connectivity when compared to Sprint users. The download and upload speeds for Sprint are far worse when compared to AT&T coverage. You will likely experience long delays when using Sprint compared to AT&T and other carriers.
Is AT&T Network Reliable
Yes, AT&T is a reliable network compared to some networks. AT&T coverage is ranked second overall in both 4G LTE and 5G. As said earlier, AT&T has 68% coverage for 4G LTE across the country and 29.52% for 5G coverage across the nation. It beats carriers like Sprint and Verizon, who have low 5G coverage. However, T-Mobile has good 5G coverage. Here are the strengths and weaknesses of the AT&T
Pros
- It has good coverage in the cities.
- It also has good rural coverage.
- It is second after Verizon in 4G LTE coverage.
- It has fast data speeds.
Cons
- Some places do not have coverage, e.g., Mississippi.
- The 5G coverage is low when you compare it with T-Mobile.
Check Which Network is Best in My Area
There are three ways that you can use to check the network available in your area. First, you can use your carrier coverage map to know if their services are available in your area. You can search att.com/maps/wireless-coverage.html to know if AT&T has coverage in your area. You can also contact your preferred location to know whether their services are available in your area. This might be a perfect way of knowing if their services are in your area or not. The last method you can use is third-party apps to check which network is available in your area. Some of these apps are OpenSignal and CellMapper.net, which use data from the users to show which towers are available in your area.
Update Your AT&T Cell Phone Towers
Most phones normally run updates background as long as you have an internet connection. However, this does not guarantee that your phone will have these updates running automatically. If your phone starts losing signal, it means your towers are not updated. Here is a process by which you can update them.
iPhone: procedure for updating towers is as follows
- Locate the Settings button located on the home screen.
- Touch or click on the section “General and About.”
- Locate by scrolling where you will see written “Update your Carrier Settings,” and update if any update is available. You are advised to wait until the update runs successfully.
Android phone: procedure for updating towers is as follows
- Open your phone and go to the Settings button on the home screen.
- Scroll down to where you will see written “About.” Locate the button labeled “Update Profile” if not, proceed to the next step.
- Tap on the System Updates, locate Update Profile and tap on it and wait until the updates run successfully. Your towers will now be updated.
FAQ
Do AT&T and T-Mobile Use the Same Towers?
AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM network technology to offer service to customers nationwide. Additionally, they use UMTS standards in their network technology. This allows them to share the data and voice traffic. However, each has its towers, but there were plans to have them share towers.
Does AT&T Still Have 3G and 4G Coverage?
AT&T offers 4G LTE coverage across the country, occupying about 68% of the country. Unfortunately, they phased off their 3G network operation on February 2022. The main agenda was to improve their connectivity and bring good network connectivity across the country. These saw the 3G network getting phased off and gave room for better networks.
Is AT&T CDMA or GSM?
AT&T uses GSM, also known as Global System for Mobile Communication technology, to offer services. Actually, GSM technology is preferred as one of the best technologies for carriers who provide wireless services. If your device supports GSM technology, then you get AT&T plans and start enjoying their benefits.
Is 5G Better than LTE?
Yes, 5G uses a different spectrum, making it faster and stronger when compared to LTE. The primary intention for 5G was to reduce the latency in the 4G LTE network and increase data speed. So, we can conclude that 5G is better than an LTE network.
What Phones will Not Work in 2023, AT&T?
The plan to improve the network connectivity has led to the phasing off of 3G connectivity. By February 2022, the 3G network was phased out, which translated to all devices using 3G ceasing their operation. So, if you are using a 3G-enabled phone, it will not operate after that time.
Who Has the Most 5G Coverage?
T-Mobile has the largest 5G coverage across the country, with more than 50% coverage of the country. AT&T comes second with nearly 30% coverage, and Verizon follows with 12.77% of countries coverage. US Cellular has a 5G network coverage of about 1.8% countrywide.
