Best Cheap Phone Plans for August 2024

Know where you live and which provider is active on which networks

To get the best deal, make sure you have the coverage you need. Cutting costs won’t help if it means the service doesn’t work for you.

The complex geographic variables of the U.S. make it difficult to make a blanket recommendation for a particular carrier. T-Mobile’s service in New York may be excellent, but if you live in rural Iowa, Verizon may be more reliable.

While your experience may vary, the good news is that these networks are constantly growing and improving, especially as the big three players continue the race to blanket the US with 5G. It’s entirely possible that you left a network a decade ago complaining about its limited service, only to find that it’s been bolstered by that race to win customers.

If you know friends or family members in your area who are already using the carrier you’re considering, ask about their experiences. You can also visit a carrier’s store and see if they offer any free ways to try out the service before you switch, such as T-Mobile’s Network Pass. Verizon now offers a similar 30-day “Test Drive” program , while Cricket’s prepaid service has its own trial program that lets you try out AT&T’s network, its parent company.

Read more: Best Unlimited Plans

When it comes to prepaid carriers and cable company mobile options, you should also check which network they use. For example, Mint Mobile runs on T-Mobile service (and was acquired by T-Mobile), while Comcast’s Xfinity Mobile and Charter’s Spectrum Mobile use Verizon. In these cases, downloading one of the two apps above can be a quick and easy way to test out T-Mobile or Verizon coverage in your area before making the switch.

Here you will find a list of some important alternative providers and the networks they operate on.