The price they were asking didn’t appeal to me, even though I had two Verizon phones. I was told about US Cellular by a friend of mine when I was looking for a new cell phone. In this article, we will compare US Cellular Coverage Vs. Verizon and determine which is the better option.
Verizon had the clear edge when it came to 4G coverage in the US, despite covering 99.1% of the country.
US Cellular surprised me after I did some research, as I did not expect it to even come close.
In addition to Verizon’s coverage, you will also be able to compare US Cellular’s plans.
The Verizon network has a slight edge over US Cellular’s coverage when comparing Verizon vs. US Cellular. Despite the fact that both providers offer almost the same 4G coverage, they offer faster and better 5G coverage.
Table of Contents
US Cellular Vs. Verizon: Which One Is Best for You?
Among the three largest carriers, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile dominate, while US Cellular is the smallest.
Due to their desire to remain competitive, they have expanded their roaming networks with other network providers.
With its 4G and 5G networks rapidly expanding across the country, Verizon is part of the big three and owns its own mobile network.
As we will see in the comparison of US Cellular Coverage vs. Verizon, both providers have pros and cons.
Having a clear understanding of all the nuances will allow you to choose your phone provider more intelligently.
US Cellular vs Verizon: What are the main differences between them
In the US Cellular Vs Verizon comparison, both carriers charge different amounts for their plans, with Verizon charging much more than US Cellular.
There are fewer plans with US Cellular than with Verizon, and it does not offer bundled streaming services.
In this way, the plans are more affordable as a result.
In contrast to Verizon, US Cellular has expanded its network through roaming agreements with other service providers in order to cover almost all of the US.
The following sections compare US Cellular and Verizon in detail.
The Pricing Comparison – US Cellular Vs. Verizon
Verizon and US Cellular have similar coverage everywhere except for the Central West US, where US Cellular slightly outperforms Verizon.
US Cellular uses Roaming contracts with providers in regions where Verizon’s network cannot reach, while Verizon owns and operates most of its network.
US Cellular doesn’t charge extra for roaming within the US, but it can charge extra for roaming internationally.
In other words, even if you have an affordable plan from US Cellular, you won’t be short on coverage.
Coverage of the 4G network – US Cellular Vs. Verizon
US Cellular vs Verizon both have upgraded their networks, and now all regions covered by these providers will have a minimum of 4G service.
This means that anywhere there is coverage, you’ll also be able to get 4G speeds.
Data consumption and peak traffic times affect how much traffic a network can handle, as do the number of people on the network and how many people are currently on it.
There is almost always 4G coverage throughout the US in most cases.
A comparison of 5G coverage – US Cellular Vs. Verizon
Since 5G is a newer technology, its coverage is significantly smaller than that of 4G, which has been around for over a decade now.
According to US Cellular, there is only 5G coverage available in major cities in the country at the moment.
The result of this is that cities and towns with less populated areas will have to be satisfied with 4G.
As a result of upgrading their 4G infrastructure to support 5G, Verizon is leading this race.
Many cities and regions with dense populations can access Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband service, which Verizon claims is ten times faster than 5G.
In addition to the upgraded infrastructure mentioned earlier, the rest of their 5G network uses the same technology.
The coverage of rural areas – US Cellular Vs. Verizon
A study conducted by OpenSignal found that Verizon has the best rural coverage, with almost 84% of customers in remote areas covered by its 4G network.
It’s not just Verizon’s coverage that makes them good; they can also deliver fast internet, according to the study.
In rural areas, US Cellular cannot compete with Verizon’s level of coverage, but there is hope.
You may be able to get good coverage in your rural area if US Cellular has partnered with Verizon.
If you live in a rural area where connectivity is critical, you don’t need to be lucky to get the best coverage.
Coverage in Metropolitan Areas – US Cellular Vs. Verizon
Comparing US Cellular vs Verizon coverage in metropolitan areas, they both have similar coverage. To ensure optimal service, US Cellular owns and operates its own network infrastructure, especially in Central and Western America.
As for Verizon vs. US Cellular, both offer similar speeds, but the latter often gains advantage in peak hours because there are fewer people using US Cellular.
It is likely that other partnered carriers will cover an urban center even if US Cellular does not.
A comparison of phone plans – US Cellular Vs. Verizon
In terms of pricing, US Cellular’s plans are more competitive, and although some might attribute it to the fact that those plans offer only a phone connection, the fact remains that they are affordable for a lot of people.
For extra money, Verizon offers add-on features and more data for those who are willing to spend more.
Below is a list of all the postpaid plans offered by US Cellular and their prices:
| Plan Name | Per month pricing (1 Line) | Per month pricing (4 Lines) | Plan Advantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday | $65/line, | $40/line | Priority data of 50 GB and Hotspot access of 30 GB. There is 100 GB of usable space before throttling begins. |
| Even Better | $70/line | $45/line | There is a 25GB Priority data plan and a 15GB Hotspot data plan. Before being throttled, 100 GB are usable. |
| Basic | $55/line | $30/line | There is 100 GB of usable space before being throttled. |
| 2GB data | $45/line | $38/line | For the entire month, you get 2 GB of data. |
As a brief overview of Verizon’s plans, here are some highlights:
| Plan Name | Per month pricing (1 Line) | Per month pricing (4 Lines) | Plan Advantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5G Get More | $90/line, | $55/line | Hotspot access with unlimited data and 50 GB. |
| 5G Play More | $80/line | $45/line | Premium data of 50 GB, Hotspot data of 25 GB. |
| 5G Do More | $80/line | $45/line | Premium data of 50 GB, hotspot data of 25 GB. Free cloud storage of 600 GB and 1 TravelPass day per month. |
| 5G Start | $70/line | $35/line | There is no data limit. Hotspot data allowance of 5 GB. |
Final Verdict of US Cellular Vs Verizon – Which One Is Better
As far as 5G coverage is concerned, Verizon wins this round purely because it offers the best coverage.
Verizon and US Cellular had a difficult time splitting their coverage, but the larger availability of 5G and 5G Ultra Wideband makes up for the price difference.
Comparing US Cellular Vs Verizon, US Cellular is an excellent choice if you are looking for great coverage but do not want to spend much on your phone connection.
On the other hand, Verizon is the clear winner when it comes to features and 5G coverage.
FAQs
What is the coverage like for US Cellular and Verizon?
Due to US Cellular’s partnership with Verizon, US Cellular has almost the same coverage as Verizon, since its own network cannot reach many areas.
In terms of 5G coverage, Verizon’s regular 5G and 5G Ultra Wideband networks provide better coverage.
How does Verizon compare to other carriers?
Besides AT&T and T-Mobile, Verizon is one of the top three phone companies in the US.
You have quite a few options if you’re looking for an alternative to Verizon, if you can find one that meets your needs.
What is the current ownership of US Cellular?
An American telecommunications company, Telephone and Data Systems, owns US Cellular.
1983 saw the formation of US Cellular, a subsidiary of this company.
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