Most likely, it is on either of these largest mobile networks, T-Mobile, Verizon, or AT&T, that runs services on your cell phone. All these providers try their best to prove to you that the best and fastest cell phone network comes from them but which plans have the best value?
If you are torn between T-Mobile and AT&T, this is the right place to help you figure it out. This AT&T Vs. TMobile comparison guide will help you know the best provider to go with and save yourself some money. But, the choice depends on your needs. Without further ado, let’s see what it has for us.
AT&T Wireless Vs T-Mobile Cell Phone Plans
Pricing And Unlimited Plans
T-Mobile and AT&T provide unlimited cellular plans that are the most popular phone you can ever get. The unlimited plan offers you unlimited voice all month and text together with unlimited data (even though once you get to a certain limit, your speed is normally slowed).
The services you get are less or more similar for the two providers. However, there are some important differences, such as offering more premium data for you because unlimited plans are cheaper on some of T-Mobile.
Premium Data
Premium data refers to internet data that runs on 5G and 4G networks while giving you speed within the range of 30-100 Mbps. Although these plans are mostly unlimited technically, truth be told that immediately you deplete your premium date of the month, your speed slows down close to snail’s pace.
This rule does not apply to the unlimited Elite plan for AT&T and Magenta Max plan on T-Mobile. Their premium data use has zero restrictions placed on them. There will be no slowdowns of any kind all month long as you receive premium data.
Pricing And Unlimited Plans For AT&T Wireless
| Package | Price | Premium data | Hotspot data | Video streaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Unlimited Starter | $65.00/mo. | N/A(during network congestion speeds may be deprioritized | N/A | SD |
| AT&T Unlimited Extra | $75.00/mo. | 50GB (afterwards and during network congestion speed can slow | 15GB (then returns tob128 Kbps speeds) | SD |
| AT&T Unlimited Elite | $85.00/mo. | Unlimited | 40GB (then reverts to 128Kbps speed) | HD,4K UHD |
We believe that the Unlimited Extra plan from AT&T is the best among the three due to the solid premium amount that it comes with, accompanied by high-speed data that never breaks the bank. There is also a good amount of hotspot data that will allow you to tether Wi-Fi devices to a data connection on your phone.
In case you heavily consume data, there is also an unlimited Elite plan option that shall be very useful. It provides you with completely unlimited premium data – a plan for those who post to Instagram Reels and TikTok three or more times a day. It also appears with an HBO Max subscription at no extra cost.
Since it doesn’t offer you high-speed data of any fixed amount, the Unlimited Starter plan doesn’t seem that good. This implies that during network congestion in your area, internet speeds may slow down – this tends to badly disable your internet when you most need it, for example, while attempting to hail rideshare after a six-hour flight at the airport.
Pricing And Unlimited Plans For T-Mobile
| Package | Price | Premium data | Hotspot data | Video streaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | $60.00/mo.* | 50GB(during network congestion afterwards the speed can be slowed) | Unlimited 3GB data (max 3 Mbps) | SD |
| Magenta | $60.00/mo. | 100GB(during network congestion afterwards the speed can be slowed) | 5GB (thereafter 3G speeds) | SD |
| Magenta Max | $60.00/mo. | Unlimited(speed never slows) | 40GB (then 3G speeds) | Up to 4K UHD |
We have to say that when it comes to the unlimited plans, T-Mobile has got an edge over AT&T. Its phone plan’s two lower-tier has a cost of five dollars less every month in comparison with corresponding plans of AT&T. There is also premium data in a fixed amount that you get from the essential plan that doesn’t get on AT&T.
The real star appears to be the Magenta Max plan which brings with it premium data that is completely unlimited, at the speed of 5G and 4G LTE, with no slowdowns and or caps. A plan of this kind is not needed by everyone, but it will be of great help if you spend a lot of time on your phone using the internet doing things such as video posting to social media, playing online games, or attending zoom meetings.
AT&T Wireless Vs. T-Mobile- 5G availability
| Carrier | 5G availability |
|---|---|
| AT&T Wireless | 16.5% |
| T-Mobile | 35.4% |
While on the 5G phone’s standard new wireless that is much-talked-about, T-Mobile is leading. For the T-Mobile plan, there are greater chances of experiencing lower latency and faster internet speed of 5G. Since 5G is very new, you can’t get it all the time 100%; instead, you will be using the 4G LTE network by the providers.
The latest study has revealed that customers on T-Mobile who have been using 5G spend on average a third of the time ideally using 5G networks, while by comparison, customers on AT&T who have 5G may access 5G speed that is less than a quarter of their time. This implies that you’ll get more time to interact with 5G when you choose T-Mobile.
T-Mobile Vs. AT&T Wireless: 5G Speed And 4G LTE
| Carriers | Avg. 4G LTE speed | Avg. 5G speeds |
|---|---|---|
| AT&T Wireless | 35.3 Mbps | 49.1 Mbps |
| T-Mobile | 54.1 Mbps | 150.0Mbps |
Mobile emerges as the best over AT&T on both 5G and 4G LTE networks on the speed of downloading. When using T-Mobile on your 4G phone, then you’ll be attaining about 54Mbps which is the average speed, while with AT&T, you’ll only get about 35Mbps. Since while you happen to be in the middle of an intense PUBG game, every Mbps counts, that’s a great difference.
Compared to AT&T, T-Mobile also provides a faster 5G speed. When you are using the T-Mobile network, you can be given an internet speed of close to 150 Mbps on a 5G phone, as opposed to only 49 Mbps from AT&T.
If you get a 150 Mbps to download speed, then your phone’s performance will be pushed entirely to a new level. With such a speed, downloading files gets much easier, playing online games, streaming video content, and doing other multiple things simultaneously on one phone.
Premium Data And Data Caps
A good number of cellular providers, not just T-Mobile and AT&T – boast about their cell phone plans as “unlimited,” which offers you unlimited text talk together with other perks. When we get to internet data, there are; usually some hidden limits on the fine print.
Although several unlimited phone plans give you technically the amount of data you need, in reality, and on what is normally called “premium data,” you’ll have a cap. That is on the data offered on 5g and 4G LTE networks. The moment you get to that premium data, your phone then reverts the speed of sub-3G, resulting to slow uploads and downloads to a crawl that is all but useless.
If you’re a phone user on an average basis by just social media posting, checking emails, and occasional zoom meetings, this should not worry you much. But if you use your phone to download giant files, use a hotspot, stream movies, or play online games, you’ll need more premium data.
In general, T-Mobile connects you with more data as opposed to AT&T. Both AT&T and T-Mobile provide you totally with unlimited premium data on their plan of highest-tier: Unlimited Elite from AT&T and Magenta Max on T-Mobile.
Premium Data Caps For AT&T
| Plans | Data cap | Price |
|---|---|---|
| AT&T Unlimited Starter | N/A(During network congestion speed may be deprioritized) | &65.00/mo. |
| AT&T Unlimited Extra | 50GB (During network congestion speed may be deprioritized | &75.00/mo. |
| AT&T Unlimited Elite | Unlimited premium data (speed never slows) | &85.00/mo. |
| AT&T PREPAID 8GB | 8GB (then speed is slowed to 128Kbps) | &25.00/mo. |
| AT&T PREPAID 5GB | 5GB (then speed is lowed to 128Kbps) | &30.00/mo. |
| AT&T PREPAID 15GB | 15GB (then speed is lowed to 128Kbps | &40.00/mo. |
| AT&T PREPAID Unlimited | Unlimited (during congestion speed may be slowed) | &50.00/mow/ Autopay |
| AT&T PREPAID Unlimited Plus | Unlimited (includes premium data of 22GB after which during congestion speed may be slowed) | &50.00/mo. w/Autopay |
Suppose you require a juicy hunk of premium data to use every month. In that case, the best way to go is unlimited Elite and Extra unlimited plans from AT&T. The rest are either wishy-washy, strict data caps, or non-cap caps where whenever the provider finds the right can slow your speed at any time.
Premium Data Caps For T-Mobile
| Plans | Data cap | Prices |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials | 50 GB (afterwards during network congestion speeds can slow) | $60.00/mo. |
| Magenta | 100 GB (afterwards during network congestion speeds can slow) | $70.00/mo. |
| Plan | Data cap | Price |
| Magenta Max | Unlimited premium data (speeds can never slow) | $85.00/mo. |
| T-Mobile Connect | 2.5–5.5 GB | $15.00/mo. |
| Simply Prepaid 10 GB | 10 GB | $40.00/mo. (for 1 line) |
| Simply Prepaid Unlimited | Unlimited (during network congestion speeds may be slowed) | $50.00/mo. (for 1 line) |
| Simply Prepaid Unlimited Plus | Unlimited (during network congestion speeds may be slowed) | $60.00/mo. (for 1 line) |
As mentioned before, the Magenta Ma plan from T-Mobile provides you with honest-to-goodness, and when we talk of unlimited, we actually refer to unlimited premium data. If you intend to use your phone for streaming so much content online, in a day attending ten zoom meetings, and posting the huge video files regularly to social media, then choose that plan.
Alternatively, you may get away with pretty much of those other plans. From the Magenta plan, the 100GB offer is a lot- though absolutely for the cell phone and not best with a home internet plan. While there is some option for solid data on AT&T, T-Mobile is a step ahead in the data game.
Network Coverage
Both T-Mobile and AT&T have got network coverage nationwide. Thanks to the current manager with sprint for making T-Mobile a lot bigger than before. Although AT&T maps still indicate that its network saturation is more for 4G LTE in Western states such as Nevada, Utah, California, and Oregon, T-Mobile is not well known in those arrears.
T-Mobile, however, definitely has got AT&T beat when it comes to 5G coverage. Wondering if you can have these providers on your residential place, just get access to T-Mobile’s coverage map or AT&T’s coverage map, then search for your zip code or address.
Tips On Looking For a Best Cell Phone Plan
Prior to diving into details, see below tips for choosing the best plan;
- Data: Choose a plan with enough data cap to support your scrolling and streaming.
- Price: Check the comparison tools such as whistle-out charts on this article to ensure you don’t pay more for the cell phone plan.
- Coverage: Check the coverage maps and see the difference in networks in your area. Ensure to check both 5G and 4G coverage.
- Perks: Such perks include hotspot data, which might be necessary for some customers. They also involve HBO MAX Subscription, which is a nice bonus. Also, check on the fine print and make sure the plan you choose has every feature you require.
Conclusion
Sincerely, the choice of either cellular provider is worth it. From this AT&T wireless Vs. T-Mobile comparison review, we can say that both offer generous hotspots and data allowances with their unlimited plans. Both also have unlimited plans offering absolutely unlimited premium data. You can get good price breaks for your family plans from the cheap prepaid options to choose from.
If we had to choose, then T-Mobile would carry the day. Its top-tier plans have got more data, a faster and bigger 5Gnetwork, as well as cheaper prepaid options for a mega-budget.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
T-Mobile’s 4G LTE coverage is wider than in AT&T. AT&T has got a wider manifest in western states, while the network of T-Mobile isn’t much large. T-Mobile’s 5G network is larger and more customers access 5G speed, unlike AT&T.
Although T-Mobile’s 4G LTE is slower than AT&T, it offers a considerably faster 5G network. T-Mobile’s average 4G speed is 29Mbps, and AT&T’s is 33Mbps. T-Mobile’s speed can reach an average of 71Mbps against AT&T’s average speed of 55Mbps.
