T-Mobile has the most 5G coverage in the country, and the competition isn’t even close—T-Mobile has 36.7% nationwide 5G coverage while AT&T has about 16% and Verizon has nearly 11% 5G coverage. Plus, if you’re looking to save some money, T-Mobile MVNOs, such as Mint Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile, and Google Fi, offer 5G access via their phone plans as well. Due to T-Mobile’s recent standalone 5G launch, T-Mobile now provides 5G service to approximately 7,500 cities, with full 5G coverage in over 3,800. And if you ever travel somewhere where 5G isn’t available, T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network covers 63% of the country, providing you with robust and reliable coverage.

In this T-Mobile 5G coverage guide:

T-Mobile 5G coverage map

Click on T-Mobile’s 5G coverage map below to see if you get good 5G coverage in your area. You’ll see that T-Mobile’s 5G network covers parts of all 50 states, with about 30% nationwide coverage overall, a number which is growing every day. The nice thing about our interactive map is that you can also view T-Mobile’s 4G and 3G coverage maps, as well as toggle between major carriers to view Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular coverage.

 

Where does T-Mobile have the best 5G coverage?

Minnesota has the most T-Mobile 5G coverage, with 97.88% coverage. The other states with great T-Mobile 5G coverage include:

    • New Jersey 72.77%

 

  • South Carolina 69.34%

 

 

  • Iowa 66.48%

 

 

  • Arizona 65.71%

 

 

Numerous U.S. cities have near-perfect 5G coverage with T-Mobile, such as:

    • Minneapolis, MN: 98.96%

 

  • Indianapolis, IN: 98.11%

 

 

  • Cincinnati, OH: 98.08%

 

 

  • Dallas, TX: 97.47%

 

 

  • Houston, TX: 96.97%

 

 

  • Columbus, OH: 96.46%

 

 

  • Chicago, IL: 95.72%

 

 

  • Saint Louis, MO: 95.7%

 

 

  • New York, NY: 95.17%

 

 

  • Portland, OR: 94.99%

 

 

 

Where does T-Mobile have the worst 5G coverage?

As good as T-Mobile’s 5G network is, there is still tons of room to grow. States without great T-Mobile 5G coverage include:

    • Nebraska: 4.8%

 

  • New Hampshire: 15%

 

 

  • Vermont: 16.5%

 

 

  • Delaware: 16.8%

 

 

 

 

How fast are T-Mobile’s 5G speeds?

Of the major carriers, T-Mobile’s 5G speeds are the slowest, with the average data speeds being about 49Mbps, which is only about 1.7 times faster than its 4G speeds. To put this into perspective, Verizon’s 5G speeds are nearly 495Mbps, about 10 times faster than T-Mobile’s and nearly 18 times faster than Verizon’s 4G speeds. AT&T’s 5G speeds are a bit faster than T-Mobile’s, reaching about 61Mbps. Don’t be discouraged by T-Mobile’s modest 5G speeds—49Mbps is still very fast, especially for a smartphone, and it should meet all of your streaming and gaming needs. However, with T-Mobile’s recent launch of its standalone 5G network, you can expect faster 5G speeds and lower latency periods soon.

 

Buy a T-Mobile 5G phone

Before you can take advantage of T-Mobile’s expanding 5G network, you’ll need to buy a 5G phone. There are plenty of 5G phones available from popular brands, such as Samsung, LG, OnePlus, Motorola, and Apple (pre-order the iPhone 12 here). 5G-compatible phones range considerably in price, from about $400 to $1,600. For the middle-of-the-road consumers, there are many options in between that won’t cost you more than $900. Keep in mind, T-Mobile carries several 5G phones, but not all of them, so if you know which one you want, you may want to buy it directly from the manufacturer or from a third-party retailer, such as Best Buy or Walmart. Then you can bring your 5G phone to T-Mobile and gain access to T-Mobile’s excellent 5G network.

T-Mobile 5G phone plans

All of T-Mobile’s phone plans grant you access to T-Mobile’s 5G network, so you can shop around and make sure to find the right T-Mobile plan for you. When choosing a phone plan, you’ll want to consider data allowance, postpaid vs. prepaid plans, travel features, entertainment perks, and more. If you’re a senior, first responder, or in the military, you can also benefit from T-Mobile discounts on your plan. And no matter who you are, you can feel great knowing you have all-in pricing, which means taxes and fees are already included in the plan cost.

Compare 5G plans from T-Mobile MNVOs

If you want access to T-Mobile’s 5G network but would prefer a plan through a small carrier (MVNO), you may want to consider Metro by T-Mobile, Mint Mobile, or Google Fi, all of which include 5G connectivity. Metro by T-Mobile (formerly MetroPCS) is owned by T-Mobile and offers affordable plans with decent perks. Mint Mobile offers inexpensive plans with great customer service but unlike most other carriers, Mint Mobile doesn’t offer 1-month phone plans—you can choose between 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month prepaid plans, which you must pay for upfront. And Google Fi, which has excellent travel features, allows you the flexibility to build your own data plan, only paying for what you truly need.

Do Sprint customers have access to T-Mobile’s 5G network?

The short answer is, yes, some Sprint customers have access to T-Mobile’s 5G network. Due to the T-Mobile Sprint merger, Sprint is now operating under the T-Mobile brand. For now, Sprint customers will mainly use Sprint’s network except for when they’re roaming outside of Sprint’s coverage area—then their phones will connect to T-Mobile’s network. Before the merger, Sprint owned a good chunk of midband wireless spectrum, which provided Sprint customers with 5G service. Now T-Mobile owns that spectrum and has been combining it with T-Mobile’s existing 600 MHz spectrum to provide customers with robust 5G coverage—but in order to combine the spectrums, T-Mobile had to shut down Sprint’s 5G network. Therefore, Sprint customers who have a Samsung Galaxy S20, S20 Plus, or S20 Ultra will be able to access T-Mobile’s 5G network but Sprint customers with older 5G phones, such as the LG V50 ThinQ 5G or the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G, won’t be able to access either carrier’s 5G network.

It’s going to take a few years, but T-Mobile promises that its 5G network will cover 99% of the U.S. population, including those living in rural locations.

Frequently asked questions about T-Mobile 5G coverage

Does T-Mobile have nationwide 5G coverage?

Yes, T-Mobile’s 5G network provides some type of coverage in all 50 states, but the extent of that coverage varies from state to state. States like New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Minnesota have excellent 5G coverage whereas Nebraska, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Delaware have far less coverage.

What is the 5G coverage area for T-Mobile?

You can view T-Mobile’s 5G coverage map here. Feel free to zoom in and out so you can get a better idea as to what type of coverage you may get where you live and travel.

Is T-Mobile 5G better than Verizon?

When it comes to area covered, T-Mobile’s 5G network blows Verizon’s out of the water: 37% to 11%. That said, Verizon’s 5G network is about 10 times faster than T-Mobile’s, reaching download speeds of nearly 500Mbps compared to T-Mobile’s 49Mbps.

How is 5G different from 4G?

5G, which stands for fifth generation, is the latest and greatest mobile network technology. 5G offers much faster speeds, lower latency (or delay), and better network reliability than 4G. Although different carriers have different 5G speeds, you can expect 5G speeds to be up to 100 times faster than 4G speeds. However, 5G and 4G networks can coexist so that your phone can always fall back on 4G in the areas where 5G isn’t yet available.

When is the T-Mobile 5G launch?

T-Mobile has offered 5G coverage to consumers since December of 2019, but as of August 2020 the Un-carrier has become the first carrier to launch a commercial standalone 5G network. Previously, T-Mobile was utilizing existing LTE technology to deploy its 5G service, but now its 5G network, which uses standalone technology, is available, resulting in faster data speeds and lower latency periods.

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