Although they may be less widely known than the other big carriers like Verizon, U.S. Cellular is a major wireless provider that operates on its own network. They have a solid selection of cell phones for you to choose from, including the Google Pixel 3, Samsung Galaxy S10, and iPhone XS.
U.S. Cellular carries various brands of smartphone, such as LG, Apple, Samsung, Google, Motorola, and more. They offer new releases from select brands as well as older models for the budget-minded consumer.
U.S. Cellular offers the following payment options for their cell phones:
- RRP (pay the full price upfront)
- 30-month installment plan
Buying a new phone outright can get rather expensive considering flagship devices like the iPhone XS Max and the Samsung Galaxy S10+ break the $1,000 mark. Typically, older phones are more affordable and realistic to purchase upfront. For example, the Samsung Galaxy J7 Aura costs $270 and the iPhone 7 costs $450.
The 30-month payment plan is a great option for anyone who wants to make smaller, more manageable payments over an extended period of time. U.S. Cellular doesn’t charge interest on their cell phones, so you won’t wind up paying more than the RRP in the long run.
You can buy a new smartphone outright or with a 30-month installment plan.
iPhones from U.S. Cellular
U.S. Cellular carries many different iPhones, including new releases like the iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max as well as older models like the iPhone 7 and iPhone 6s. They may also offer select certified pre-owned iPhones, which are only available online.
Top iPhones available right now (full list of U.S. Cellular iPhones here)
Compare U.S. Cellular’s Full Phone Range
Android Phones from U.S. Cellular
U.S. Cellular sells a wide variety of Android phones, including brands like Samsung, Motorola, LG, and Google. They sell flagship Samsung and Google devices, but not LG or Motorola. The cheapest Android device available through U.S. Cellular is the Motorola Moto E5 Play, which costs $100 with installments or $3.33/month.
Top Android phones available right now (full list of U.S. Cellular Android phones here)
Compare U.S. Cellular’s Full Phone Range
Prepaid Phones from U.S. Cellular
You are required to purchase a U.S. Cellular prepaid phone outright, as opposed to on a monthly installment plan. This may not be a reasonable option for those wanting one of the newest flagship phones given their often high price tags. That said, there are several prepaid phones that cost under $300. If you don’t care about having all the best specs and phone features and simply want a smartphone that gets the job done, then buying an older model upfront may be an option you want to consider.
Top Prepaid phones available right now (full list of U.S. Cellular Prepaid phones here)
Compare U.S. Cellular’s Full Phone Range
How to Buy a New U.S. Cellular Phone
Buying it Outright
Purchasing your phone upfront means that you pay the full RRP at the time of checkout. This is ideal for someone who wants to avoid a monthly payment or wants to buy their phone unlocked—that way you’re free to leave U.S. Cellular at any time and take it to your preferred carrier.
If you decide to buy your phone outright, simply add it to your cart, choose whether you’d like device protection or not, and then pick the service plan you’d like and continue to checkout.
30-Month Installment Option
U.S. Cellular allows you to pay off your phone by making a smaller payment every month for 30 months. Your monthly cost is whatever the device’s RRP is divided by 30—U.S. Cellular doesn’t charge interest so you can rest assured knowing you aren’t paying more in the long-term. This is an excellent option for anyone who doesn’t want to pay a large upfront sum for their cell phone.
Before buying a U.S. Cellular phone through an installment plan, you’ll want to check that you receive coverage in your area. Otherwise, you may get stuck with a service plan that you can’t use. Although it may appear as if U.S. Cellular covers the entirety of the United States, 4G LTE data is actually only available in the Midwest and small portions of the West and East Coasts. Because of their relatively poor coverage, they have roaming agreements with all four of the major carriers in order to ensure coverage. Roaming charges may apply for Alaska and other small sections of the country in which they don’t have roaming contracts.
In order to check your coverage, simply type your address into our comparison tool.
U.S. Cellular Coverage Map
As stated previously, the U.S. Cellular coverage map may be misleading because it only shows the coverage through their primary network. Thanks to their roaming agreements with Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, and T-Mobile, you’ll receive far better coverage than the map suggests.
Bring Your Own Phone
U.S. Cellular allows you to bring your own phone (BYOP) as long as it is unlocked and is compatible with their network. Not all devices are compatible with U.S. Cellular’s network, so you’ll want to enter your IMEI number into their compatibility checker. Don’t know your IMEI? Dial *#06# on your call screen. If that doesn’t work, go to your settings and find “About” under the General tab. Scroll down to find your IMEI.
