Article Summary

Mobile virtual network operators—MVNOs for short—are carriers that rent space on larger networks. All MVNOs run on one or more of the major networks, i.e. Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile.

This is an important consideration when choosing an MVNO, as you need to go with the one that will provide good coverage in the places you spend time.

An easily overlooked consideration when shopping for an MVNO is whether it runs on a network that has good coverage where you spend the most time. This article will clue you in on which networks MVNOs big and small run on. This includes major brands like Metro and Boost and smaller ones like Mint Mobile and Tello.

Which Network Your MVNO Runs On

The following is a list of MVNOs and their affiliated networks, so you can know your coverage options before you sign up. Be sure to keep reading to see the overall coverage maps for the four majors.

Verizon Network MVNOs

Click to Activate Interactive Map AT&T Sprint T Mobile U.S. Cellular Verizon 5G 4G 3G Coverage information is collected from carriers and other third party sources. This is approximate coverage only and does not include indoor coverage. Actual speed and performance depends on your location and device. Local conditions and things like natural and artificial physical features of an area all affect your reception.

When it comes to breadth of coverage in the United States, Verizon's network blankets more of the country than any of its competitors. This has been confirmed time and again in national network coverage tests, which consistently put Verizon at #1. It's part of the reason Verizon boasts more subscribers than any other carrier, and why many of these customers don't want to jump ship. Jumping on a Verizon MVNO is a great way to access this same great coverage.

AT&T Network MVNOs

Click to Activate Interactive Map AT&T Sprint T Mobile U.S. Cellular Verizon 5G 4G 3G Coverage information is collected from carriers and other third party sources. This is approximate coverage only and does not include indoor coverage. Actual speed and performance depends on your location and device. Local conditions and things like natural and artificial physical features of an area all affect your reception.

When it comes to sheer area covered in the United States, AT&T gives Verizon a run for its money. While other networks falter in rural regions, AT&T shines. If coverage is of paramount importance to you, choosing a carrier that runs on AT&T's network is a wise decision indeed.

T-Mobile Network MVNOs

Click to Activate Interactive Map AT&T Sprint T Mobile U.S. Cellular Verizon 5G 4G 3G Coverage information is collected from carriers and other third party sources. This is approximate coverage only and does not include indoor coverage. Actual speed and performance depends on your location and device. Local conditions and things like natural and artificial physical features of an area all affect your reception.

In the U.S., there are four dominant networks: Verizon, Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile. It used to be that T-Mobile's network ranked third out of the four, but the addition of the carrier's 600MHz spectrum and expansion into rural areas has changed this: T-Mobile can now lay claim to second-most expansive network in the country.

Granted, a portion of the carrier's 4G network consists of their newest 600 MHz spectrum—so new that most older phones can't access it. Nonetheless, T-Mobile edges out AT&T by 1% overall, which makes going with a T-Mobile MVNO a wise choice for coverage.

Sprint Network MVNOs

Click to Activate Interactive Map AT&T Sprint T Mobile U.S. Cellular Verizon 5G 4G 3G Coverage information is collected from carriers and other third party sources. This is approximate coverage only and does not include indoor coverage. Actual speed and performance depends on your location and device. Local conditions and things like natural and artificial physical features of an area all affect your reception.

While Sprint's network doesn't cover the sheer area of the Verizons and AT&Ts of the world, it's no slouch in many populated regions of the United States, including the eastern seaboard, the upper midwest, and Southern California. There are more MVNOs on Sprint than any of the other networks.

Bringing Your Phone to an MVNO

Bringing your phone to a MVNO isn't always as easy as popping in a SIM card. See, in the U.S., carriers belong to either a CDMA or GSM network classification, and bringing devices across "party lines" isn't always possible (at least with older devices). Sprint and Verizon are CDMA carriers, so compatibility between them—and the many MVNOs that run on their networks—typically isn't a problem. Likewise with GSM carriers, i.e. AT&T and T-Mobile. However, it should be noted that most newer devices are universally compatible with GSM and CDMA.

Also, many carriers lock the phones running on their network to the network. You sometimes have to request them to unlock your phone once all of your commitments have fulfilled (i.e. no balance on phone or plan).