The Best Cell Phone Plans : AT&T Wireless Vs. T-Mobile

Thu, Dec 2, 2021 9:58 PM mobile phone plans

AT&T Wireless Vs. T-Mobile: Oh, the pricing, data, and 5G! We dissect the differences between competing cellular plans.

Related: What is 5G and Why it Matters?

Best for getting things done quickly

AT&T

Prices for unlimited plans range from $65.00 to $85.00 per month*.
Family options range from $30.00 to $75.00 per month. each line
SD and HD video streaming
50 GB/mo. high-speed data–unlimited (none for Unlimited Starter)
4G LTE, 5G wireless standards
15–30 GB of hotspot data

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Also, Read: Verizon Wireless vs AT&T Wireless: 2022 Review

T-Mobile

The monthly cost of an unlimited package ranges from $64.99 to $134.99.
The cost of a family plan ranges from $24.00 to $70.00 per month. every line
Video streaming in SD, HD, and 4K UHD
Unlimited access to 50 GB of high-speed data
Wireless standards 4G LTE and 5G
Hotspot data of 5–40 GB
T-Mobile and AT&T both have cellular plans that include unlimited internet and 5G connectivity.
T-Mobile and AT&T both offer genuinely unlimited cell phone plans for American cellular subscribers, with T-Magenta Mobile's Max and AT&T's Unlimited Elite having no data caps at all.
T-Mobile, on the other hand, edges out the competition due to its larger 5G network and significantly lower costs on two of its unlimited plans.

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Recommendation:

Because you're using a wireless network, Internet speeds on cell phones can be erratic, but you can always do a speed test to discover how much bandwidth you have.
Taking a speed test on your phone will tell you if you have the processing capability to execute something sophisticated on it, such as join a Zoom meeting or download a huge file.

AT&T Wireless vs. T-Mobile: Pros and Cons

AT&T Wireless

Pros

HBO MaxTM is featured as part of the Unlimited Elite subscription.
Nationally extensive network

Cons

5G speeds are slower.
On the Unlimited Starter plan, there is no premium data.

T-Mobile

Pros

Plan with truly unlimited data
Alternatives to the more expensive plans

Cons

Limited hotspot data on most plans
Slightly smaller US network

Best Cellular Provider in terms of Plans and Pricing

Both AT&T and T-Mobile offer unlimited cellular plans, which are by far the most popular type of phone package.
Unlimited text and voice, as well as unlimited data, are included in an unlimited package (although your speeds are usually slowed down once you hit a certain limit).

Both providers offer similar services, but there are a few key differences: some of T-unlimited Mobile's plans cost a little less while providing more premium data. Anyway, let's take a closer look at the specifics.

What does premium data entail?

Premium data is internet data that is delivered across 4G LTE and 5G networks at speeds of 30–100 Mbps. While most of these plans are theoretically limitless, once you've used up your premium data for the month, your speeds will decrease to a crawl.

T-Magenta Mobile's Max plan and AT&T's Unlimited Elite plan are the only exceptions to this rule, as both have no limits on using premium data. You'll have unlimited premium data for the entire month with no slowdowns.

Best Cellular Provider in terms of Network Coverage

T-Mobile and AT&T both have national coverage.

Because of a recent merger with Sprint, T-network Mobile's is far larger than it used to be.
However, AT&T's coverage maps reveal that it still has more 4G LTE network saturation in western states such as California, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah, whereas T-coverage Mobile's is patchier. T-Mobile, on the other hand, has AT&T beat when it comes to 5G coverage.

Conclusion:

You can't go wrong with either of these cellular providers, to be honest. Both companies provide limitless plans with large data allotment and hotspot data. Both provide unlimited plans with unrestricted premium data (albeit at a higher price). There are discounts available for family plans, and there are a variety of less expensive prepaid options to pick from.

T-Mobile, on the other hand, would be the clear winner if we had to choose. Its top-tier plans include more bandwidth, a larger and faster 5G network, and even dirt-cheap prepaid options for those on a tight budget. All of these topics are important to a cellular consumer. So, if you have to choose, we recommend T-Mobile.