This is pretty close to the data I'm also be seeing from speedsmart.net speed test on iOS and Android Verizon is the fastest but T-Mobile isn’t far behind.
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Verizon Has Fastest LTE Network in the West, While T-Mobile Tops the East in Latest Study
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That's all well and good when you're sitting around the campfire swapping stories.
Now what about when the weekend is over and you'd like to use Google Maps to figure out how to get home again? Or if you got lost hiking and would like to use your phone to find your way back to the campsite?
There are plenty of reasons why you want signal even in the wilderness that do not include people wanting 24/7 access to their social media feeds.
The difference in speed of T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T is just 2-4 Mbps. You likely wouldn't notice a difference. The takeaway here is that Sprint is much slower and we should continue avoiding Sprint.
I took a business call in the Grand Canyon hence the comment and yes it's beautiful.
my home area is fine for vzw, hence the comment about remote locations.
I've said this in another thread here, but this exact case happened to me. When I was in the Boundary Waters near the US/CAN border camping with some of my wife's family, I hurt my back pulling a canoe out of the lake, and because my and my wife's phones were VZW, we were the only ones with enough signal to find and call an urgent care clinic in the town nearest us (about 20 miles away). The other family members were using either US Cellular or T-Mobile.
AT&T is already better than T-Mobile in California and probably everywhere else. Coverage matters, not speed.
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I think the speed tests are bogus. I see 50mbps with a speed test on AT&T, yet it loads a video from a fast server at like 500kbps.
I wonder which one you are in. I find AT&T to be garbage in Wheaton, Naperville, Glen Ellyn, Westmont, Downers Grove. I switched to Verizon, and went from 1 bar to 4-5, and much faster speeds as well.
I've seen a lot of complaints from T-Mobile users on Amazon that they can't get signal inside of buildings, so they are mad to find out some phones can't do wifi calls.
I know I had that problem with TMobile data on my iPad, which is why I shut it off. Do your T-Mobile customers have trouble getting signal inside of buildings?
I know I had that problem with TMobile data on my iPad, which is why I shut it off. Do your T-Mobile customers have trouble getting signal inside of buildings?
Since leaving AT&T for T-Mobile last month, I have not experienced any issues with signal loss while at work. Granted, I'm generally at 1-2 bars, but wi-fi calling is available for me still. Regardless, I'm still able to stream Spotify and access my social media apps without a hitch.
I also did my research to see how T-Mobile was around my area before I made the switch.
You realize that The Grand Canyon is a National Park? There is little or no cell service in National Parks by design. If you want that to change, you need to write a letter to your congressman.
I live in a small town in eastern Iowa. AT&T and Sprint are terrible here. T-Mobile doesn't do business here, but has a mediocre affiliate. US Cellular is good but their nationwide sucks and I travel.
This speed test pretty much says it all for why I am with Verizon and will stay for the foreseeable future.
This speed test pretty much says it all for why I am with Verizon and will stay for the foreseeable future.
I already said I made a business call whilst in the Grand Canyon. The "little" service there was, was enough to make a call.
Yep. I just tested mine. Telus in Calgary at 3 bars. Hit 100. I know we pay some of the highest mobile data plans in the entire world but sometimes you get what you pay for. I was in the States last month on vacation and couldn't believe how slow the LTE was. I kept switching between T-Mobile, Verizon and ATT and none stood out as being faster than the other.In Canada
All these reports are grossly misleading because they fail to measure two key factors:
1) How often 4G isn't available
2) How fast is the next best available non-4G connection
In South Florida, for example, Verizon often boasts faster 4G service than AT&T. However, whenever you find yourself in a spot without 4G coverage or near a heavily congested 4G tower, Verizon drops down to a useless dial-up speed 3G whereas AT&T falls back gracefully to perfectly usable HSPA+.
EDIT:
Actually after reviewing the details available on OpenSignal's website, I think my argument above is no longer valid. Not only does AT&T lag behind in top and average speeds, but OpenSignal states that 3G and HSPA speeds are now used so seldom that they barely impacted the overall scores.
https://opensignal.com/reports/2017/02/usa/state-of-the-mobile-network/
1) How often 4G isn't available
2) How fast is the next best available non-4G connection
In South Florida, for example, Verizon often boasts faster 4G service than AT&T. However, whenever you find yourself in a spot without 4G coverage or near a heavily congested 4G tower, Verizon drops down to a useless dial-up speed 3G whereas AT&T falls back gracefully to perfectly usable HSPA+.
EDIT:
Actually after reviewing the details available on OpenSignal's website, I think my argument above is no longer valid. Not only does AT&T lag behind in top and average speeds, but OpenSignal states that 3G and HSPA speeds are now used so seldom that they barely impacted the overall scores.
https://opensignal.com/reports/2017/02/usa/state-of-the-mobile-network/
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Like anything else with all the cell carriers, fastest is only where you get strong coverage and don't go by the carrier's coverage maps 
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About 30 minutes south of Portland, Oregon. I can get 5-10Mbps with AT&T LTE. T-Mobile only had 3G coverage here last time I checked. I'm not sure about sprint performance.
I switched to Verizon about 4 months ago and I'm very happy with the improvement from AT&T.
I switched to Verizon about 4 months ago and I'm very happy with the improvement from AT&T.
Speed does not equal coverage. This really means nothing other than how fast a carrier is, in the best coverage area.
Coverage/signal strength should always be first. Speed second. T-Mobile can have the fastest speeds everywhere, it means nothing because their service is crap outside most major cities. Whereas Verizon/AT&T have great coverage almost everywhere.
YMMV when it comes to coverage. As it should be, pick what works best for you in your area and your areas of travel.
Coverage/signal strength should always be first. Speed second. T-Mobile can have the fastest speeds everywhere, it means nothing because their service is crap outside most major cities. Whereas Verizon/AT&T have great coverage almost everywhere.
YMMV when it comes to coverage. As it should be, pick what works best for you in your area and your areas of travel.
All the LTE speeds are fine for what one normally does on a phone. Availability seems much more important to me as my phone only becomes annoying to use when it drops back down to 3G. One or two bars of LTE and I'm usually doing just fine.
But I also generally carry two phones and they are intentionally set up on two different networks. One has been Verizon for years and the other is AT&T, T-Mobile or MetroPCS (it has changed from time to time over the years).
But I also generally carry two phones and they are intentionally set up on two different networks. One has been Verizon for years and the other is AT&T, T-Mobile or MetroPCS (it has changed from time to time over the years).
As I recall from my visit last summer, for the north rim of the Grand Canyon, nothing and I didn't miss it. Coverage pretty much stops shortly south of Jacob Lake where you turn off of 89A on to 67 into the park. There is a Verizon tower close to the intersection which also provides voice only service to ATT. As for other comments saying what about if your car breaks down.... There is only one road and if your car breaks down, someone else will come along. We survived before cell phones and get along without them quite nicely. Go outside and enjoy the ultra HD view.
The biggest issue is getting a campground spot. Reservations are required in the park. Winging it is no longer allowed. If you don't have reservations you camp at the commercial or USFS campgrounds at Jacob Lake or boondock between Jacob Lake and the park.
The store at the campground has limited WiFi if you are in the store or seated on the porch with your phone held the right way. I used it to send an update to my family as I was traveling solo. The pay phones have been removed.