Best Phone Coverage in Cincinnati, Ohio: Home of the Bengals and Great Cell Coverage

There is no city quite like Cincinnati, Ohio, which is known as the “Beer Capital of the World.” In the 1800s, German immigrants started brewing beer in Over-the-Rhine where they settled, making the city known for its breweries across the city. The Cincinnati Bengals are also a popular football team here, and the city is known for its art museums, the Findlay Market, and other notable locations to explore. 

Cincinnati is a beautiful city to live in, but knowing what the best cell phone service and coverage is essential. Out of the three mobile providers, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and AT&T, getting to know the mobile provider offering the strongest signal can help people who want to live in Cincinnati experience the best call and text performance possible.

In this article we’ll cover the following topics:

• Map of the fastest cell phone coverage in Cincinnati
• Local and national carriers that cover Cincinnati
• Frequently asked questions about phone coverage in Cincinnati

Phone Coverage in Cincinnati at a Glance

Cincinnati is an incredible city to live in, but finding the best cell phone service and coverage to get a plan through is crucial, so who offers the best call and text performance and fast 5G coverage?

When breaking down the main three mobile providers, Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless takes the lead in Cincinnati, Ohio. Verizon covers up to 100% of the city of Cincinnati with reliable service for fast call and text performance. They also offer 85% availability across the city with 5G coverage and up to 100% 4G LTE coverage.

Taking second place is AT&T where their service and coverage for the most part ties with Verizon Wireless. They also cover up to 100% of the city of Cincinnati, but they offer more 5G availability. Up to 97% 5G coverage is available and 99% of 4G LTE covers the city of Cincinnati for reliable and fast data speeds anywhere.

Right after AT&T is where T-Mobile takes third place, but they offer the best 5G coverage out of all three main mobile providers. T-Mobile has coverage up to 100% of Cincinnati as well as 99% 5G and 98% 4G LTE availability. Many customers have shared their love for T-Mobile because of the ultra fast 5G data speeds.

Citizens of Cincinnati have raved about Verizon Wireless and how good it is all across the city and most of them have had their plans through them for the last fifteen to twenty years. These customers have tended to prefer Verizon over any other network, because of the access they can get in high-congestion zones, such as a Bengals game, exploring the Findlay Market, or even drinking beer at Over-the-Rhine.  Other people have stated that AT&T works pretty good throughout the city as well. 

If you are looking for the best service and coverage in a particular part of Cincinnati, it is recommended that you look at a coverage map. By plugging in your address, you can determine the mobile provider with the best coverage in the specific area you live in.

Local and National Cell Phone Carriers in Cincinnati

The next step to consider when choosing a cell phone plan in Cincinnati is what kind of carrier to go through. Sure you can select a cell phone plan through one of the big mobile providers, such as Verizon Wireless, AT&T, or T-Mobile, or you can select a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO).

MVNOs are great because they can help you to save hundreds of dollars per year that you would’ve wasted on a cell phone plan through a mobile provider, or Mobile Network Operator (MNO). Not only can you save money with an MVNO, but you can also utilize the same service and coverage from the MNOs as well for great call and text performance, and fast 5G speeds.

AT&T and T-Mobile are Mobile Network Operators, which means they maintain their own networks. Ting Mobile on the other hand is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), which means they buy minutes from an MNO with extra capacity and resell under their own brand. In this case, Ting Mobile uses the power of T-Mobile's network to provide reliable coverage at a lower price.

It is also important to note that MVNOs suffer from deprioritization. Deprioritization is where your service and 4G LTE or 5G speeds slow down significantly due to congestion during busy hours of the day. Customers that have a plan through the major provider will always get first priority over an MVNO, such as better service and coverage, hence why they are more expensive.

Let’s take a look at which of these carriers use the network that gives people in Cincinnati the most coverage.

#1 in Cincinnati: Visible (Verizon Wireless)

Best 4G LTE and 5G Range in Cincinnati 

If you are looking for a cell phone plan where you can experience the fast service and coverage of Verizon Wireless, then Visible is the best plan for you. Known for their incredible 4G LTE and 5G coverage and unlimited plans, Visible is a top MVNO out of the many that there are. 

Features of a Visible cell phone plan include:

• Unlimited talk, text, and data
• 4G LTE or 5G nationwide coverage
• Unlimited mobile hotspot
• Spam protection
• Unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada
• 5G ultra wideband on their most expensive plan
• Unlimited roaming in Mexico and Canada on most expensive plan
• International calling and texting to 30+ countries
• International texting to 200+ countries
• 24/7 access to customer service
• Add a smartwatch for an extra $5 per month
• No hidden fees 

Price: Visible offers extremely affordable cell phone plans that individuals and families can take advantage of. There are two plans to choose from, and you will pay around $30 to $45 per month depending on the one that you choose.

Plan: There are two cell phone plans that are offered through Visible and it’s their base plan or the premium one. While the base plan comes with all of the essential features that you’ll need, the premium plan includes 5G ultra wideband, international features, and even a mobile hotspot. 

👍 What We Liked

• Verizon Wireless’ Network. Verizon Wireless’ network is one of the best mobile providers in the nation and Visible customers get to take advantage of their impeccable service and coverage. 
• Truly Unlimited Plans. Visible offers 100% truly unlimited plans with absolutely no set data allotment for ultra fast 5G data no matter where you go or how long you use it. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

• No Physical Stores. Visible doesn’t have any physical stores or even a customer service number to call if you have any issues with your plan. Instead, you can chat with one of their online customer service agents to text about any issues you may have.
• More Features on Premium Plan. Many customers have stated that they paid the extra $15 for the premium plan to get more necessary features that they may need compared to the base plan.

#2 in Cincinnati: Cricket Wireless (AT&T)

Best for Full Service MVNO in Cincinnati

Trying to find the best full service MVNO can be tough, but Cricket Wireless is one of the best that is offered all across the country. Cricket Wireless offers all of the essentials that you will need on any cell phone plan, while also giving you full access to AT&T’s super fast 5G data speeds and great call and text performance. 

Features of a Cricket Wireless cell phone plan include:

• Fast nationwide 5G coverage
• High-speed data access
• Unlimited talk, text, and picture messaging
• HD voice and Wi-Fi calling
• Cricket Call Defense to protect you from spam calls
• Affordable Connectivity Program if you’re eligible
• Mobile hotspot on most plans
• HBO Max included in plan price
• Cloud storage available
• International calling to Canada and Mexico
• International text to 37 countries
• Save more money by adding more lines

Price: Cricket Wireless cell phone plans are very affordable and they’re perfect for either yourself or even your family if you need a plan with multiple lines. A Cricket Wireless customer normally pays around $30 to $60 per month depending on the plan that they choose and how much data they need.

Plan: There are a few different plans to choose from through Cricket Wireless, but mainly they are set data allotment plans and unlimited ones. You can choose a set data allotment plan 5GB to 10GB, or you can spend extra money to get AT&T’s 5G speeds with an unlimited plan. 

👍 What We Liked

• AT&T’s Network Coverage. Cricket Wireless allows customers access to AT&T’s reliable 5G coverage and their service that provides excellent call and text performance. 
• Full Service MVNO. Cricket Wireless is a full service MVNO that provides everything from unlimited talk and text, a set data allotment, spam detector, international features, a mobile hotspot, and other features on a large mobile provider plan. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

• Poor Customer Service. Many customers of Cricket Wireless complain that the customer service is poor with the slow response time and the waiting in line for a long time to get your issues resolved.
• Not the Best Cell Phone Selection. Cricket Wireless offers a ton of Apple products, they don’t offer any Samsung or Google phones if you decide that you need to purchase a new cell phone.

#3 in Cincinnati: Tello Mobile (T-Mobile)

Best for its Affordable Prices in Cincinnati

MVNOs are known to be affordable, more so than a plan through a large provider, and Tello Mobile may be the best choice. Tello Mobile is an MVNO that uses T-Mobile’s network service and coverage and they offer cell phone plans for as little as $5 per month with a lot of customization.

Features of a Tello Mobile cell phone plan include:

• Free unlimited text
• Free tethering using a hotspot
• Wi-Fi calling available
• Free calls to over 60 countries 
• Upgrade or downgrade your plan anytime
• Plans renew every thirty days
• Utilize 4G LTE/5G network
• Powered by T-Mobile

Price: Tello Mobile is known for their incredible prices that are some of the most affordable of any MVNO. Their plans run as little as $5 to $29 per month depending on how you customize them, and it’s a total steal compared to other expensive MVNOs.

Plan: The best part about Tello Mobile is that you’re able to customize your plan to what you specifically need. You can choose how many minutes you need for calling and texting, and you can even choose how much data you need too. Their set data allotment plans run from 500MB, 1GB, 2GB, 5GB, 10GB, or you can choose their unlimited data one instead.

👍 What We Liked

• T-Mobile’s Reliable Coverage. Tello Mobile lets you take advantage of T-Mobile’s incredibly fast 4G LTE or 5G data speeds and you can also get some of the best call and text performance in the country. 
• Affordable Cell Phone Plans. Some MVNOs can be expensive, but Tello Mobile wins with having the most affordable plans as little as $5 per month and at most, you can pay $29 per one-line per month. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

• Very Low Data Caps. Tello Mobile offers set data allotment plans, but their caps are very low compared to other MVNOs. You can choose from 500MB, 1GB, 2GB, 5GB, or 10GB.
• May Experience Deprioritization. Just like any other MVNO, Tello Mobile customers can experience deprioritization during congested or busy hours, resulting in slower data speeds. 

Get to Know Your Local Carrier Options in Cincinnati

Trying to find the best MVNO to get while living in Cincinnati, Ohio can be difficult because there are so many to choose from. Depending on the mobile provider that you choose, you can select an array of MVNOs that use the same network.

Some of the most popular MVNOs in Cincinnati, Ohio include:

• Mint Mobile
• Ting Mobile
• Tello
• US Mobile
• Consumer Cellular
• Red Pocket
• Twigby
• Good2Go Mobile
• Pure Talk
• Ultra Mobile
• Straight Talk Wireless
• Tracfone
• And more!

FAQ: Your Questions About Cell Phone Coverage in Cincinnati, Answered

Who Has the Best Cell Phone Coverage?

Overall, Verizon Wireless is known for having the best cell phone coverage out of AT&T and even T-Mobile. Verizon and AT&T have the most coverage throughout the United States, but Verizon has the edge covering up to 55% of the country.

How Do I Find the Best Cell Coverage in My Area?

It can be tough to find the best cell phone coverage in your area, but the easiest way to do so is by looking at a coverage map. You can type in your address on the coverage map where it will pinpoint the best mobile provider in your area so you can narrow down which plan you want. 

Is Verizon 5G Available in Cincinnati?

5G coverage is available in Cincinnati through Verizon Wireless. Customers can get 85% availability across the city with 5G coverage and up to 100% 4G LTE coverage. Verizon’s 4G LTE and 5G coverage is some of the best in the country with fast ultra wideband speeds that are on every plan and newer phone offered. 

Verizon Wireless is your best bet for fast phone coverage in Cincinnati

Out of all of the mobile providers that are available to use in Cincinnati, Verizon Wireless is your best choice with the best call and text performance and fast 5G coverage, so consider purchasing a cell phone plan through them today!

Looking to switch to another mobile provider in Cincinnati, Ohio? Why not look into Really to help you narrow down which cell phone plan is best for you! At Really, you can compare phone plans to save more money and see what carriers and plans are in your area. You can sort by price, best value and more, and even click on the plan you wish to learn more about in an instant.