Best Phone Coverage in Hilo, HI: Cell Service in the Gathering Place

Located on the Big Island, Hilo is a town on one of Hawaii’s many coasts. Hilo is a town with around 45,000 residents. Known for its beautiful nature, Hilo is a great place for Hawaiians to live where they can be in touch with nature and near some of Hawaii’s most beautiful sights. 

Cell phone coverage in Hawaii has improved recently, as all three major carriers are adding towers and increasing total coverage of the island. That being said, finding the best cell phone coverage in Hilo, HI, is essential to staying connected to high-speed data while out and about in the city. This article will compare phone plans for Hilo residents. 

Our research found that Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile are the top three for the best phone coverage in Hilo, HI. This article features detailed information on the following: 

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

Phone Coverage in Hilo, HI at a Glance

Data Coverage in Cities and Towns on Major and Local Networks

With recent cell tower development, Hilo sees excellent coverage from the three major networks. This city is best known for its hiking and outdoor activities, with many locals and fewer tourists. 

Each major wireless carrier has its strengths and weaknesses in the area, and we will discuss what makes each network strong in Hilo, HI, and help you pick out which one is right for you! 

Local and National Cell Phone Carriers in Hilo, HI

The top three carriers in Hilo, HI, are T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T. 

The following section is the best cell phone coverage in Hilo, HI. This section is geared towards people living there or making an extended stay. If you are visiting Hilo, HI, your current carrier should keep you covered even if it is not the best of the best. All three networks will wane as you venture further into the forests and trails around Hilo, so make sure to check coverage maps before hikes to see if there are any spots on the trail where you will not have any mobile coverage. 

We will focus on major wireless carriers in our top three, but each major carrier has many Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) that use their network. Major wireless carriers own and operate their networks, which generally translates to higher-priced cell phone plans with more high-speed data, faster average speeds, and more customer deals. MVNOs, on the other hand, rent bandwidth from existing networks and don’t have any cell towers of their own. This means they offer lower-priced cell phone plans with less data, a lower data priority, and fewer customer deals. 

#1 in Hilo, HI: T-Mobile

Most Affordable Cell Phone Plans in Hilo, HI

T-Mobile has the best cell phone coverage in Hilo, HI. Their 5G network is exceptionally strong in the area, maximizing the number of devices that can use high-speed data before anyone is slowed down. This makes every tier of their data better and better. Mobile data tiers are divided into these three categories:

1. At the top are priority data users. These are T-Mobile customers who get the fastest data possible. 
2. Tier two is basic data users. These T-Mobile customers have used all of their priority data and are now in danger of data slowdowns if the network becomes congested. 
3. The first users to receive data slowdowns are MVNO users. Mint Mobile is one such MVNO, and its customers will receive slowed-down data if the network ever shows signs of congestion. 

Your best cell phone plan depends on how much you value high-speed data. If your phone does little more than play music when you are on mobile networks in the city, then priority data may not be worthwhile. If you use your phone a lot in the city for maps, streaming video, and browsing the web, however, that added security of high-speed data more than pays for itself. There are a lot of amazing restaurants in Hilo, ranging from Hawaiian places like Hilo Bay Cafe, Cafe 100, and Coconut Grille. We recommend trying out the local fare when traveling! 

Price: Varies

Plan: T-Mobile offers three unlimited plans at various price points. While these plans are all very expensive, multi-line accounts save big. 

The biggest change between the plans, besides the price, is the amount of premium data your account receives. Premium data increases your chances of receiving high-speed data, but there is no guarantee. Sometimes, especially when there’s an increased volume of travelers in the city, the network is so congested that even tier-one data users have slow data. If you want the highest chances of high-speed data in your day-to-day, then premium data should be a priority. 

All of T-Mobile’s plans offer some priority data. It starts at 50 GBs with their tier 1 plan, 100 GBs with tier 2, and unlimited premium data with tier 3. You can choose which plan best suits your data needs. One of the reasons we have T-Mobile in the top spot for best cell phone coverage in Hilo is that even their cheapest plan has 50 GB of unlimited data.  Sure, shared among two or three lines that won’t last all month, but it is a nice buffer before you run into the risk of slow data speeds. 

👍 What We Liked

• Large 5G Network. T-Mobile has the best 5G network coverage. 
• Premium Data. Starting their plans with 50 GBs is a great feature that neither of the other major networks has done. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

• Phone Deals. Be wary when you see awesome new customer deals at T-Mobile. They are usually only available if you select their most expensive cell phone plan. 
• Spotty Coverage in Buildings. T-Mobile’s network does not cover the inside of buildings as well as the other major networks.  

#2 in Hilo, HI: Verizon Wireless

Fastest 5G and 4G LTE in Hilo, HI

Verizon Wireless is a colossus among cell phone providers. They have a spectacular network and insane data speeds. Verizon gives some of the best cell phone coverage in Hilo, HI.

Verizon’s strength in Hilo is its lightning-fast network. Verizon’s 4G LTE network is strong in Hilo and has impressive coverage throughout Hawaii, meaning you can rely on their coverage as you travel to one of Hilo’s amazing hikes, perhaps on the Wailuku River State Park or the Wai’ale Falls. 

Verizon has not deployed 5G coverage in Hilo yet, but their 4G LTE network is fast, reliable, and keeps you covered in and around the city. 

Price: Varies

Plan: Verizon offers a pair of unlimited plans. One has unlimited high-speed data, and the other has unlimited premium high-speed data.  

Verizon offers two unlimited plans. 

• Welcome Unlimited, priced at $65/55/40/30 a month per line
• Unlimited Plus, priced at $80/70/55/45 a month per line

Verizon’s basic unlimited plan, unfortunately, does not come with any premium 5G data, leaving you vulnerable to slower data speeds if there is any congestion. The premium plan is an extra $15, and it gives the following perks: 

• 30 GB mobile hotspot
• Device savings
• Price Guarantee
• Premium data

The premium data alone may be enough to warrant the extra monthly cost, but the hotspot data is a nice addition, and their device savings, if you need a new phone anyway, can save a lot more. The extra $15 per line does add up, but you should consider it if you use your phone a lot when out and about in Hilo. Since Verizon only has a 4G LTE network, it becomes congested faster, and with the popularity of tourism in the area, having high-priority data is a great way to keep maximum data speeds. 

Alongside the base price of the plans, Verizon offers a wide variety of add-ons, which are nice bonuses to their service. The best part — they are optional. Each add-on is $10 a month and saves you some money on the service, but if none of them seem like things you need, then you can skip it entirely and stick with the base plan. 

👍 What We Liked

• Reliable Coverage. Verizon has excellent coverage throughout the island, and you should expect signals in the city and throughout many of the trails and beaches of Oahu. 
• Family Plan Savings. Any additional lines you can add to your account will save you and your account mates big on your cell phone bill. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

• Price. Verizon is expensive. Their plans provide great service, lightning-fast speeds, and lots of add-ons, but they come at a high price. 
• Customer Service. This is certainly not unique to Verizon, but their customer service does not always solve the problems ailing their customers. 

#3 in Hilo, HI: AT&T 

Best Cell Phone Plan Range in Hilo, HI

AT&T has a great network in the Hawaiian Islands, and they have excellent 5G coverage in Hilo. AT&T’s network is a great choice for residents and travelers who are thinking of heading down to this amazing city. There are spots throughout Hawaii and the other islands where AT&T’s network slows down, but that is true for all of the major wireless networks. 

AT&T’s network is fantastic for beach-goers. It extends far into the surf, keeping you connected while you tan, surf, or build an amazing sandcastle on one of Hawaii’s many beaches. 

Price: Varies

Plan: AT&T offers three unlimited plans at various prices. Their price is comparable to the plans at GCI. 

AT&T offers three unlimited plans. 

• AT&T Unlimited Starter Plan, priced at $65/60/45/35/30
• AT&T Unlimited Extra Plan, priced at $75/65/50/40/35
• AT&T Unlimited Premium Plan, priced at $85/75/60/50/45

AT&T’s unlimited plans start at a high price point and become much more affordable with the addition of new lines. With three cell phone plans, AT&T has a basic plan with new bells and whistles, a medium plan, and a premium plan with many extras. 

• AT&T’s starter plan has unlimited high-speed data with 3 GBs of high-speed hotspot data.  
• AT&T’s extra plan comes with 50 GB of premium data and 15 GB of high-speed hotspot data. 
• AT&T’s premium plan comes with unlimited premium data and 50 GB of high-speed hotspot data.

AT&T has a strong network in Hilo, but users note dead spots and spotty coverage in rural areas. Living in the continental United States, many are used to strong daily coverage in rural areas but be prepared for zones of low or no coverage as you travel throughout the islands. AT&T’s network in Hawaii is impressive, but it is still catching up to the networks in other areas of the country. 

👍 What We Liked

• Large Hawaiian Network. AT&T has an impressive presence throughout Hawaii. While they don’t have every island and forest covered, AT&T provides great coverage and fast data speeds to most of Hawaii’s population. Even though it is a big project, AT&T is constantly working to improve its coverage and the speed of its network in Hilo, HI. 
• Premium Data. AT&T’s more expensive cell phone plans use Premium Data as a big incentive. Premium data is a great way to avoid congestion in the Hawaiian Islands. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

• Unreliable Coverage. There are a lot of dead spots in the rural areas around Hilo. The high volume of hills, valleys, and other signal obstructions make it difficult for phones to get coverage even within AT&T’s network.
• SD Streaming. Only the most expensive plan can stream HD using mobile data. This means AT&T’s basic plans are not great for people who like to stream video and scroll social media on their mobile network. 

Get to Know Your Local Carrier Options in Hilo, HI

We highlighted three major wireless networks in this article and discussed their coverage in Hilo, HI. Major networks are excellent for high-data users, but every major network has awesome MVNOs that provide great cell phone plans at very affordable prices. 

Visible Wireless is an MVNO that uses Verizon’s network to provide unlimited high-speed data to customers for only $25 a month. Their service is fantastic. It is unusual for MVNOs to provide unlimited high-speed data with their cell phone plans. Many offer “unlimited” plans that slow down your data speeds after a certain amount of usage each month. 

Mint Mobile, for instance, only offers 25 GB of high-speed data on the unlimited plan before slowing data speeds down to 3G. The upside to Mint Mobile, which runs on T-Mobile’s network, is that their cell phone plans are very affordable and they have a great family plan that brings all their service to its lowest price when you have an account with two or more lines. 

Cricket Wireless is our favorite MVNO on AT&T’s network. They also provide unlimited high-speed data while offering more cell phone plans than Visible does. Cricket’s base prices are much higher than Visible’s prices, but Cricket offers excellent multi-line savings. 

FAQ: Your Questions About Cell Phone Coverage in Hilo, HI, Answered

Does Verizon have 5G in Hilo, Hawaii?

Verizon does not yet have 5G coverage in Hilo, Hawaii. While Verizon’s 5G network is not yet deployed in that area, they have a robust 4G LTE network that will keep you covered while lk

Who has the best cell service in my area?

We recommend checking local coverage maps to find details surrounding each carrier’s network strength in your area. While T-Mobile provides the best cell phone coverage in Hilo, HI, there are areas around the islands where AT&T or Verizon have better coverage. 

What is the best phone service in Hawaii?

AT&T has the best cell phone coverage in Hawaii. There are strengths and weaknesses to each major network on the island chain. Make sure to check local coverage maps to find the best cell phone coverage in Hilo for you. 

TLDR: T-Mobile is your best bet for fast phone coverage in Hilo, HI

Use really.com to compare! 

Hilo, HI, is a beautiful place to live. The city is exciting, with great local shops and a tremendous connection to nature. 

T-Mobile provides the best cell phone coverage in Hilo. If you want more info about plans available in Hilo, HI, you can compare carriers at Really.com to decide which phone carrier is best for you.