Best Phone Coverage in Maine: Cell Service in the Pine Tree State

If you live in Maine or are planning a long-distance move to Maine, you know or will get to know just how beautiful the state really is. Known for its rocky coastline, beautiful forests, and plenty of outdoor recreational activities to do, you will instantly fall in love with this area if you love the great outdoors.

Maine is a beautiful place to move to, but you should also know if your phone will work properly if you are planning to move there soon. Determining what the best phone carrier and coverage is is extremely important so you have good service, data speeds, and more. 

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

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

Phone Coverage in Maine at a Glance

Lightning-Fast Data Speeds on Major Networks

Coverage varies throughout the state, and while the map shows a big mix of “best coverage” throughout the state, we’ve determined that Verizon provides the best coverage overall. If you 

Local and National Cell Phone Carriers in Maine

The top three carriers in Maine are Verizon, AT&T, and Visible Wireless. 

Moving to Maine is an incredible journey with a lot of beautiful sights to see and so much more. If you are looking to move to Maine, or even if you’re already living there, ensuring you have the best cell phone coverage is very important, especially since a lot of parts of the state are very rural.

Do you have a hard time finding all your options for phone carriers with the best coverage in Maine? If so, we’re here to help you on this journey, so here are some of the best carriers we could find!

#1 in Maine: Verizon Wireless 

Fastest 5G and 4G LTE in Maine

The best cell phone coverage in Maine comes from the one and only Verizon Wireless. Verizon is known for having a bunch of unlimited phone plans with unlimited 5G data that you and your family can use wherever and whenever. Verizon’s networks cover 99% of the state of Maine, so you will always be covered.

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

You have a lot of options when it comes to getting a phone plan with Verizon Wireless. You can start by picking your phone plan, picking a brand new phone, or using your current phone with your new plan. Once there, you can pick out how many lines you need and plan perks, if any. At this stage, multi-line plans are an exceptional boon. You and your friends and family will save big each month with three or more lines on a Verizon plan. 

The biggest difference between the two Verizon plans is the high-speed data. Welcome Unlimited provides unlimited data, but Unlimited Plus dishes out unlimited “priority” high-speed data. This comes into play anytime the network is congested. If that’s the case, Verizon will slow down basic data users before the priority users. Mileage varies based on location. Big cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago often have congested networks from the high density of phone users, and other areas may become congested when there are events going on or another reason that there’s an above-average amount of people nearby. We do not expect this to be a large problem in Maine, leaving the Welcome Unlimited plan as our favorite to deliver the best cell phone coverage in Maine. 

👍 What We Liked

• Reliable Coverage. Verizon has 99% coverage in Maine, providing excellent service to all within the state. Verizon’s coverage, paired with its high-speed network, all but guarantees excellent coverage anywhere in the state.  
• Family Plan Savings. The biggest con of Verizon is the price of their plans, and their family plan savings neatly cut the price of their plans. If you have at least three lines on the plan, it becomes much more affordable, but be wary of opening a line with Verizon if you are on your own. 

👎 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. If you aren’t able to find family and friends with whom to share the account, the price point of their plans is a hard pill to swallow. 
• Customer Service. This is certainly not unique to Verizon, but their customer service does not always solve the problems ailing their customers. 

#2 in Maine: AT&T 

Most Affordable Cell Phone Plans in Maine

Another very popular phone carrier with great phone coverage in Maine that you should consider getting a plan for is AT&T. AT&T coverage covers almost 99% of Maine, where you can get unlimited high-speed 5G data for no extra cost a month. 

Price: Varies

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

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AT&T offers three unlimited plans. 

• AT&T Unlimited Starter Plan
• AT&T Unlimited Extra Plan
• AT&T Unlimited Premium Plan

Like Verizon, 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’s premium plan also comes with UHD streaming which is quite nice. It does mean, however, that the other two plans available at AT&T only allow SD streaming when on mobile data. If you are someone who likes to browse TikTok or stream your favorite show while commuting to work, it might be best to avoid AT&T’s starter plans. The boon of UHD streaming is great, but the plan also gives unlimited priority high-speed data, which, in Maine, may not make much of a difference over their standard data. 

👍 What We Liked

• Large 5G Network. While not as large as T-Mobile’s network, AT&T has a great 5G network. It is fast and covers an impressive area of Maine. AT&T is constantly working to improve its coverage and the speed of its network. 
• Premium Data. While it is an unlikely occurrence, a surprise slow-down of your mobile service is quite vexing. The second-tier plan with 50 GBs of premium data works as a great bridge between their first and third plans. Be careful, however, because the 50 GBs are shared between every user, so it will go quickly.  

👎 What We Didn’t Like

• SD Streaming. Cutting video streaming off at standard definition for the starter and the mid-tier plan is a tough sell for anyone who likes to stream video when on the move. 
• Price. This is a common qualm with major wireless networks, but AT&T’s prices are steep. Overall, prices at major wireless networks are challenging to pay without multi-line discounts. Find some friends to take out an account together and enjoy serious savings if you can. 

#3 in Maine: T-Mobile

Best Cell Phone Plan Range in Maine

If you want the best 5G high-speed data and unlimited talk, text, and data on every phone plan you can choose from, then a phone plan through T-Mobile might be for you. While we rank it below the other two major wireless carriers, T-Mobile delivers some of the best cell phone coverage in Maine. T-Mobile’s plans are contract-free and give you all the flexibility you need to determine which is best for you. 

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. 

One of the differences in the plans is how much premium data each account receives. It starts at 50 GBs with their tier 1 plan, 100 GBs with tier 2, and unlimited premium data with tier 3. The starting 50 GBs of premium data is excellent, especially in Maine, where we don’t expect you will need it too much. This lets you start confidently at the Essentials tier and save on your cell phone bill each month. 

Regarding T-Mobile’s coverage, some Maine residents talk about poor coverage in Arrowsic and Woolwich and the more rural parts of the state. While it struggles in the rural sections, the coverage in the Midcoast is excellent. 

👍 What We Liked

• Large 5G Network. Of all the major wireless providers, T-Mobile is the winner in 5G network coverage. The extra max speeds of 5G networks are nice, but the best benefit, in our eyes, is the big increase in bandwidth. That means more devices can connect and transmit before speeds start to slow. 
• 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. T-Mobile has long been a fan of highlighting amazing phone deals locked to their most expensive plan: Go5G Plus. Keep an eye out for enticing deals, as they may lock you into spending more per month than you want. 
• Spotty Coverage in Rural Areas. Although T-Mobile is constantly improving its network, they are the weakest in rural areas around the country. 

Get to Know Your Local Carrier Options in Maine

Getting a cell phone and getting a new carrier plan whenever you move to Maine is essential to ensure that you’ll have the best coverage no matter where you are in the state. While the three major wireless carriers provide the best cell phone coverage in Maine, each one has many MVNOs that provide that same coverage, with fewer data, at lower price points. 

MVNOs can save you a lot of money on your cell phone bill, but a lot of big carriers have a lot more perks, features, and deals with their plans.

Whatever your concern about picking between a big or small wireless phone carrier while living in Maine, we’re here to break it down for you!

The Case for a Big Wireless Carrier

There are many perks to consider when it comes to getting a new cell phone plan in Maine. If you are leaning towards getting a cell phone through a bigger carrier, such as Verizon Wireless, AT&T, or T-Mobile, it’s important to know that you will be in a long-term contract through this company, but it comes with a lot of extra perks that you will love.

Whenever a new cell phone comes out, and you’re eligible for an update, you can get money back from turning in your older phone, and you can get a large discount and more on getting a new phone as well. You’ll never need to pay for a new device outright, but you may be paying more monthly for your overall phone plan, which depending on your financial situation, can become a little too pricey for some.

You can also take advantage of getting free subscriptions to many different streaming services, such as Netflix, Disney+, Apple Music, and so much more.

The Case for an MVNO

If you’re someone who loves to save money, then we think sometimes it’s better to opt for getting a cell phone through a smaller carrier where you can take advantage of better prices and even no contracts, depending on the carrier. 

Pay-as-you-go plans, or prepaid plans that only go from three months up to a year, are very popular nowadays because it gives people more freedom to be able to test it out to see if it’s good for them before fully committing to the carrier with a longer contract, or just continuing with the service. 

You may have to pay for a cell phone upfront, but once you do that, you don’t have to worry about a balance on your plan, and you can continue to use the carrier as you want.

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

IS AT&T better than Verizon in Maine?

Verizon has the widest network in Maine and beats out AT&T and T-Mobile for the best cell phone coverage in Maine. 

Who owns the most cell towers in Maine?

AT&T currently owns the most cell towers in Maine, with over 500 covering the state. 

How to determine which cell carrier has the best coverage in my area?

The best way to determine which cell carrier has the best coverage in your area is to look up local reports and reviews of each service. While Verizon has the best cell phone coverage in Maine as a whole, there are many pockets where AT&T or T-Mobile reign supreme. 

TLDR; Verizon is your best bet for fast phone coverage in Maine

Use really.com to compare! 

Maine is a beautiful state, and we hope that you are excited to move into the snowy north. Verizon is your best bet for coverage, but if you want more info about plans available in Maine, you can compare carriers at Really.com to decide which phone carrier is best for you.