Best Phone Coverage in Virginia: Get Covered at The State Capital and Surrounding Areas

There is no place quite like home and this is the case for many people who live in Virginia, home to Washington DC and rooted in the history of the United States. Virginia is a marvelous state to live in and it is the home of the White House, the Appalachian Trail, many presidential homes, the Arlington National Cemetery, and a ton of other cultural aspects of how the United States came to be.

Whether you live in Virginia, or are planning on making a big move to the state, it’s crucial to get an idea of the best cell phone service and coverage that is offered. Making sure that you know which mobile provider has the best coverage for great call and text performance and fast 5G speeds can help to ensure you’re connected, no matter what part of the state you’re in.

In this article, you’ll learn a lot when it comes to cell phone plans, choosing the right mobile provider in Virginia, and more including:

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

Phone Coverage in Virginia at a Glance

Out of the three main mobile providers, Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile, it is important to get an idea of which one has the best service and coverage in Virginia.

All three have their pros and cons, but one outweighs the rest in terms of full coverage throughout the state of Virginia, and Verizon Wireless takes the lead. Verizon Wireless covers up to 100% of the state in coverage and call and text performance. This mobile provider is also known for their incredible fast 5G data speeds where up to 64% of the state is covered and 4G LTE coverage is up to 98%. 

Coming in second place is AT&T who is neck and neck with Verizon in terms of overall coverage statewide. They also cover up to 100% of the state of Virginia with reliable cell phone service and coverage to make phone calls from anywhere at any time with almost no dead zones. Their 5G coverage is lower than Verizon’s though as they only cover up to 41% of the state, but make up for it with 4G LTE coverage up to 97%.

Last but certainly not least is T-Mobile, while they may come in third in terms of coverage in Virginia, but they offer the best 5G coverage and speeds out of the main mobile providers. T-Mobile’s coverage across Virginia is 99%, which is still extremely good, and their 5G coverage is up to 92%, with 4G LTE not falling too far behind at 91%.

Many customers have discussed which mobile provider works best for them and for almost all of them, they have good experience with T-Mobile in Washington DC and the metro, but reaching any rural areas throughout the state, the service wasn’t as good. Verizon Wireless makes up for the coverage in rural areas of Virginia AT&T has also been regarded as a great mobile provider with exceptional coverage in cities, but customer experience dead zones here are there. 

If you are wondering which mobile provider will give you the best cell phone service and coverage in the area that you specifically live in, looking at a coverage map is your best option. Coverage maps allow you to plug in your address and help determine which mobile provider works best in the area you live in to get the best service possible.

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Local and National Cell Phone Carriers in Virginia

Choosing a cell phone plan from a mobile provider can be a more expensive option, especially if you’re on a tight budget. A Mobile Virtual Network Operator, or MVNO for short, is a great alternative for people who are trying to save money, but also get a reliable plan with working service and coverage.

A Mobile Virtual Network Operator is a great option if you want to save hundreds of dollars per year on a cell phone plan, while still taking advantage of the network of one of the three major mobile providers. Depending on the MVNO that you choose, it will share the network of one of the Mobile Network Operators (MNO).

To put it into perspective, Verizon Wireless and AT&T are carriers from Mobile Network Operators, which means they maintain their own networks. Boost 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, Boost Mobile uses the power of AT&T's network to provide reliable coverage at a lower price.

One of the cons of getting a MVNO is that they suffer from deprioritization. Deprioritization is where your service and 4G LTE or 5G speeds slow down significantly due to congestion during busy hours during the day. Customers that have a plan through a major provider will always get first priority and the best coverage and data speeds over an MVNO, but this also is why they are a more expensive option.

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

#1 in Virginia Beach: Verizon Wireless

Best for 4G LTE and 5G Range in Virginia 

Trying to find the best cell phone plan in Virginia can be tough, especially if they use Verizon Wireless’ network coverage. Getting a plan directly through Verizon Wireless is your best option when it comes to selecting a cell phone plan with some of the best service and they are known for having some of the best 4G LTE and 5G range in Virginia.

Features of a Verizon Wireless 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
• 24/7 access to customer service
• Entertainment perks

Price: Verizon Wireless cell phone plans are very affordable and many people enjoy the price of their plan which is as little as $35 up to $50 per line per month on a plan with all of the extra features that you may find necessary. 

Plan: There are three cell phone plans offered through Verizon Wireless. They all include everything that you will need from unlimited talk, text, and data, but you can enjoy extra entertainment options the more expensive the plan is. 

👍 What We Liked

• Uses Verizon’s Network. A reason why many people sign up for a cell phone plan through Verizon Wireless is because of the network service and coverage that is the best in Virginia. 
• 100% Unlimited Plans. Verizon Wireless has 100% fully unlimited cell phone plans where you can use as much data as you want to at any time on either the base plan, or the premium one. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

• More Expensive. Verizon Wireless is the best mobile provider in Virginia and all across the country, but it is known for being more expensive, which can be a deterring factor for many people.
• Pay More For Better Entertainment Perks. Many people enjoy Visible for their entertainment perks, but to to get the best perks, such as streaming services, you have to get the more expensive plan

#2 in Chesapeake: Boost Mobile (AT&T)

Best for the Choice of Plans to Choose From in Virginia

One of the best MVNOs that you can get and also use AT&T’s cell phone service and coverage is Boost Mobile. 

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Features of a Boost Mobile cell phone plan include:

• Unlimited talk and text
• Set data allotment plans or unlimited data plans
• Mobile hotspot available
• New customer only deals
• AT&T’s 4G LTE or 5G nationwide coverage
• No contract plans
• Data pack available
• Phone insurance available to add onto plans
• International calling to Mexico, Canada, and more
• Boost call screener to protect against spam calls

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Price: Boost Mobile offers a bunch of different options for cell phone plans that will fit right in your price range for either yourself, or your family. Their plans run from $15 to $60 per month depending on how much data you need and also how many lines you will need.

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Plan: The only downfall of Boost Mobile is that they do not have any truly unlimited cell phone plans where you can continuously use data all month long. They have set data allotment plans that range anywhere from 2GB to 35GB and once you read the data cap, your speeds will slow down drastically.

👍 What We Liked

• AT&T’s Network Coverage is Used. Boost Mobile uses AT&T’s reliable service and 4G LTE and 5G network coverage on a more affordable carrier to still get the same experience as someone with a plan through the major provider. 
• All Prepaid Cell Phone Plans. All of Boost Mobile’s cell phone plans are prepaid where customers pay every month for their plan and they can upgrade or downgrade their plan at any time. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

• No Unlimited Plans Offered. There are no unlimited cell phone plans offered through Boost Mobile. Customers will have to choose a set data allotment plan and if they reach their data cap, their speeds will become slower.
• Poor Customer Service. Many customers have complained about the poor customer service through Boost Mobile where it can take a while to get a hold of someone to talk to. 

#3 in Richmond: Google Fi (T-Mobile)

Best Unlimited Plans in Virginia

Trying to find one of the best unlimited plans through an MVNO can be difficult, but luckily there are options out there, such as Google Fi. 

Features of a Google Fi cell phone plan include:

• Unlimited talk and text
• Unlimited high-speed 5G data
• T-Mobile’s 5G nationwide service and coverage
• No contracts or activation fees
• Built-in VPN and spam blocking
• Data budgets available
• Contact controls available
• 24/7 customer support
• Easily switch plans whenever you want to
• Use Fi app to manage your account anytime
• Mobile hotspot available on some plans
• Entertainment perks available
• 100GB of cloud storage available on some plans
• Free unlimited international talk and text to Canada and Mexico
• Free talk and text to over 200+ countries on some plans

Price: Google Fi cell phone plans are very affordable and you can choose their pay-as-you-go plan for $17 per month plus $10 for every GB you use, or you can splurge a little bit more and pay $20 to $40 per month depending on the unlimited plan you choose.

Plan: There are three main plans to choose from with Google Fi are a pay-as-you-go plan, which essentially means that you pay for the amount of GBs that you use. It starts out at a flat rate of $17 per month and you pay $10 for every GB you use. You can also choose one of their unlimited plans that include everything from unlimited talk, text, data, and a mobile hotspot.

👍 What We Liked

• Uses Any Network Available. Google Fi allows you to not only use T-Mobile’s network coverage, but it will connect you to the network with the best coverage in the area you’re currently in. 
• Truly Unlimited Plans Offered. There are two fully unlimited cell phone plans that are offered through Google Fi where you can enjoy unlimited talk, text, data, and even a mobile hotspot. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

• Expensive Pay-Per-GB Plan. Google Fi’s pay-as-you-go plan is more expensive compared to other ones through other MVNOs. You will pay $17 flat rate for the plan per month and then spend an extra $10 per month for each GB you use. 
• Can’t Purchase Certain Cell Phones. If you need a new cell phone plan, there are no Apple phones offered through Google Fi. You can only purchase Samsung or Google Fi plans. 

Get to Know Your Local Carrier Options in Virginia

Check out some of the best MVNOs that work great in Virginia:

• Mint Mobile
• Ting Mobile
• Tello
• US Mobile
• Consumer Cellular
• Red Pocket
• Twigby
• Good2Go Mobile
• Pure Talk
• Ultra Mobile
• Straight Talk Wireless
• Tracfone
• Net10 Wireless
• And more!

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

Take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to cell phone service and coverage in Virginia!

Does AT&T Have Good Coverage in Virginia?

AT&T has very good coverage in Virginia, but it comes in second place compared to Verizon Wireless. They cover up to 100% of the state with reliable service, but their 5G coverage is up to 41% of the state and 4G LTE coverage is up to 97%.

What Phone Carrier Gets the Best Signal?

Out of the three major mobile providers, Verizon Wireless offers some of the best service and coverage throughout the United States where 70% of the nation is covered, including Virginia. 

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

The easiest way to find the best cell phone coverage is by putting your address in on a coverage map. The coverage map will then be able to pinpoint the best mobile provider to get a cell phone plan through for where you live in Virginia.  

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

When it comes to choosing the best mobile provider with the best cell phone service and coverage in Virginia, Verizon Wireless offers the best. AT&T and T-Mobile are also great choices that will work depending on where you live in the state.

Switching to a new cell phone plan can be difficult in Virginia, so why not look into Really to help you narrow down which cell phone plan and provider is best for you! At Really, you can compare phone plans to save money and see what carriers are available in your area. You can narrow it down by price, best value and more, and even click on the plan you wish to learn more about in an instant.