AT&T, Verizon or T-Mobile? Maps show which cell provider is best around Oregon

(NEXSTAR) – Considering changing your phone plan? You may want to check this map first.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) created an interactive map comparing coverage from cell providers. We took a closer look at the coverage around Oregon from the three largest companies, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.

All three cell providers fared well when it comes to 4G LTE coverage in Portland, but the maps (below) show some gaps in coverage in other parts of Oregon.

T-Mobile’s gaps in 4G coverage appear largest, especially south of Mount Hood and in the Tillamook State Forest.

AT&T and Verizon also have weaker coverage in state forests and wilderness areas, but otherwise cover Oregon’s denser communities with 4G LTE speeds.

When it comes to the fastest 5G coverage the FCC tracks (5G-NR, 35/3 Mbps), the tables are turned. T-Mobile has the broadest geographic coverage around Oregon of the three largest providers.

Granted, the maps for all three are much spottier. The FCC map shows Verizon has 5G coverage from Portland down to Eugene, but pretty much nowhere else in Oregon.

AT&T has a bit more 5G coverage, especially in the northern stretches of the state. But T-Mobile’s coverage, while still spotty in less populated areas, also includes Bend and goes down I-5 through Medford.

To compare coverage options in your area, type in your address on the FCC’s interactive map. Then, tap or click the “Mobile Broadband” option in the right rail. A chart will pop up with the cell provider options in your area, with checkmarks next to each if they have 4G or 5G speeds in that area.

You can also zoom in on the map and compare providers’ 5G coverage head-to-head by clicking here to open the map, then toggling the companies’ names on and off in the right rail.

You can compare 4G LTE coverage by clicking here, then zooming in and out on the map.

The FCC map was last updated on Dec. 1, 2023.

Looking at the country as a whole, Verizon and AT&T have the most coverage, with 55.05% and 55.11% of the country covered, respectively. Meanwhile, T-Mobile covers 35.3% of the country, according to the FCC.

When it comes to 5G coverage nationwide, T-Mobile’s fast 5G reaches about 12.5% of the country, AT&T’s is at 10.9%, and Verizon’s is at 8.1%.

“The coverage areas reflect where consumers should be able to connect to the mobile network when outdoors or in a moving vehicle; they do not show indoor coverage,” an agency spokesperson told Nexstar.

See more about how the map was made and how to use it on the FCC’s website here.

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