Texas Cellular Network Report
General Texas Observations: For a state as large as Texas, it's difficult to declare any carrier "The Best", but if we had to choose, it would be AT&T. Through mergers, acquisitions and government generosity, they ended up with more of the best spectrum available. But they have not built out as much across west Texas. With the takeover of the Alltel network, Verizon Wireless is now tops there. Next, we like T-Mobile and Sprint almost equally, with the difference mainly being which partners each uses for roaming. TracFone is available in most areas of the state. Some areas have either no GSM or no CDMA available, which narrows your choice. There is a handful of small carriers in the state with widely varying quality, many of which offer reasonable Unlimited local plans. Check the Reviews below carefully to make sure you don't overlook one of them.

ALLTEL
The Alltel network in this state has been purchased by Verizon Wireless. Parts of the Alltel network in other states have been sold to Verizon and AT&T as well as ATN who continues to operate under the Alltel name.

AT&T
AT&T has a large GSM network, but in the west, have a lot less developed spectrum than in the rest of the country. That has improved with AT&T's acquisition of Alltel Wireless in 76 markets in the western US. They converted most former Alltel sites to 3G GSM. Some ex-Alltel customers noticed significant changes in coverage with the loss of CDMA roaming partners. With GSM technology, AT&T roams more readily internationally, but there are areas in the US with no GSM coverage. AT&T's takeover of other cellular networks has improved their service in some areas already, including Alaska. AT&T offers a large selection of GSM phones including the Apple iPhone. Parts of what was the old AT&T Wireless network in the interior west is still not among the best. They still suffer from some coverage 'holes', but they are updating some of these areas. Most improvements will be made in the new markets and are increasing data capacity instead of adding cell sites in older areas. They have added "4G" coverage in a handful of markets and will upgrade most of the network in the near future. In several markets where AT&T operates at 1900 MHz only, we have been disappointed, but not all AT&T 1900 MHz-only markets are equal. AT&T offers a variety of plans including Unlimited minutes and services, and 'calling circle' plans. They have extensive data coverage. One of their greatest assets is also their worst problem: the overwhelming success of the Apple iPhone on the AT&T network. It has overloaded their system resulting in dropped calls, interrupted data and slower service. This situation is improving with the defection of some iPhone users.

Pros: AT&T has a large network and covers much of the nation, usage is transparent whether on- or off-network, good digital and data services, good national plans, "Rollover" for those who can use it, "Unlimited" calling plans available, a very good selection of phones. Improvements in coverage have been substantial in some areas, lacking in others. Excellent international roaming capabilities, and AT&T will now supply the unlock code for all phones, except the iPhone, after 3 to 10 months. Additions of Alltel, Unicel and Centennial network purchases give AT&T substantial rural coverage improvements.

Cons: AT&T plans aren't as generous as some, customers can only access GSM networks which are not as universally available in the US as CDMA, customer service varies from above to below average, some markets have a large number of dropped calls caused by large data users. Some customers who have been transferred from other networks have noticed substantial changes in coverage, mostly while roaming.
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BROADPOINT
Primarily offering service to people and businesses who operate in the Gulf of Mexico, Broadpoint operates a cellular network with coverage over 100,000 miles of the Gulf with voice, text and data services. Being a subscriber of Broadpoint is normally a cheaper option than using the roaming options of other carriers. They offer GSM service with continuous on-water coverage along the coast and good roaming capabilities when you travel throughout the mainland US. Broadpoint is owned by Cellular One (MTPCS) which facilitates Broadpoint's US roaming. Plans are expensive and they only offer one phone model for voice communications. They offer a large number of professional data and communication services, including satellite communications geared to petroleum installations. Broadpoint operates what was formerly the Petrocom network in the Gulf.

CAPROCK CELLULAR
Caprock's wireless service has been sold to AT&T.

CELLULAR ONE OF EAST TEXAS
Cellular One of East Texas has merged with Cellular One/MTPCS. Customers will still deal with the East Texas name for the foreseeable future.

CELLULAR ONE OF TEXOMA
A small GSM carrier in the Texas/Oklahoma border area, formerly Amerilink Wireless. They have a wide variety of Local and National plans and many options within those plans, including Unlimited Local minutes and a "Create Your Own" plan with no contract. Their coverage area is small but they allow roaming on other GSM networks. Their Off-Peak and Mobile to Mobile minutes are good only on their own network, Voice Mail, Call Waiting, etc., are extra on most plans and there aren't many phones to choose from. They claim 3G service but don't support Smart phones. Even though their name includes "Texoma", they do not serve Oklahoma customers.

CENTENNIAL WIRELESS
Centennial in this area has been purchased by AT&T and Cellular One.

CLEAR WIRELESS
Clear, also known as ClearWire, is primarily a Wireless Internet Service Provider using "WiMAX" technology in the 2.5 GHz band. Clear provides a fast broadband service, Clear calls its service "4G", but their actual speeds vary considerably based on the newness of their network and the development of the technology. Clear is available in limited areas and you can use it for your mobile or home data needs as long as you are within their coverage. Currently their coverage is limited to populated areas and often does not work in a moving, mobile environment. Clear's service is also being offered by other communications companies like Sprint, Comcast, Time-Warner, Google and others, usually under their own brand name. There is no 4G off-network roaming service available, however, some equipment offers 3G roaming on the existing Sprint 3G network. Clear provides service with home modems, Voice over IP, USB modems for mobile devices, or a WiMAX-ready laptop. Clear has reported financial challenges which have halted their expansion plans.

CLEARTALK
Cleartalk serves small communities in the state. If you live within their coverage, you'll be doing business with locals. They offer most of the features of an all-digital system, but no data. They have a large variety of Unlimited plans starting at $25 with add-ons for Calling features, Long Distance and Nationwide coverage available. Most roaming is provided by Sprint.. Their phone selection is fairly small.

CRICKET
Cricket offers Unlimited wireless usage for one price, but coverage may be a little spotty. For the price, it may work well for you or your family. They have a variety of plans. With Unlimited usage, the circuits sometimes become overloaded. All plans now feature "Nationwide" service through roaming partners, which includes Unlimited Talk & Text but not for wireless modems. Roaming partners include the Sprint CDMA network and the Mexico CDMA network. Cricket is still adding coverage in their own markets. You can use Cricket to replace a home wireline. Plans start in the $30's. Cricket also offers reasonable Unlimited Broadband access which is limited to their own network, and supplies a USB modem that plugs in to your laptop. Cricket has several additional features including Unlimited calls to Mexico. They also can provide an incoming number in a foreign country for free calls from that country to your Cricket phone. Cricket now offers their wireless service "nationwide" with an agreement to use the Sprint 3G network in non-Cricket markets.

Pros: Talk as much as you want, no contract, most data & digital services are included, good 3G Broadband service, Unlimited Talk and Text coverage that includes all US metro markets and several rural areas, voice roaming in Mexico is available as low as .25/minute.

Cons: You must pre-pay, broadband access is limited to the Cricket network, expect some dropped calls when circuits are busy. Their pay-as-you-go plans are only available up to one month at a time. Roaming is required in many major markets. Off-network usage is limited and excessive roaming may cause account termination. Accessing Cricket's customer service takes longer than average.
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ETEX WIRELESS
Etex is located in the east Texas area around Gilmer with very good CDMA coverage. While their plans are reasonable, extra charges can add up. They offer plans with National and Regional coverage, Unlimited Voice and Text plans, and special plans for Teens and Seniors. As part of a local telephone co-op, service is better than average. They have a good selection of phones including smart phones and air cards with reasonable messaging and broadband charges.

FIVE STAR WIRELESS
Five Star has been acquired by West Central Wireless. The Five Star cellular stores continue to operate under the old name and can also handle services for West Central and Right Wireless.

LAMAR COUNTY CELLULAR
AT&T has agreed to acquire Lamar County Cellular. Nobody answers the phone at Lamar, so we will assume they have closed their doors and AT&T is already offering service in the area.

METROPCS
MetroPCS is a 'flat rate' CDMA carrier available in 14 US metro areas. They offer unlimited minute wireless coverage for one price including Text Messaging, but their own coverage area is limited. They have roaming agreements which provide Unlimited service in most other areas of the country. For the price, it may work well for you, or your family. Plans start at $40 per month and Family plans are cheaper than average. All plans include Unlimited Web access. Metro PCS allows "unlocked" CDMA phones from other sources to be activated on their network. They have some useful options like fixed-rate calling to Mexico and a Group Ring for families. They have a good selection of phones including Smart phones. They are slowly expanding 4G coverage. Metro will accept phones from other CDMA carriers. We have never been able to talk to a MetroPCS customer service representative. They have tried to configure their auto-response features to address customer questions and problems which we have found lacking. Metro claims this is "to keep costs low", but we don't like having the option at all.
Pros: Talk as much as you want, and they have all the digital features, off-network roaming is available, most of it unlimited, they have an all-3G/4G network.
Cons: You must pre-pay, roaming is not available outside the US. With this type of non-contract carrier phone prices are higher. They are still growing so there are still some areas with poor coverage. Many features are not included in the cheapest plans, customer service rarely involves a human to speak with, and we have found the agents at many MetroPCS stores are often unable to help with our inquiries.
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MID-TEX CELLULAR
Mid-Tex has been acquired by West Central Wireless. The Mid-Tex stores continue to operate under the old name and also handle services for West Central and Right Wireless.

NEXTEL
Nextel is a of part Sprint and in some offers, Sprint hides Nextel's features. The combo has allowed the two networks to start sharing cell sites to improve coverage. Nextel's spectrum is made up from a bunch of 2-way radio channels, and they suffer from marginal audio in some markets. Their coverage and quality varies by market. They cover urban areas and some interstates, but there is little roaming elsewhere in the state. They have an efficient 'walkie-talkie' feature which is handy for businesses and families who want to contact each other as quickly as possible. Some of their plans aren't very competitive, but they do offer free incoming calls. They use 850 MHz so they have a strong signal in most areas. Sprint has announced they are not improving or expanding the Nextel network. and will turn off the current iDEN service in 2013 and use the 800 MHz channels for Sprint CDMA service. Some Boost Mobile handsets use the Nextel network and is a good option for Unlimited Voice and Text. For as long as it lasts, Nextel offers international roaming in a handful of other countries in North and South America, including Mexico, some with Free Internet access.
Pros: The Direct Connect is a handy 'walkie-talkie' service, they have robust coverage within their service area.
Cons: Some markets have poor audio, they also have coverage limits and very limited roaming, most of their phones are big and lack variety. Nextel does not have fast broadband features, neither the network nor the coverage are being upgraded. Sprint has not treated Nextel customers as well as those using the Sprint network. Many new Nextel customers are being giving Sprint-branded phones, so you may not be using the network you think you are. The Nextel network will be converted to CDMA by 2013.
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PEOPLE'S WIRELESS
This small carrier, based in Quitman, Texas, has reasonable plans and they include free long distance and national roaming. Most of their plans include Unlimited Local calling with different amounts of National minutes. They have "Economy" plans starting as low at $10. They offer a small selection of CDMA phones. They are part of the Peoples Telephone Cooperative, so we expect customer service to be better than average.

PINE CELLULAR
Pine serves the southeast Oklahoma and Paris, Texas areas. They have a large selection of plans including Local, Regional, 6-state, National, Unlimited, Prepaid and Lifeline. Their Local plans are reasonable but their Regional and National plans are expensive. They don't offer many phone models, but support most digital features.

PLATEAU WIRELESS
Plateau covers much of eastern New Mexico and west central Texas. They offer both analog and digital service, and a wide range of plans. They still support TDMA, analog and GSM, but their current rate plans all require a GSM phone. Their coverage is good with some isolated dead spots near populated areas. There are a few towns where Plateau is the only cellular service available. They offer Local, 5-state Regional, and National plans. We find their plans are a bit overpriced but with a roaming rate of only .10 per minute you can subscribe to a lower-priced Local plan and roam outside the area at a reasonable price. Plans start as low as $20/month although not all features are included with the cheaper plans. They have a reasonably large selection of phones including Smart phones. Plateau is operated with several local telephone cooperatives which normally yields better than average customer service.

POCKET WIRELESS
Pocket Wireless in Texas has been acquired by Cricket Wireless. The Pocket network in Connecticut and Massachesetts has been taken over by MetroPCS.

RIGHT WIRELESS
Right Wireless is the prepaid service offered by West Central Wireless in west Texas and is available at any of their affiliated stores.

SPRINT
Sprint has a national, feature-rich digital network. Their coverage is a little "fragile", but where it's good, it's very good. Sprint has a good selection of phones. Their plans include the ability to roam on other systems. They offer an inexpensive "basic" plan for only $30 per month. They also offer a few Unlimited plans with lots of features included. Sprint has added service by taking over parts of some carriers' networks, and "sharing" spectrum with others. Sprint merged with Nextel which has created some beneficial network configurations, including sharing of cell sites. Sprint phones normally prefer the network which, where available, gives Sprint customers the best data throughput. Some Sprint phones have the ability to force the phone to "Roam Only", helping you use the strongest network, however there is a limit to how much roaming you can do, generally 50%. Also, newer phones lack that feature. Sprint does not offer their own branded prepaid service but owns Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile prepaid and others. If you are considering Sprint 4G service, keep in mind they use a completely separate network for 4G coverage supplied in partnership with Clear Wireless. Therefore, having good local Sprint Voice/Text or 3G data coverage is no guarantee of adequate 4G coverage.
Pros: Sprint gives you good value for your money, but is not necessarily the cheapest. Sprint covers every urban area in the US, maintains local stores, good roaming capabilities, their digital and data features work very well, they have a good selection of phones. Sprint has good roaming agreements in most areas of the country.
Cons: You might find a weak area right where you want coverage, some of their plans are not very competitive, customer service is a notch below average, 4G coverage uses a different frequency band and network than other Sprint coverage, Unlimited plans do not include unlimited usage while roaming, except for "Simply Everything" plans.
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T-MOBILE
T-Mobile works very well within their own GSM service area. While they have a slight disadvantage with their higher PCS frequency, they make up for it with strategically-located sites. T-Mobile doesn't serve many rural areas, but provides coverage along most major rural highways. They do offer coverage from roaming partners in rural areas, and the network is still growing, although often they're just 'filling in' already-served areas. They offer some handy features including several family-friendly services with a number of ways to control device usage. They offer a number of plans that allow you to choose between subsidized handsets and non-contract pricing. Many of their phones allow "Hot Spot" access which keeps usage costs down. They have plans that include unlimited voice and messaging, they offer nearly nationwide service with both their own network and extensive roaming agreements. T-Mobile charges extraordinarily high roaming rates outside of the US and much higher than average Long Distance charges to foreign phone numbers. Expect improving roaming capabilities with the recently failed deal with AT&T.

Pros: Generous included-minute plans, National and Unlimited plans, good urban coverage, good roaming capabilities including internationally. They offer both 3G and 4G coverage, competitive data pricing and 'hot spot' access. They have very good customer service and a very good selection of phone models. They have an excellent Prepaid plan that includes a good amount of North American roaming.

Cons: Some weak spots, limited data bandwidth in some areas, very high international roaming charges. Higher speed services require the use of higher frequency cellular bands which may restrict coverage and data roaming capabilities. There has been some reduction of voice and text roaming capabilities as some old roaming agreements expire, but we expect this to improve shortly.
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TRACFONE
Tracfone isn't an actual cellular carrier but is a major supplier of wireless phones and offers service in most areas of the state. They are the largest prepaid cellular company and arrange for their phones to use whichever wireless carrier is available in a given geographic area. As a result, Tracfone actually has more included roaming coverage available than perhaps any other single company. Their price points start below $9 a month and offer all the advantages of prepaid services. They also feature monthly plans and offer promotions with bonus minutes, and plans with 365-day expiration. Their service is mostly limited to Voice and Text but does support data use of some of their phones. They offer the option of having the charges deducted from your credit card or checking account automatically, eliminating the need to renew on an exact expiration date. TracFone offers Free international calls to about 60 countries by calling a special access number, and with their International Neighbors features, they provide a local number in Mexico or Canada for incoming calls from those countries at local rates for both callers. Tracfone offers additional plan options, including Unlimited plans, through NET10.
Pros: Coverage and Local service is available virtually everywhere in the US, good price plans with no roaming or long distance charges, Local numbers in all markets, included Long Distance calling to 60 countries.
Cons: They have a small selection of phones, coverage is determined by the phone model (CDMA or GSM) which may limit your roaming coverage or phone selection, you can only use one of their phones, no roaming outside the US.
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US CELLULAR
US Cellular is a good company that offers good coverage, good plans and lots of features, and a good selection of CDMA phones. Unlimited incoming calls are available on most plans. In some plans, Nights & Weekends begin at 7pm. They offer a large selection of phones including Smart phones. They have very good roaming capabilities. While their plans aren't overpriced, their price points are rather high but the extra cost gives you Unlimited Text and Data. Most of their network uses the superior 800 MHz frequency band, but in Chicago they use 1900 MHz frequencies which has more dead spots. Most of their network provides 3G coverage. They have a number of customer-friendly features like no requirements to renew contracts, free replacement phones, usage notifications and free battery swaps and accessories. Overall, they sit at the top of the Mountain Wireless Network Ratings.

Pros: Their price plans include lots of features and benefits "Unlimited" calling plans available, roaming has good coverage, including for 3G coverage and data roaming. They have very good customer service and do indeed seem to give an 'edge' to the consumer when there are problems.
Cons: Plans aren't cheap but you might be able to configure your plan to economize based on your usage.

VERIZON WIRELESS
Verizon has the largest network, geographically, in the US. They have taken over a large portion of the old Alltel network and are now dominant in rural America. Their claim to fame is superior coverage on their CDMA network, especially in the west. They use PCS frequencies in a few areas, but they have constructed those networks well. In the few places where they don't have their own coverage, they have roaming agreements with other carriers, normally ones with superior coverage. Therefore, their "National" plans, which include almost all of the country, are about as close to "wall-to-wall" as you can get. Their reasonably-priced plans have no roaming or long distance charges, and they also throw in Unlimited Night and Weekend minutes as well as Unlimited calls among Verizon Wireless users both on and off their own network (there are a few exceptions). They offer fairly competitive prices, and often have promotions. They also offer plans that include Unlimited Voice and other features at various fixed price levels. Data service is excellent with various price plans. Verizon forces their phone manufacturers to offer a "standardized" user interface, limiting menu and font variations. This could mean the screen appearance may not be to your liking or the fonts may be too small. Smart and data-type phones require a per-Mb plan. They have the largest area of 3G coverage in the US and now offer faster 4G service in many major cities and major airports in additional markets.

Pros: Verizon has reasonably-priced plans, "Unlimited" calling plans available, extensive coverage, wide-ranging National plans, excellent customer service and some 'customer-friendly' policies. With such a large coverage area of their own, little roaming is necessary, and their roaming partners normally have superior coverage. They offer a large variety of phones including the Apple iPhone

Cons: Some Verizon plans are a little more expensive, Customer Service closes at 11pm, but technical assistance is available 24/7. They 'cripple' some User Interface functions like larger fonts: make sure you can read their submenus before buying. They require more expensive Data plans for any data-capable phone. Some of their data services are not available while roaming. CDMA phones roam in a limited number of foreign countries but Verizon can provide a hybrid loaner phone that will work both in the US and most foreign countries.
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WEST CENTRAL WIRELESS
Based in San Angelo and the Hill Country of Texas, West Central Wireless has good coverage and offers a large selection of plans, with reasonably-priced Local, National and Senior plans, and also supports Lifeline plans. Mobile to Mobile and Off-Peak minutes are limited to their home area which has expanded. They have a good selection of phones including several smart phones and air cards. West Central also operates under the Five Star Wireless and Mid-Tex Wireless brands and continues to operate the old stores under those names. Those stores can handle any of West Central's products. They also operate a Local, Unlimited prepaid wireless service under the name of Right Wireless which covers the 21-county West Central area with plans starting at around $25, also available at any of the West Central stores.

XIT WIRELESS
They serve the extreme NW corner of Texas. They have GSM service with Local, Regional and National plans. Coverage is excellent. Their plans are generous start as low as $30 for a "Local" plan that include some roaming minutes. While their "National" plans are generous, coverage does not include as many roaming partners as larger carriers, however, major highways and cities are covered. There is a 25% limit of roaming calls placed outside their home area. Nights & Weekends and Mobile to Mobile minutes are available on their own network only. They don't have much of a selection of phone models. Since they are part of the local telephone co-op, we expect customer service to be above average.