These Ratings are based on our opinion of what is important and how each carrier performs in those areas. The higher the score, the better. The better the coverage, or the lower the price, the better the 'score'. We take into account Coverage, Pricing, Roaming Partners, Frequency, Customer Service and Features. When "Total" scores are close, consider attributes that are more or less important to you, like International Roaming. Comments about each carrier's ratings are detailed below.

KEY:

• On-Network Coverage: (1 = worst, 5 = best) How much area the carrier covers with all services, and within their own service area, the coverage quality.
• Off-Network Coverage: (0 = none, 5 = best) How much area can be accessed through roaming partners.
• Cost: (1 = least value, 3 = most value) How much you get for your money.
• Customer Service: (1 = Below, 2 = Average, 3 = Above)
  

Additional Comments
Click on the carrier name for our detailed reviews

• ALLTEL is among the best, and only suffers from having "average" customer service, but is being taken over by a new owner. For those living in areas to be taken over by Verizon Wireless, expect the service to become more like Verizon's over the next year. Coverage may change but should eventually improve. For those living in divested areas, you will be transferred to either AT&T which will involve a change of handset, plans and, potentially, coverage. Or you may be transferred to Atlantic Tele-Network (ATN), which, for now, promises to involve the fewest number of changes.
  # Our rating reflects Alltel as a separate network and the parts that will be sold to AT&T or ATN.
  
  
• AT&T gets lower marks for their poor, or variable, customer service. Also, while they have extensive roaming agreements, they get a slight deduction because there are fewer areas of GSM coverage, especially in the rural west. This situation may change in the future with the acquisition of Alltel properties. In some parts of the country, mostly east of the Mississippi River, AT&T gets a better score for on-network coverage.
  
  
• CRICKET is available in over half of the 50 states and is primarily an "Unlimited" carrier. They also offer Unlimited calls while roaming in several large and small markets. In places they suffer from weak Local coverage.
  
  
• METRO PCS is a fast-growing "Unlimited" carrier. They are available in many large markets and offer a variety of plans. Roaming is available, some of it Unlimited. Coverage reports have been better than expected for a new carrier.
  
  
• NEXTEL gets low marks for their inability to roam on any other networks. Also, their parent company, Sprint, states they are no longer upgrading the Nextel network nor adding any new coverage.
  
  
• SPRINT gets a slightly lower rating for coverage due to its strictly PCS (1900 MHz) frequency, however, they partly make up for it with excellent roaming capabilities.
  
  
• T-MOBILE gets credit for optimizing their all-PCS (1900 MHz) network better than others, but is penalized for fewer roaming abilities. Their Prepaid plans actually offer more roaming capabilities than most other PrePaid services.
  *This rating applies to customers with dual-band (850 MHz-capable) equipment.
  
  
• US CELLULAR Gets a slight drop for their mixture of Cellular and PCS coverage, and slightly fewer roaming agreements.
  
  
• VERIZON gets good marks across the board, but a slight hit for being just a little more expensive. Their customer service department actually closes at 11pm (but not if you have a technical problem), but makes up for it with excellent customer service.
  
  
  
  
  

These figures are from most recent company reports available. Most are from 4th Quarter, 2008 results. Totals include postpaid, prepaid and wholesale customers. Our list includes Prepaid companies that are separate from their underlying carrier.