Best Cell Phone Coverage in Minnesota

Minnesota is known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes." It's an appropriate name for a state with over 14,000 bodies of freshwater. When you add in hundreds of square miles of picturesque forests and farmland, it becomes clear why Minnesota is one of the most scenic states in the U.S. Of course, the state isn't all woodlands and lakes. Minnesota's Twin Cities region is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the nation with millions of residents and massive suburbs. 

With such varied terrain, you may be wondering how well the cell phone service in Minnesota works and which carrier offers the best coverage. We’ve compared coverage maps and discovered you can find service from at least one carrier in almost every part of the state. However, if you like to venture into the wilderness of northern Minnesota, you may struggle to find a signal with some carriers. 

WhistleOut's coverage check feature shows what signal strength is like at your current location. Type in your address and we do the rest. In addition to showing you a map of your area with the coverage from the major carriers, we filter through the available cell phone plans and present only those from carriers who provide good reception at your location.

Whether you’re considering moving or are a native Minnesotan, let’s see who has the best 4G LTE and 5G coverage.

About phone coverage in Minnesota

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Minnesota, while inarguably freezing for several months out of the year, packs an impressive amount of natural splendor into its 86,000 square miles. For a state with so much rural territory, Minnesota boasts surprisingly good cell phone coverage. You can generally find coverage from at least one major network whether hiking deep in Voyageurs National Park or strolling through downtown Minneapolis.

While the state is fairly large, most of it is also flat. This allows phone signals to travel farther than they otherwise could in hilly terrain.

AT&T offers the strongest overall coverage in Minnesota. It includes a strong signal in urban areas and covers a surprising amount of rural territory. T-Mobile owns the largest 5G network and offers a solid signal in urban areas, but struggles in rural areas. Verizon offers excellent rural 4G LTE coverage, but its 5G coverage is limited to urban areas.

Why it's important to pick the right coverage

As a developed state, most of Minnesota has excellent phone service. That said, you want a network and plan that will cover you both in the cities and wherever you travel.

Best coverage in Minnesota by network

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AT&T has the widest 4G LTE network reach in Minnesota spanning 96.89% of the state. It's followed closely by Verizon's 4G LTE network which covers 91.85%. Bringing up the rear is T-Mobile's 4G LTE network which still manages to cover 83.35% of Minnesota.  

With 5G networks, T-Mobile is the star of the show offering 5G coverage to 75.57% of Minnesota. AT&T and Verizon don't come close with their 5G networks covering 47.84% and 9.27% of the state respectively.

Just remember, numbers only tell part of the story. You’ll need to investigate the coverage in your specific neighborhood or the part of Minnesota you plan on traveling to. Type your address into our cell phone plans locator to see the best providers in your location. Or, check out the coverage map below and zoom in to see the full area.

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AT&T network coverage in Minnesota

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AT&T offers the largest 4G LTE network in Minnesota covering 96.89% of the state. There are few places where you'll struggle to pick up a signal with AT&T. The one large dead zone is around the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the town of Grand Marais in the northeast.

The AT&T 5G network covers just under half of Minnesota at 47.84%. It comes in second place behind T-Mobile but still leads Verizon quite easily. While that coverage may not seem like a lot, AT&T has 5G service in the areas that count. You'll generally find 5G coverage in most urban areas and along major highways throughout the state.

Best AT&T phone plan

AT&T’s footprint makes it the top choice for wireless service in Minnesota. The top AT&T cell phone plan is its Premium 2.0 option starting at $90/month. It includes unlimited talk, text, and truly unlimited premium high-speed data. Plus, there's also a massive 100GB mobile hotspot.

Not of fan of costly postpaid plans? Check out the best AT&T prepaid plans. You can also grab some family and friends and hop on an AT&T family plan for a competitive multi-line discount. Finally, consider an AT&T bundle deal that saves you money if you need home internet.

Best phone plans on AT&T's network

If you to use AT&T’s massive 4G LTE and 5G networks, but don't want to pay top dollar, there are plenty of mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) that help you save. These small carriers offer discounted access to the big carrier networks, so you'll enjoy the same reliable service at much lower costs.

Our favorite AT&T MVNO is Cricket Wireless. It offers several plans that are perfect for any budget. Its top option is an unlimited plan with perks like Max with ads and 150GB of cloud storage for $55/month. Not many MVNOs offer streaming perks, so Cricket is a leader on that front. That said, it's owned directly by AT&T, so it doesn’t offer some of the deep discounts that other MVNOs can. However, its partnership does allow for more perks and access to Cricket stores all over the country.

For seniors living in Minnesota, Consumer Cellular is a good choice because it offers an AARP discount. You’ll also get J.D. Power award-winning customer service and several plans to pick from. One of the best plans for average data users is the Unlimited Talk, Text, and 5GB data plan for $25/month.

Red Pocket is a solid MVNO that operates on all three major networks, including AT&T. Your address will determine which network you use. There are a variety of plans, but one of its most popular is the $20 Monthly Plan that includes 5GB of high-speed data. It also offers hotspot capability and unlimited minutes to the US and over 80 other countries. 

Popular plans on AT&T's network

Cricket, Consumer Cellular, and Red Pocket are far from the only MVNOs on AT&T’s network in Minnesota. Check out some of the other popular plans below:

Verizon network coverage in Minnesota

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Verizon is the nationwide leader of 4G LTE coverage, but it's narrowly in second place for Minnesota behind AT&T. Verizon covers 91.85% of the state with 4G LTE service. 

As for the 5G network, Verizon has a small coverage area serving just 9.27% of Minnesota. The carrier offers incredibly fast 5G speeds, but its network infrastructure remains limited. That said, it's concentrated in urban areas (where most people live), so the majority of people living in Minnesota have great service. Once you leave town you'll struggle to find a 5G signal. 

Frankly, Verizon's 5G network in Minnesota leaves a lot to be desired. You'll only have a 5G signal in the areas around Minneapolis, Rochester, St. Cloud, and around the state border near Fargo, North Dakota. That said, you'll have excellent 4G LTE coverage throughout the state except for extremely rural areas in the north. 

Best Verizon phone plan

Verizon is a great choice for mobile service for the urbanites of Minnesota. Verizon's best plan overall is the Unlimited Plus plan. It includes unlimited talk, text, and an unlimited allotment of premium high-speed data. There’s also a 30GB mobile hotspot allowance with 5G speeds. Plus, you can sign up for various optional perks like the Disney Bundle or 100GB of extra hotspot data for just $10/month each.

Best phone plans on Verizon's network

While Verizon offers solid 4G LTE coverage and blisteringly fast 5G, its plans are some of the most expensive on the market once you start adding perks. Luckily, Verizon’s network is also served by some of the best MVNOs, so you can get access on the cheap.

The best Verizon MVNO is Visible. It offers two unlimited data plans, including a $25/month option with unlimited talk, text, and data. Plus, Visible offers an unlimited mobile hotspot with speeds capped at 5Mbps. 

US Mobile is another great MVNO with access to Verizon's network. It also offers service on T-Mobile's network, so you’ll get service with the one that is strongest at your address. There are plenty of plans to choose from, including shared data plans and two excellent unlimited options. For people who need a simple unlimited plan, the Unlimited Starter option offers 35GB of premium data and a 10GB mobile hotspot for just $29/month. If you need a plan with more data, US Mobile's top-tier plan offers 100GB of premium data with a gobsmacking 50GB mobile hotspot allotment for $50/month. Plus, buying a family plan with three or more Unlimited Premium lines gets you a subscription perk and multi-line discount. 

Popular plans on Verizon's network

Here are some of the most popular plans on Verizon’s network in Minnesota right now:

T-Mobile network coverage in Minnesota

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T-Mobile's 4G LTE network is in third place, both in Minnesota and nationwide. That said, third place doesn't mean bad and it still covers 83.35% of the state. 

The carrier shines with its 5G network. It hammers the competition covering 75.57% of Minnesota. The carriers's 4G LTE and 5G networks essentially overlap. In most cases, if you have a 5G-capable device and a T-Mobile signal, you'll be on the 5G network. 

T-Mobile's coverage is solid. Virtually all urban areas have some form of coverage and you'll really only struggle to find a single in rural pockets dotting the state. 

Best T-Mobile phone plans

The top T-Mobile plan is the Experience More option. It offers unlimited talk, text, and unlimited premium data. Plus, there are extra perks like a 60GB mobile hotspot, subscriptions to Netflix and Apple TV+, 4K streaming, and access to T-Mobile’s “New in Two” early phone upgrade program. That said, it is costly starting at $85/month. 

Don't want to pay full price for T-Mobile coverage? There are also excellent T-Mobile prepaid plans and you can snag a multi-line discount with a T-Mobile family plan. We also recommend bundling T-Mobile phone and internet service for great cost-cutting if you're eligible for T-Mobile 5G Home internet.

Best phone plans on T-Mobile's network

T-Mobile MVNOs can grant you access to the best 5G coverage in Minnesota without breaking the bank. 

Our favorite T-Mobile MVNO is Mint Mobile. It offers an unlimited plan with introductory pricing as low as $30/month (but you'll need to pre-pay for the full term upfront). It includes unlimited talk and text, plus 40GB of premium data with a 10GB mobile hotspot. 

Tello is a nice option for customers looking to save a bit more. Its 1GB data plan is one of the cheapest on the market at just $9/month. There are also customizable plans for as low as $5/month for a no-data plan. That said, its crowning jewel is an unlimited plan for just $25/month that includes unlimited talk and text with 35GB of premium data. It also includes a 5GB mobile hotspot.

Popular plans on T-Mobile's network

There are plenty of options on T-Mobile’s network in Minnesota. Check out some more here: