Fun fact: Wisconsin’s The Washington House in Two Rivers served the first-ever ice cream sundae, as Travel Wisconsin reports. Whether you’re in the mood for a tasty treat, heading to the Warrens for the world’s biggest cranberry festival, hitting up a Green Bay Packers game, or live in the state, there’s a lot to experience.
Since we rely on our phones for everything from turn-by-turn directions to viewing menus at restaurants and streaming music, you’ll want solid cellular reception. Thankfully, all three major carriers—Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile—offer excellent service. But you don’t have to guess. WhistleOut's coverage checker lets you punch in your address to view a map of your area with the coverage from all three major carriers. You can even filter available cell phone plans in your area and see only those from carriers with good reception in your region.
You'll also find tons of recreation with a whopping 11,000 inland lakes and millions of forested acres. But whether you're driving down the street to the grocery store or across the state on a road trip, you'll need reliable signal strength. Luckily, you don't have to guess. WhistleOut's nifty coverage checker lets you instantly view coverage near you. Simply punch in your address to see a map of your area with the coverage from the major carriers.
Let’s dive into the best cell phone coverage in Wisconsin so you can snag service to keep full bars wherever you roam.
About phone coverage in Wisconsin
Wisconsin's cheese history dates back to the 1800s when dairy farmers started making it from their excess milk. Cheese is still crucial to Wisconsin's economy, with the state producing a whopping 3 billion pounds of it annually. As you can imagine, that cheese requires a lot of dairy farms, and farmland means many rural areas.
Accordingly, cell signals can get pretty spotty. Thankfully, both AT&T and Verizon have exceptional 4G LTE state-wide reception, with T-Mobile dominating the 5G market. So if you’re moving to or within Wisconsin, you don’t have a bad option.
Why it's important to pick the right coverage
You’ll likely experience full bars (of service, as well as drinks) in cities in Wisconsin like Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Madison. But in spots like Marathon County, Sauk County, and Portage County, you might have spotty reception. A cell phone without a signal is like cheese without a cracker—it’s ok, but could be better (thanks for enduring the first of many cheesy jokes in this article, dear reader). Therefore, you’ll want a wireless provider that can keep up with you from the cities to the sticks.
Cell phone coverage in Wisconsin at a glance
AT&T provides the best 4G LTE coverage in Wisconsin, with Verizon as a very close second, and T-Mobile bringing up the flank. However, for 5G T-Mobile absolutely dominates, followed by AT&T and Verizon respectively.
What we love
- Great 4G LTE coverage across the board
- Exceptional T-Mobile 5G coverage
- Reliable rural coverage from AT&T and Verizon
What could be improved
- Some spotty rural cell phone reception
83/100
Best coverage in Wisconsin by network
Cell phone network
coverage comparison
| Carrier | 4G LTE | 5G | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | 70% | 12% | View Plan |
| AT&T | 68% | 29% | |
| T-Mobile | 62% | 53% | View Plan |
AT&T touts the biggest 4G LTE footprint in Wisconsin spanning 90.22% of the state. Verizon is a close second with 4G LTE signals reaching 89.15% of the Badger state. T-Mobile slides in third with 71.64%.
Best 4G coverage in Wisconsin by network
| Network | Covered Area |
|---|---|
| AT&T | 90.22% |
| Verizon | 89.15% |
| T-Mobile | 71.64% |
However, 5G is a different story with T-Mobile blanketing 61.7% of the state. AT&T reaches 19.44% of WI, while Verizon manages a mere 7.77%.
Best 5G coverage in Wisconsin by network
| Network | Percentage of covered area |
|---|---|
| T-Mobile | 89.23% |
| AT&T | 66.47% |
| Verizon | 43.71% |
Nevertheless, you’ll want to see coverage in your specific area. Use our cell phone plans locator for an analysis of the best plans in your region.
For a closer look at cell phone reception where you live, use our interactive coverage map.
Wisconsin coverage maps
AT&T network coverage in Wisconsin
Nationally, AT&T offers second-best 4G LTE network in the United States after Verizon, but its 4G is the best overall in Wisconsin. Clocking in at 90.22% state-wide coverage, AT&T performs admirably, especially in rural areas. Its 5G footprint isn’t as impressive, reaching just 19.44% of the Badger state. However, where you can find it, Big Blue’s 5G is blazing-fast.
Best AT&T phone plan
The best AT&T plan is its Premium 2.0 option, which boasts unlimited talk and text with truly unlimited priority data that doesn't slow down regardless of your monthly mobile data usage. You'll also get a whopping 100GB mobile hotspot allowance.
While Big Blue’s single-line prices can get pretty steep, an AT&T family plan nets you sweet multi-line savings. You may also consider an AT&T phone and internet bundle deal for cheaper service. Or, one of the best AT&T prepaid plans saves you cash when compared with a traditional postpaid package.
AT&T Premium 2.0℠
| Carrier | AT&T |
|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Current Deal | Get up to $360 off for new line activation on Premium 2.0 or Extra 2.0 Plan via 36 months credit. Port-in required. OR Get Up to $800 Visa Reward card |
| Total Price |
$90 per month
with AutoPay & Paperless billing discount
+ $35 Upfront
|
| View Plan |
Best phone plans on AT&T's network
Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) provide the same solid service at a fraction of the cost of their big carrier counterparts. MVNOs don't operate their own towers, but instead piggyback off of major carriers (Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile). Additionally, MVNOs typically forego perks like streaming services and sometimes don’t even operate brick-and-mortar stores. By keeping their own costs low, mobile virtual network operators save themselves, and ultimately you, money.
Our favorite AT&T MVNO is Cricket Wireless. You can pick from multiple plans at affordable prices, including their Supreme Unlimited plan which gives you unlimited premium data, 50GB of hotspot data, and even gives you HBO Max and 150GB of cloud storage.
Cricket Supreme Unlimited Plan
| Carrier | Cricket |
|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Total Price |
$55 per month
with AutoPay; $60 for the first month.
+ $9.99 Upfront
|
| View Plan |
We also recommend Consumer Cellular which offers J.D. Power award-winning customer service, an attractive AARP discount, and several plans ranging from low to unlimited data.
Consumer Cellular Unlimited Talk & Text + 5GB Data Plan
| Carrier | Consumer Cellular |
|---|---|
| Data | 5GB Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Total Price |
$25 per month
($5 Autopay/ E-bill discount included)
|
| View Details |
Popular plans on AT&T's network
While these are our favorite plans, you’ve got even more choices for service on AT&T’s awesome network:
|
#1
|
Cricket
Supreme Unlimited Plan
$55.00/mo
with AutoPay; $60 for the first month.
+ $9.99 Upfront
|
|
#2
|
AT&T
Value 2.0℠
$50.00/mo
+ $35 Upfront
|
|
#3
|
Boost Mobile
Unlimited Plan
$10.00/mo
with AutoPay
|
|
#4
|
Consumer Cellular
Unlimited Talk & Text + 5GB Data Plan
$25.00/mo
($5 Autopay/ E-bill discount included)
|
|
#5
|
TracFone
1GB Data 1-Month Smartphone Plan
$10.00/mo
with Auto-Refill discount for the first 2 months
+ $4.99 Upfront
|
Verizon network coverage in Wisconsin
Verizon delivers the strongest nationwide 4G LTE coverage, but in Wisconsin, it’s a very close second to AT&T. Big Red manages an impressive 89.15% state-wide coverage, which performs flawlessly from the cities to rural areas. Although its paltry 7.77% 5G coverage could be improved, mobile data speeds are outstanding, particularly on Verizon’s Ultra-Wideband (UWB) network.
Best Verizon phone plan
Although we recommend sticking with a smaller carrier for battery value, we won’t criticize you for going with the mothership. Verizon's best plan overall is Unlimited Plus option, which touts truly unlimited deprioritization data, a nice 30GB mobile hotspot, and optional discounted perks such as the Disney Bundle. While its single-line prices are pretty pricey, you can save with a family plan, home internet and mobile phone package, or a prepaid plan.
Verizon Unlimited Plus
| Carrier | Verizon |
|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Current Deal | Get $10 off per line for 1 line via monthly promo credits over 36 months. For new customers only |
| Total Price |
$70 per month
+ Taxes & Fees. Price includes AutoPay & Paperless discount.
+ $40 Upfront
|
| View Plan |
Best phone plans on Verizon's network
Big Red is a superb choice in Wisconsin, especially if you need reliable rural coverage. But its plans don’t come cheap, so for most folks, we recommend one of the best Verizon MVNOs.
Our favorite smaller carrier on Verizon’s network is Visible Wireless. You can snag an unlimited data plan for as low as $25/month, complete with unlimited mobile hotspot data. Stepping up to Visible’s $35/month Visible+ tier or perk-packed Visible+ Pro plan gets you access to the fastest-possible 5G UWB data speeds and a sizable 50GB of priority data. Although its hotspot is capped at 5Mbps, 10Mbps, and 15Mbps all but the most hardcore gamers and multimedia enthusiasts who need 4K video streaming won’t notice.
Visible $35 Visible+ Plan
| Carrier | Visible |
|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Total Price |
$35 per month
Taxes & Fees included
|
| View Plan |
US Mobile is an excellent Verizon MVNO for heavy data users. You can pick from a trio of unlimited plans, with its top-tier unlimited offering sporting truly unlimited high-speed data and 50GB of mobile hotspot. Unlike many smaller carriers that use data deprioritization, data on US Mobile's unlimited plans are uncapped.
US Mobile Unlimited Premium Plan
| Carrier | US Mobile |
|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Current Deal | Get this monthly plan for only $39 for 6 months of service using promo code ONLY39 OR $5 off per month for 6 months OR 30 Days FREE Trial |
| Total Price |
$39 per month
|
| View Plan |
Twigby Mobile is a terrific option for Verizon service that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Notably, Twigby Mobile features good low- and no-data plans, but you can find small, medium, and unlimited data packages.
Twigby Mobile Unlimited Talk, Text and 10GB Data
| Carrier | Twigby Mobile |
|---|---|
| Data | 10GB Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Current Deal | New Customers get 10GB of data for $15 a month for 3 months! |
| Total Price |
$15 per month
for the first 3 months then $25.00/month
|
| View Plan |
Popular plans on Verizon's network
While these are our favorite cell phone plans powered by Verizon's network, you've got tons of other choices from Big Red and its MVNOs:
|
#1
|
Visible
$25 Visible Plan
$25.00/mo
Taxes & Fees included
|
|
#2
|
XFINITY Mobile
Mobile Select Plan
$0.00/mo
(for the first year of service) <br>Regular rate of $30/mo. thereafter
|
|
#3
|
US Mobile
Unlimited Starter Plan
$25.00/mo
$20/mo. for 6 months; $25/mo. thereafter
|
|
#4
|
Verizon
Unlimited Plus
$70.00/mo
+ Taxes & Fees. Price includes AutoPay & Paperless discount.
+ $40 Upfront
|
|
#5
|
Twigby Mobile
Unlimited Talk, Text and 2GB Data
$5.00/mo
for the first 3 months then $15.00/month
|
T-Mobile network coverage in Wisconsin
T-Mobile 4G LTE service falls noticeably short of its competitors, spanning just 71.64% of the Badger state. For reference, that would be a C- on a test (trust me, I know, I received many of those grades growing up). It’s not bad but it’s also not great. However, The Un-carrier’s 5G signal strength clocks in at 61.7% state-wide coverage. I know, you’re probably thinking, “But that’s worse than its 4G LTE coverage.” When compared with 19.44% (AT&T) and 7.77% (Verizon), that’s actually solid.
Best T-Mobile phone plans
Our favorite T-Mobile plan is Experience More which boasts unlimited talk and text with actually unlimited priority data that doesn’t slow down regardless of your usage. You'll also enjoy a massive 60GB mobile hotspot allocation. While its single-line costs aren’t cheap, you can plunge prices with a multi-line discount on one of the best T-Mobile family plans. Likewise, one of the best T-Mobile prepaid plans gives you a cheaper alternative to its postpaid offerings. You may also consider a T-Mobile phone and internet bundle for 5G mobile service as well as Wi-Fi around your house.
T-Mobile Experience More
| Carrier | T-Mobile |
|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Total Price |
$85 per month
with Auto-Pay + Taxes and fees
|
| View Plan |
Best phone plans on T-Mobile's network
A T-Mobile MVNO grants you access to the nation's best 5G network for far less than the Un-carrier charges. Our favorite option is Mint Mobile, which offers several plans including a ridiculously good value unlimited data offering for as low as $15/month for the first 3 months. After the 3 month introductory period, the price jumps to $30/month which is still a great deal. But keep in mind that you'll need to pre-pay for three, six, or 12 months of service upfront.
Mint Mobile Unlimited Data Plan
| Carrier | Mint Mobile |
|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Current Deal | Get this plan for just $25/mo. when you switch to Mint Mobile using promo code 15OFF at checkout. Upfront payment required |
| Total Price |
$25 per month
$75.00 upfront payment for 3 months (equals to $25.00/month). Intro pricing for new customers only.
|
| View Plan |
We also like Google Fi which provides compelling international benefits, a terrific trio of plans (including two unlimited options), and good Google perks its top-shelf Unlimited Premium package.
Google Fi Wireless Unlimited Premium for 1
| Carrier | Google Fi Wireless |
|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Current Deal | Get 50% off this plan for 12 months when you bring your own Pixel phone and activate a new line on Unlimited Premium plan |
| Total Price |
$32.50 per month
|
| View Plan |
The wallet-friendly Tello is a terrific T-Mobile MVNO with customizable offerings and cheap low- or no-data plans.
Tello Unlimited Text, Talk, and Data Plan
| Carrier | Tello |
|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Total Price |
$25 per month
|
| View Plan |
Popular plans on T-Mobile's network
For more choices, check out the most popular plans from T-Mobile and its MVNOs:
|
#1
|
Mint Mobile
Unlimited Data Plan
$25.00/mo
$75.00 upfront payment for 3 months (equals to $25.00/month). Intro pricing for new customers only.
|
|
#2
|
T-Mobile
Essentials Saver
$50.00/mo
with Auto-Pay - Taxes & Fees NOT included
|
|
#3
|
US Mobile
Unlimited Starter Plan
$25.00/mo
$20/mo. for 6 months; $25/mo. thereafter
|
|
#4
|
Boost Mobile
Unlimited Plan
$10.00/mo
with AutoPay
|
|
#5
|
Metro by T-Mobile (MetroPCS)
$40 Period Unlimited Plan
$40.00/mo
Taxes and regulatory fees included.
|
Methodology: How we determined the best cell
phone coverage in Wisconsin
We found the best cell phone coverage in Wisconsin by scouring carrier coverage maps for both 4G LTE and 5G. Then, we determined which major carrier covered the most parts of Wisconsin. After seeing wireless provider cell reception footprints, we picked the best plans from big carriers and MVNOs alike. Finally, we looked at the parts of the Badger state where each carrier offered the best (and worst) performance to determine reliability in cities, suburban areas, and rural regions.
Moe Long
Senior Writer
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