TracFone Coverage Map: How it Compares

Chris Holmes Staff Writer

Updated 17 December 2024

Contents

In this guide:

Which network does TracFone use?
How reliable is TracFone's network?
How good is TracFone coverage?
Other carriers that use all four networks
How to improve Your cell phone reception

TracFone is a prepaid MVNO that runs on all four major networks—Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint
Verizon's network offers by the best coverage in the country, followed by T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint
If you're bringing a phone, your network will be dictated by which carrier it's coming from
Each TracFone phones is tuned to a specific network

TracFone is a great option if you're looking for major network coverage but looking to save a few bucks. TracFone's low-cost plans and phones are sold online or at a variety of major retailers like 7-11, Safeway, Best Buy, Target, Rite-Aid, and Walmart. TracFone also operates under other brand names like Total Wireless, Straight Talk Mobile and Simple Mobile, and the carrier runs on Verizon's 4G and 5G nationwide networks.

If you're bringing your own phone to TracFone, the network you use will be dictated by which carrier you originally bought it from. For example, if it's a Sprint phone, or if you bought it from an MVNO that runs on the Sprint network (like Boost), that's the network you'll be tethered to.

If, on the other hand, you're buying a device from TracFone, your network will be dictated by the specific device. Some of their phones are tuned to T-Mobile, others to Verizon, others still to Sprint and AT&T. With this in mind, let's get into what TracFone's coverage map looks like.

Which Networks Does TracFone Use?

As mentioned, TracFone runs Verizon's best-in-class nationwide network, thanks to an acquisition of the MVNO in 2020.

Verizon's network is the top in the U.S. in terms of raw coverage area, particularly in its 4G LTE network. The map below clearly shows Verizon's coverage breadth, with the United States pretty well blanketed. While other carriers falter in rural regions, Verizon, like AT&T, shines.

Click to Activate Interactive Map

Coverage information is collected from carriers and other third party sources. This is approximate coverage only and does not include indoor coverage. Actual speed and performance depends on your location and device. Local conditions and things like natural and artificial physical features of an area all affect your reception.

That said, the carrier's 5G network falls short compared to T-Mobile's, which has continually held the title for the broadest and fastest 5G coverage in the country. This doesn't mean Verizon's and Tracfone's 5G coverage is poor—just that you may find yourself falling back to a 4G signal more often than an MVNO on T-Mobile's towers.

How Reliable is TracFone's Network?

Here's how the 4G coverage breaks down numerically between the three nationwide networks:

#1: Verizon: 70% 4G coverage
#2: T-Mobile: 59% 4G coverage
#3: AT&T: 58% 4G coverage

Verizon provides the most reliable 4G coverage in the U.S., followed by AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint.

Want to learn more about the specific networks? Check out these guides:

How Good is TracFone Coverage?

TracFone's use of Verizon's towers means that its coverage is broad and you'll rarely experience anything below 4G LTE speeds. 5G speeds are also plentiful, especially in more urban areas. In our Tracfone review, we liked its excellent network coverage, affordability, and widespread in-store availability.

TracFone Coverage in Your Area

It's important to determine how TracFone's coverage fares in your specific area. Head over to our comparison engine, type in your talk, text and data preferences, then your street address where it reads "Coverage Check." On the resulting page, you'll be able to get location-specific coverage info by clicking one of the buttons on the upper-right-hand of your screen.

We've also written in-depth state-by-state coverage guides, as well as coverage info for America's largest cities. Use these to get thorough coverage information on the four major networks in your area.

How to Improve Your Cell Phone Reception

One hidden way to improve your cell phone coverage—other than moving to an area where it's verifiably good—is by upgrading to a newer device.

See, newer phones get far better cell phone coverage than older models. This is because they have the radio technology to tap into newer, faster "spectrums" rolled out by carriers.

For example, a couple of years ago, T-Mobile introduced a spectrum that works 4 times faster than its predecessor. Older iPhone models don't have the radio band that works with this spectrum, whereas the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR all do.

Same goes for other carriers and phones—the newest models will be more apt to have the built-in technology to operate on the latest spectrums.

Chris Holmes

Staff Writer

Chris Holmes is a Contributing Writer for WhistleOut, where he covers the cell phone and internet industries. His work has been cited in publications like The Verge, The New York Times, and WIRED.

Read full bio