Verizon may have the largest 4G LTE coverage area of any major carrier, but it only covers 12.77% of the country with 5G coverage. That falls well behind the 5G benchmarks set by AT&T and T-Mobile. While it’s true that every state offers some level of Verizon 5G speeds, coverage is generally pretty sparse.
For the lucky few that live in an area with Verizon 5G coverage, you’ll enjoy ultra-fast data speeds that leave T-Mobile’s 5G speeds in the dust. Everyone else will be stuck with 4G speeds until Verizon completes its 5G rollout.
Read on to learn if you have Verizon 5G coverage in your area and how it measures up against AT&T and T-Mobile.
Verizon 5G coverage map
As you can see from Verizon's service map, the carrier lacks widespread 5G serivce and only covers 12.77% of the nation. That said, take note of where the coverage is. Due to limitations of 5G technology that prevent signals from traveling long distances, Verizon has selectively placed its 5G cell towers in urban areas and cities. While the coverage area is small, the population getting service is quite large.
If you check the 4G box (next to the 5G box below the map), you’ll see a complete transformation where the whole country lights up. This is because Verizon offers the largest 4G LTE network in the nation, stretching into many rural areas not serviced by AT&T or T-Mobile.
Here’s how Verizon’s 5G map compares to AT&T’s and T-Mobile’s 5G networks:
Compare 5G network coverage
| Network | % of Country Covered |
|---|---|
| T-Mobile |
53.79% |
| AT&T |
29.52% |
| Verizon |
12.77% |
| U.S. Cellular |
1.8% |
Verizon 5G coverage map vs. AT&T
AT&T more than doubles Verizon’s 5G coverage and is available in 29.52% of the country. Look how much more purple you see on AT&T’s 5G map compared to Verizon’s coverage map by toggling between the two carriers:
AT&T’s 5G network offers significantly more coverage than Verizon, especially in Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland. In fact, AT&T is the only carrier with a 5G footprint in literally every state of the country. Verizon also has solid 5G coverage in Delaware and New Jersey, but it’s a big drop-off after those two states.
Verizon 5G coverage map vs. T-Mobile
T-Mobile more than quadruples Verizon’s 5G coverage, sitting pretty at 53.79% coverage across the country. Check out the T-Mobile 5G coverage map below for context:
It’s like a night-and-day difference between T-Mobile and Verizon when it comes to 5G coverage. More than half the country has access to T-Mobile’s 5G coverage, with apologies to folks in states like Nebraska, Idaho, and Nevada. There’s really no competition between T-Mobile’s 5G network and Verizon’s 5G network when comparing the two on the map.
Why is Verizon's 5G rollout so far behind?
Verizon's initial 5G deployment strategy is very different from its competitors—especially T-Mobile. More than any other carrier, T-Mobile is playing a "quantity over quality" game. Its 600MHz low-band spectrum can travel far and easily penetrate obstacles, allowing T-Mobile’s 5G to cover a wide area relatively easily. The downside is that it can’t reach the full potential of 5G, providing speeds that are only slightly better than 4G LTE.
On the flip side, Verizon is mainly utilizing high-band mmWave spectrum for its 5G cell towers. This spectrum supports ultra-fast 5G (with speeds reaching 1Gbps) but can’t travel as far or as efficiently as low-band, and obstacles like walls or trees easily block frequencies. As a result, Verizon's 5G network is limited to outdoor hotspots and can’t deliver a "true" nationwide network, leaving Verizon far behind in the 5G space.
How do I know if I have 5G in my area?
Before you commit to Verizon as your wireless carrier, you should check and see what the 5G coverage looks like in your area. For a personalized view of the 5G coverage where you are, enter your address in WhistleOut’s 5G coverage checker. We use our proprietary coverage maps to check Verizon's 5G coverage by zip code.
How do I find my Verizon 5G tower?
Websites like OpenSignal and CellMapper offer tools to show the locations of individual 5G towers in your area. That said, these sites may not show how far the tower's signal spreads. For that, you can use our WhistleOut maps or travel to the tower itself. Once you've connected to the tower, you can use our internet speed test tool to discover how strong the 5G signal is in your surrounding area.
Top states with Verizon 5G coverage
Though Verizon’s 5G network isn’t widely available, a few states actually have solid 5G coverage. Here are the top states in the country for Verizon 5G access:
- Delaware: 72.63%
- New Jersey: 65.88%
- Maryland: 53.84%
- Connecticut: 46.19%
- Ohio: 43.1%
If you happen to live in any of those states, then your chances are pretty good that you’ll enjoy 5G speeds.
Verizon 5G cell phone plans
If you find that Verizon 5G is plentiful where you live, you'll want a phone plan on Verizon's network. All of Verizon's monthly prepaid and postpaid plans include 5G access, so you have plenty of options to get a 5G connection. That said, you'll probably get the best 5G experience if you pick one of Verizon's unlimited plans:
|
Verizon
Unlimited Plus
$70.00/mo
+ Taxes & Fees. Price includes AutoPay & Paperless discount.
+ $40 Upfront
|
|
Verizon
Unlimited Ultimate
$85.00/mo
+ Taxes & Fees. Price includes AutoPay & Paperless discount.
+ $40 Upfront
|
|
Verizon
Unlimited Welcome
$55.00/mo
+ Taxes & Fees. Price includes AutoPay & Paperless discount.
+ $40 Upfront
|
|
Verizon
Unlimited Plus Prepaid Phone Plan
$60.00/mo
$70 without AutoPay | AutoPay discount applies after 1st month
|
|
Verizon
15GB Prepaid Phone Plan
$35.00/mo
$45 without AutoPay | AutoPay discount applies after 1st month
|
Carriers that use Verizon's 5G network
Verizon’s cell phone plans are notoriously pricey, but you can get a much cheaper cell plan on its network from a prepaid carrier. For example, Visible Wireless operates on Verizon’s network and offers an unlimited everything plan that starts at just $25/month. That’s significantly cheaper than anything on Verizon’s menu. Check out some of our favorite unlimited plans from Verizon MVNOs below:
|
Visible
$25 Visible Plan
$25.00/mo
Taxes & Fees included
|
|
Red Pocket
Premium Monthly Plan (CDMA)
$30.00/mo
|
|
Cox Mobile
Gig Unlimited Plan
$45.00/mo
+ $10 Upfront
|
|
XFINITY Mobile
Mobile Select Plan
$0.00/mo
(for the first year of service) <br>Regular rate of $30/mo. thereafter
|
|
US Mobile
Unlimited Starter Plan
$25.00/mo
$20/mo. for 6 months; $25/mo. thereafter
|
Verizon 5G Home internet
You can also get 5G home internet from Verizon if you’re lucky enough to live in a supported area. Verizon's 5G home internet coverage map is virtually the same as its 5G wireless footprint. That said, Verizon limits its fastest 5G home internet plans to select cities with the strongest signal.
The service uses a 5G ultra-wideband connection to provide gigabit speeds on your home Wi-Fi. With those kinds of internet speeds, you should be able to download massive games and entire seasons of TV shows within a few minutes. Plus, there are no data caps, so you can expect the same internet speeds regardless of how much you download or stream. Compared to T-Mobile's 5G home internet plans, Verizon is less available but offers much faster speeds.
If you have Verizon Fios in your area, you may be able to get its 5G home internet service. Rather than trying to find your home on a Verizon Fios coverage map, you can just enter your address into WhistleOut’s internet tool.
Verizon 5G coverage map FAQs
What Verizon 5G frequency bands are available?
Verizon uses a 5G ultra-wideband and a C-band spectrum to provide different 5G speeds across its network. The 5G ultra-wideband network is the fastest and uses 28GHz and 39GHz mmWave spectrum bands, which provide blazing-fast download speeds (up to 700Mbps).
Verizon’s C-band spectrum operates in frequencies between 4 and 8GHz. Download speeds aren’t quite as fast as what you’d find with ultra-wideband frequencies, but you’ll still average around 150Mbps.
Does Verizon 5G work everywhere?
No, Verizon's 5G does not work everywhere since it is limited to around 12% of the country. However, Verizon’s 4G network is the largest in the nation and offers great coverage. Both 4G and 5G spectrums run simultaneously on Verizon’s network to ensure that you have an internet connection in most places.
Which carrier has the best 5G coverage?
T-Mobile has the best 5G coverage. It offers the largest 5G network in the country and some of the fastest data speeds in most areas.
Max McCaskill
Sr. Staff Writer
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