The best cell phone plans in Philadelphia by category:
- The fastest wireless carrier in Philadelphia: AT&T is a pretty clear winner here, Verizon is close enough to be competitive.
- The widest available wireless carrier in Philadelphia: Again, AT&T gets the nod, but Verizon is close.
- The largest 5G network available in Philadelphia: AT&T, T-Mobile is second.
- The most affordable wireless carrier in Philadelphia: Mint Mobile, Cricket Wireless, Boost Mobile – plans starting at $10 per month
Philadelphia has absolutely exploded the past several years as a city ready to do business. The economy, real estate market, job market, and tourism have blossomed into a major US contender for a place to be right now. With all that growth, so has to the available services to consumers moving to the area (or looking to make a change).
Competition is good in Philadelphia when it comes to choosing a mobile provider. Two of “The Big Three” wireless providers are showing up in a big way with AT&T and Verizon duking it out for top spot. Surprisingly though, T-Mobile, who advertises heavily in the Philadelphia area, is pretty squarely in third place. Still, as they expand we expect them to compete.
Below you can find the best mobile carriers available to Philadelphia consumers looking to compare plans as reviewed by the GammaWire team:
Top Mobile Wireless Plans in Philadelphia
✔ T-Mobile Backed
✔ Pre-Paid Only
✔ Bundle Options
✔ Family Options
✔ Best Coverage
✔ Most Features
✔ Frugal Family Deals
✔ AT&T's Network
✔ Fair Coverage
✔ Great Value
✔ No Contract
✔ Pre-Paid Option
Which Mobile Provider Has the Best Cell Coverage in Philadelphia?
As of right now, AT&T definitely offers the best overall coverage when it comes to balancing fast speeds with reliable coverage. Almost the entire city will be able to access speeds north of 10 Mbps, with top speeds north of 500 Mbps for some users. If you’re looking for a clear winner here, AT&T might be the easy choice.
Still, Verizon is here to compete. The network has arguably the fastest top speeds, and most of the city will be able to access reliable speeds on the network as well. It’d be rare to find a neighborhood in Philadelphia where Verizon isn’t top notch.
T-Mobile has some work to do in Philadelphia, with only about 3/4 of the city averaging speeds north of 10 Mbps. The good news here of course is that T-Mobile is probably moving the falsest when it comes to 5G so they’ll most likely be catching up soon.
Fastest Mobile Carriers in Philadelphia(5G, 4G, LTE)
AT&T shows up in Philadelphia, PA, and is ready to compete as the top 5G network. They also rest as the pretty clear favorite when it comes to overall average top speeds. A good chunk of their customer base in Philly will be able to get access to 100 Mbps+ average speeds, meaning you’ll be able to do just about anything you want on your mobile phone on their network.
As far as 5G, AT&T has around 60% of the city covered, but they shouldn’t sleep too long, as T-Mobile is catching up, with just around half the city covered in their 5G network. AT&T also has some great deals on the fastest kind of internet available, Fiber so take a look at our guide to Philly broadband if you need that for work or something.
Cheap & Discount Cell Phone Plans in Philadelphia, PA
One of the best parts of living in a city like Philadelphia, with it’s huge population numbers and competitive business landscape is that outside of the major carriers, a lot of budget carriers can make a splash.
Companies like Mint Mobile, Boost Mobile, and Cricket Wireless all have a big presence in Philadelphia for budget wireless plans without sacrificing on speed. You’ll be pretty happy saving money with any of those carrier networks knowing that they’ve got decent speed and service across the city.
Please note though that if you travel a lot, sometimes the smaller carrier networks don’t have as wide of a network outside of major cities. Make sure to check coverage with any discount wireless provider in Philadelphia to make sure that it also has a solid network outside of the city.
Find a Cell Plan in Your Area
We hope the information above was enough to help find a wireless provider near you. Click on one of the providers below to view their latest plans, rates and promotions in your area:
Philadelphia, PA Zip Codes with the Best Cellular Coverage
- 19103
- 19139
- 19104
- 19152
- 19111
- 19143
- 19120
- 19132
- 19124
- 19148
We really wouldn’t worry too much if you’re reading this and don’t see your zip code on the above list of top zip codes for cell coverage. If you live in Philadelphia or or planning on moving there soon, it should be no problem finding a carrier that will work in just about any zip code in Philly.
