Should I stay with Verizon or switch to AT&T?

Though you have been a devoted consumer for years and have been with Verizon Wireless, recently you have been considering moving to AT&T. AT&T's service satisfies your friends and family, so you start to question if the grass is better on the other side. Two of the top cellular providers in the United States are Verizon and AT&T Internet; yet, it's important to understand their differences before you decide which one to use. This Verizon vs AT&T analysis will help you decide whether to stay with Verizon or change to AT&T.

Network Coverage Comparison
Verizon remains unbeaten as far as the coverage area of the network is concerned. They boast the biggest and most dependable 4G LTE network in the American continent, which spans over 2.4 million square kilometers. Verizon towers are most in rural and suburban areas excluding the central business district. But here AT&T has been growing aggressively its 4G network to over two million square miles and has the best quality in large urban centers such as New York and San Francisco. When choosing the best carrier, it is important to look at the coverage maps to see where the signal is strong in areas where you spend most of your time. Both the networks perform well in terms of overall ratings, but Verizon performs slightly better in the rural areas than in the urban areas while AT&T has slightly better ratings in the metropolitan cities than in the rural areas.

Data Speeds
Actual LTE speed in real life is where AT&T seems to pull ahead of Verizon by offering higher download speeds in many places. Recent research conducted by OpenSignal shows that AT&T's 4G latency was 58.1 Mbps across the country while Verizon's was 53.3 Mbps. This speed difference is probably only noticeable when streaming extremely high-quality content or downloading a large file. Again for normal Internet surfing, emails, videos, and music, most of the customers should be fine with either of the carrier networks. The same should also be done via the carrier's stores to see how fast it is in a certain city.

Plan Options and Pricing
AT&T and Verizon both provide numerous individual, family, and prepaid services; thus, the choice depends on usage requirements and prices. Verizon and AT&T unlimited plans have unlimited talk, text, and high-speed data ranging from $75 to $85 per month for a single line. Verizon has more options available for additions such as HD streaming and Mobile Hotspot tethering on all the unlimited plans at an extra cost. AT&T has the same unlimited plan available for $5 cheaper if you add wireless to the internet or DIRECTV. For shared data buckets Verizon offers more premium options such as Apple Music included and better roaming but AT&T offers more lines for the same price. Under 5GB are associated with AT&T while over 10GB are associated with Verizon if price is a non-issue. Wired and prepaid plans offer lower prices at Verizon if you want only talk/text and a few gigabytes per month.

Phone Selection and Deals
Both carriers have on their portfolio the latest iPhones, Androids, and many others at almost similar prices. As for the strong points, it is necessary to note that AT&T has good promotions for those clients who add or upgrade a line and get up to $1,000 off on a new device distributed in equal portions for 3 years. Verizon typically restricts its phone offers to its clients. AT&T also has more freedom the bring your compatible device from another telecom company. Verizon has the best phone subsidies and trade-in deals to ensure that customer loyalty is achieved in the long run. Shoppers must compare deals because new AT&T customers also get activation discounts which are usually higher than what buyers get. Just as an example, don’t forget to factor in the overall cost of a new phone upgrade even if it comes with some promo discounts.

Extras/Perks Comparison
Verizon offers convenient special features such as Up loyalty rewards, including cloud storage, unlimited talk/text to Mexico & Canada, and family safety features. Verizon, you respond with enticing entertainment offers like when you get HBO Max for free or unique AT&T TV offers you won’t get from Verizon. It also has a relationship with AARP for some good customer offers for those customers who are 50 years and above. Verizon provides Global Service for Foreign Travel option and insurance programs for devices that are cheaper than AT&T for families who are always on the move or cliquish. From the business point of view, Verizon offers different rates and account management perfect for companies where teams use a single plan. Consider these other features apart from the talk/text/data as possible deal clinchers.

Customer and Tech Support
The ACSI customer satisfaction survey reveals that Verizon Wireless enjoys higher overall scores in terms of customer service and phone/Online technical support when compared to AT&T. This entails having personnel who are well conversant with devices, network, or account issues being on call around the clock. Overall, Verizon tech support resolves issues efficiently with less forwarding for general inquiries. AT&T’s satisfaction ratings are lower than Verizon's mainly because when customers need to seek assistance the wait time is long. However, they have enhanced their AT&T Premier online portal and call-back options. For both carriers, the retail store and online chat satisfy most needs for assistance with setup for switching services.

The Bottom Line
As a general rule, the two are quite evenly matched most of the time, Verizon is usually better for rural usage due to coverage and perks over AT&T while AT&T is better for city-slickers who need faster hotspots or entertainment packages. These are the following factors that you should consider for your local coverage area, data usage, and budget before deciding the upgrade with Verizon or shift towards AT&T as your wireless service provider.

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