Depending on the part of the country in which you live, you should be able to choose between several cell phone service providers. But which one is the best? Any time that you’re having trouble making a decision, you’ll need to do a side-by-side comparison based on the criteria that you deem to be most important. In this article, we will break down the benefits and liabilities of two powerhouses within the industry, MetroPCS and AT&T. Both of them command a sizeable market share. But which of them is going to be the better choice for you?
Before we get to a detailed breakdown of what these companies have to offer you, we’ll do a quick article recap you can skim through if you don’t have time to read the whole thing.
MetroPCS
- They offer excellent incentives, including Google One for storage and Amazon Prime in some instances
- Regardless of which plan you choose to get with them, you get 480p data streaming, which is respectable
- Their unlimited data plans are consistently among the most popular in the market
- You can choose from among several different top-of-the-line phones when you sign up with them, many at discounted prices
- Their coverage area through T-Mobile is the second-best in the nation, behind only Verizon
AT&T
- Their coverage area is third-best in the nation, right behind MetroPCS
- Their plans start at a reasonable $35 a month per line, though that plan is stripped of most perks
- If you’re willing to pay for a better-unlimited plan, you can get access to sports and festival tickets off-limits to most of the public
- You get free roaming in Mexico and Canada with their unlimited plans, worth thinking about if you travel to either country often
MetroPCS History
MetroPCS recently came to be known as Metro by T-Mobile. It is a prepaid brand, and its parent company is T-Mobile US. It was founded back in 1994 under the name General Wireless Inc. by Roger D. Linquist and Malcolm Lorang. They had 1.5 million subscribers in February of 2005 when they were operating primarily in markets like Atlanta, San Francisco, parts of Florida, and Sacramento.
In 2013, they were involved in a reverse-merger with T-Mobile. This combined company was able to effectively leverage the resources of both brands at the same time that T-Mobile US began being publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. 2015 saw the dismantling of the MetroPCS CDMA network that they had been using. All existing customers were brought over to the existing LTE network.
In September of 2018, there was a massive rebranding effort from the company. Metro by T-Mobile came out with a flurry of unlimited plans with different bundled features. In 2018, the company was active across 100 different markets, and their commercials and radio spots reached consumers coast-to-coast.
AT&T History
As for AT&T, they are headquartered in Whitacre Tower in Dallas, TX. They are the largest telecommunications company in the world, and one of the most diversified. They are the largest provider of fixed telephone services in the US, bar none. In June of 2018, they became the parent company of Warner Media, the powerhouse mass-media conglomerate.
AT&T was originally the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. Alexander Graham Bell founded it in 1877. It has been rebranded under different names several times over the years. The current version of AT&T has reconstituted much of the former Bell System. It encompasses the original long-distance division, as well as ten of the 22 Bell Operating Companies that once acted independently of one another.
AT&T is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as well. They are one of the most renowned and iconic brands in the world, and their logo is one of the most recognized anywhere. Their empire includes such divisions as internet services, satellite television, network security, film production, and dozens of others.
Comparing Coverage Between MetroPCS and AT&T
The coverage area should be a significant concern when you are making the choice between service providers. Neither one of these two has the best coverage in the United States. That distinction goes to Verizon. Metro runs on T-Mobile’s network. They are the second-best in the country. AT&T comes in third, so the edge in this regard goes to MetroPCS, or Metro by T-Mobile, if you’d care to use that name.
Metro (or T-Mobile) covers 59% of the United States with its 4G LTE network. However, that doesn’t mean that they’re head and shoulders above AT&T, which covers 58% of the US.
If you’re curious about whether your specific part of the country gets better coverage with AT&T or T-Mobile, there are address lookup engines online that should be able to help you figure it out.
Pricing Structure for MetroPCS and AT&T
The price is going to be another factor that will come into play when you’re thinking about which one of these to get. With MetroPCS, you get a 10GB plan for $40 a month. That’s a reasonable price, especially when you consider that taxes and other fees are included.
If you’re looking for an unlimited data plan, MetroPCS offers that as well. You can get their Magento Plus plan for $50 a month. That comes with unlimited talk and text, 5GB of LTE data in Mexico and Canada, in-flight Wi-Fi for air travel, and Netflix. You can also get Amazon Prime in some cases.
AT&T has unlimited Starter, Extra, and Elite plans for $35, $40, and $50, respectively. With them, you get such features as unlimited data, talk, and texting capabilities. You get 480p video streaming services, which is standard for most of the top providers. You get free roaming in Mexico and Canada, which is worth considering if you travel to those countries often. Live TV is also included for free. Depending on which of the three you get, you can also enjoy some additional perks.
Enticing Deals from Each Company
If you’re looking for perks, MetroPCS has several that might be enough to sway you to their side. They offer Google One storage if you like to keep lots of videos, photos, etc. on your phone. There’s Netflix, which we already mentioned. That’s particularly useful if you’re going with a family plan, and you need to keep the kids entertained while traveling. You can also expect to get a discounted phone, or a free one, in some cases, if you switch over and make a contractual commitment.
With AT&T, you can get deals on dining and VIP treatment at lots of venues around the country and abroad. You get the first crack at tickets to summer festivals, and you also get Spotify Premium access so you can listen to music on the go. You’ll have a chance to score some limited release tickets to many different sporting events, and you’ll save on your bill every time at restaurants like Texas de Brazil.
What About Limitations?
The notable limitation with both of these services would be in the area of streaming video. You might have unlimited data with plans from both providers, but you can only stream movies and shows in 480p. That’s not going to be as smooth as most of the streaming services you’ll get on higher resolution TVs in the comfort of your own home. Most modern TVs have 1080p resolution. Still, since this is a limitation with both of these providers, it’s a wash.
Compatible Phones for Both Companies
With AT&T, you get a wide selection of the newest phones. If you don’t have one of your own already, you can get the latest iPhone 11 for as little as $23.34 per month. If you’re willing to get an older model, like the iPhone 8, then it’s free when you sign up. You could get the Samsung Galaxy S10e for as little as $5 per month but act quickly, as that is a limited time offer.
With MetroPCS, you have lots of options as well. You have many iPhone and Android choices, and if you bring your own phone, they will usually waive the activation fee if you commit to a long-term contract.
How is their Customer Service?
The customer service receives excellent reviews for both of these providers. You can talk to them through Live Chat, over the phone if you have a billing issue, or you can usually find a brick-and-mortar location for either with minimal difficulty. That’s one of the nicer things about these large conglomerates: they have locations nationwide, so even if you’re traveling and you have a pressing issue, you should be able to get it rectified expediently.
Which one of these Two Works Best for You?
It’s going to be tough to choose between these two providers. Both of them are industry giants, with name recognition, standout customer service, and competitive plans. They each offer perks, and their network coverage is almost identical in the continental United States.
As you’re trying to choose between them, it might be helpful if you talk to representatives from both companies in your immediate area. There are often exclusive deals to be had if you’re willing to commit to a longer contract. These sorts of companies are eager to compete with each other for your business, and you’d be well served to use that to your advantage.
Generally speaking, we would opt for MetroPCS over AT&T. MetroPCS seems to have a better perks package, and its coverage network is slightly better.
