A Look At The Top Cell Phone Service Providers

Choosing a cell phone, smart phone or 4G tablet isn't as easy as just reading reviews of the hardware. Picking the right cell phone service provider is crucial. Each of the major carriers offering cell phone service in the U.S. has their own lineup of phones, plans and features to offer, so what's the best way to choose? This guide to the four major U.S. cell phone service companies outlines some pros, cons and valuable information about each carrier that will make the choice a little easier.

Verizon Wireless

Sprint Phones

With over 90 million customers in the U.S., Verizon is the country's largest carrier. This is with good reason, as their network coverage and reliability are the highest-ranked of the major cell phone service providers. Verizon's customer support has also garnered praise. The company has, however, attracted criticism for its early termination fees. While every carrier has these fees, Verizon charges much higher fines for canceling a contract on what they term "advanced devices." What this means to consumers is getting out of a contract for a smart phone, which just about everyone has today, costs 0. Still if you're dedicated to Verizon and planning on staying the length of the contract, their service is hard to beat.

A Look At The Top Cell Phone Service Providers

AT&T

AT&T really rose to prominence among cell phone service providers with the 2007 debut of the iPhone. Their four-year exclusivity deal with Apple meant anyone who wanted the sought-after technical marvel needed to switch to AT&T. Now that the exclusivity has passed, some of AT&T's rough spots are showing and they are losing ground. The company is still a popular choice for its sheer number of devices offered, the best selection among all major carriers. The only knock on AT&T is that its service is known to be inconsistent regionally. If you are big on hardware selection and already know reception is good in your area, though, it's definitely a safe bet.

Sprint

Sprint is looking to gain ground and differentiate itself from the other cell phone service providers with its variety of flexible plans dedicated to data usage. With more cell phone users employing their phones for texting, browsing and email than they do to make phone calls, this looks like a very savvy strategy. Sprint is now the only provider that offers an unlimited data plan, a major benefit for professionals and others who rely heavily on web connectivity. The downsides to Sprint, as reported by customers, are that their customer service is sometimes lacking and that coverage might be occasionally spotty based on location.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile is the newest challenger to the major cell phone service providers. The company works to differentiate by positioning itself as the most user-friendly of the major service providers. This approach is backed by excellent customer service and the widest variety of phone service options, geared toward allowing customers to pick exactly what services they need to build an affordable plan. The only downfall to T-Mobile is that their network is not up to par with the others in many areas, especially in 3G service. T-Mobile is an economical choice, though, so customers looking to save money may want to read local reviews to see if their nearby T-Mobile service would suit their needs.

A Look At The Top Cell Phone Service Providers