New report: The best cell phone providers in America

Consumer Cellular has been named the best cell phone provider for customer satisfaction, beating Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and a number of smaller carriers.

According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s (ACSI) June 2019 report, mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) including Consumer Cellular scored higher than the major wireless providers like the Big 4.

ACSI report: Low-cost cell phone provider is #1 for customer satisfaction

An MVNO is a cell phone carrier that partners with one or more networks, but it doesn’t own any towers. Here’s an example…

Consumer Cellular is an MVNO that has relationships with AT&T and T-Mobile. Customers get access to one of those networks for talk, text and data. So, Consumer Cellular may be a good option if AT&T and T-Mobile provide reliable coverage in your area.

The ACSI report covers three categories of wireless telephone service providers:

Both categories of MVNOs are doing a good job keeping customers happy, while MNOs have room for improvement. Here’s a category-by-category breakdown of the latest ACSI rankings on a 100-point scale…

Mobile network operators 

Key takeaway: This is the lowest-performing category in the wireless industry and includes the biggest brands. T-Mobile ranks #1 for customer satisfaction for its value and ease of billing, while Sprint finishes last. T-Mobile is in the process of merging with Sprint to better compete against Verizon and AT&T.

Mobile network operators

Category average: 73 

Company  ACSI score  T-Mobile 76 U.S. Cellular 74 Verizon Wireless 74 AT&T 73 Sprint 65

Full-service mobile virtual network operators

Key takeaway: Full-service MVNOs rank much higher than the Big 4. The report found that AT&T-owned Cricket Wireless is the best full-service MVNO for customer satisfaction, followed by Metro by T-Mobile and Virgin Mobile. These prepaid carriers get high praise for ease of billing, mobile apps and in-person customer service.

Full-service mobile virtual network operators

Category average: 77 

Company  ACSI score  Cricket Wireless (AT&T) 79 Metro by T-Mobile (T-Mobile) 76 Virgin Mobile (Sprint) 76 Boost Mobile (Sprint) 74

Value mobile virtual network operators

Key takeaway: Customer satisfaction with value MVNOs is the highest among the wireless categories, with an average ACSI score of 81. Top-ranked Consumer Cellular stands out for its ease of billing. Subscribers also like its discounts for AARP members and no-contract, postpaid service.

Value mobile virtual network operators 

Category average: 81

Company  ACSI score  Consumer Cellular 85 Straight Talk Wireless 80 TracFone Wireless 77

Final thought 

MVNOs offer cheaper cell phone plans compared to the Big 4 wireless providers, which is probably why they scored so much higher in this ACSI report.

If you currently have Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile or Sprint, you may want to consider switching to an MVNO to save money. Like your network? Start by looking for MVNOs that partner with your existing network and use the same towers.

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Here’s a partial list of Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint alternatives, including links to reviews from Team Clark:

The ACSI Wireless Service and Cellular Telephone Report 2018-2019 is based on interviews with more than 19,000 customers. You can download the report to learn more about the findings by clicking here.

To compare your options, read Team Clark’s guide to the best cell phone plans and deals!

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Best AT&T MVNOs: Cheap cell phone providers that use AT&T’s network

Millions and millions of Americans choose AT&T for its fast and reliable wireless network, but did you know that you can get access to the same cell phone towers at a much lower price?

Many people only stick with AT&T for its dependable service, which RootMetrics consistently ranks second behind Verizon.

Switch to an AT&T MVNO and cut your wireless bill in half! 

However, more than a handful of smaller wireless providers called mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) partner with AT&T to offer cheap cell phone service. Take a look at the list below:

AT&T MVNOs

Wireless provider Network  Cricket Wireless AT&T Consumer Cellular AT&T, T-Mobile Unreal Mobile AT&T, Sprint H2O Wireless AT&T FreeUp Mobile AT&T Straight Talk Wireless AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint Red Pocket Mobile AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint

Unlike the rest of the MVNOs mentioned above, Cricket Wireless is a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T. The other MVNOs are independent of AT&T and only rent space on their network.

These low-cost providers are an obvious option to consider for people who are already happy with AT&T’s coverage.

An MVNO may not flat-out say which of the Big 4 networks that they partner with, but you can typically figure it out by comparing the MVNO’s coverage map to the major network’s coverage map.

For example, here’s a comparison of the coverage maps for AT&T and FreeUp Mobile:

You also need to consider your phone options. Some MVNOs that run on AT&T’s network sell their own phones and others will allow you to bring an unlocked GSM phone. Always check device eligibility on the provider’s website.

Many MVNOs are prepaid carriers, which means that you pay for service in advance with no credit check required.

Right now, AT&T is heavily promoting two new unlimited data plans that start at either $70 or $80 for a single line of service before taxes and fees. But how would you like to cut that bill in half?

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Here are three of your best options if you want to keep AT&T’s network and save money every month…

Cricket Wireless

Key details: 

• Cricket Wireless has 10 million subscribers
• Four lines of unlimited service for $100/month
• Taxes and fees are included
• Cheapest unlimited plan: Data speeds capped at 3 Mbps and SD quality video
• Bring your own device or buy one from Cricket; budget and high-end options
• Retail locations nationwide

For quite some time, AT&T-owned Cricket Wireless has offered four lines of unlimited talk, text and data for $100 per month. Taxes and fees are included. With its cheapest unlimited plan, data speeds are capped at 3 Mbps and you only get SD quality video streaming. Budget and high-end smartphones are available for sale, plus a few free device options if you transfer a number. Cricket Wireless has retail locations nationwide that offer in-person customer service.

TEAM CLARK REVIEW: 5 things to know before you switch to Cricket Wireless

Consumer Cellular 

Key details: 

• Top-rated “Non-Contract Value Carrier” by J.D. Power
• Two network partners: AT&T and T-Mobile (Check coverage)
• 5% discount for AARP members
• Products and plans available at Target locations nationwide
• Talk, text and data starting at $20/month
• Free activation and no contracts

Some of Consumer Cellular’s data plans cost about the same as Cricket, but there’s no unlimited option. Light data users can expect to pay around $30 per month. There are two network partners with this carrier: AT&T and T-Mobile. You’ll be assigned one or the other when you sign up. If you want to make sure that you get AT&T, you can visit a Target retail store and pick up a Consumer Cellular SIM card for AT&T’s network. Consumer Cellular targets the senior population and offers a 5% AARP discount, but it’s available to everyone.

Straight Talk Wireless 

Key details: 

• Owned by TracFone, America’s largest no-contract cell phone provider
• Straight Talk is available at Walmart locations nationwide
• Unlimited data plans start at $50/month with auto-refill discount
• Partners with all of the major networks (Check coverage)
• Bring your own device or buy a phone from Straight Talk

Available at Walmart, Straight Talk operates on all four of the major wireless networks, which makes it simple if you want to keep your own phone and bring it to the prepaid service. Straight Talk offers several affordable plan options, including 25GB of high-speed data per month for $45. Auto-refill discounts are available. When I tested the service for 30 days, I picked up a SIM Activation Kit from Walmart that included an AT&T SIM card. Customer service is available by phone and chat.

TEAM CLARK REVIEW: Straight Talk review: Is this cheap cell phone provider worth it?

Cheapest AT&T MVNOs 

Cheaper options do exist with AT&T MVNOs like Red Pocket Mobile, FreeUp Mobile and Unreal Mobile — with plans starting around $10 per month. However, customer support may be limited with those ultra-discount providers.

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I’ve personally tested Red Pocket and Unreal, and experienced mixed results. Many Clark.com readers have told me the same thing.

Ultimately, you have to look at what the AT&T MVNOs are offering and decide whether it’s worth switching from AT&T to any of these affordable alternatives. For me, I’ve been willing to give up the convenience of in-person customer service for a lower price.

And since these are all no-contract providers, you can switch back to AT&T or another MVNO if there’s an issue that can’t be resolved.

We’ve highlighted MVNOs that run on AT&T’s network, but many more carriers have arrangements with Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint that can also save you lots of money. I’ve had great experiences with Total Wireless and Mint Mobile.

If you live in an area where all of the Big 4 networks have good coverage, read about some of your options in Clark’s guide.

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