The spread of 3G networks in the U.S. has taken off at long last. The four major players in the U.S. 3G game, Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile, all offer 3G services, and those who are considering stepping up to the 3G plate have to make a big decision when in comes to carrier choice. Our friends at Engadget have published a good analysis of the four carriers as far as 3G goes, and that is the first place that prospective 3G customers should turn. Their findings are quite good, but it is imperative that 3G customers remember the three things that matter most as far as 3G coverage is concerned: location, location and location. If you doubt that, see what happened when Kevin forgot that maxim.
There are actually two locations that factor in the most when it comes to 3G coverage: where you are and where you go. You can get widely different test results from all four carriers just sitting in one spot no matter where in the U.S. you might be. The only thing that really matters is how a carrier performs where you use it most, and then how it performs everywhere you are likely to roam. Unfortunately, it’s not always the same carrier that does best in all of those locations, and that’s what makes it so hard to claim a victor in the best 3G network contest.
My own experience is pretty stable for me, strictly based on where I have used 3G over the years. I find that Verizon almost always performs well in the places I use it most, both home and while traveling. I have encountered numerous 3G connectivity issues with AT&T, both in my home town and traveling to large cities. Sprint performs well when coverage is good, but it doesn’t always turn up with good coverage everywhere Verizon does. T-Mobile is the new kid on the block and, in my own experience using it, its coverage is worse as a result.
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