Best and Worst Phone Plan Providers

In our most recent survey, 51,858 CR members shared their views on their providers’ offerings, including the value of the service they use, customer support, data service (cost, reliability, and speed), cellular reception, and consumer experience.

Note that our methodology for scoring providers has changed a bit. The tweaks prevent a carrier from receiving an artificially inflated satisfaction score, bringing these ratings more in line with a provider’s overall performance. 

But before you switch, keep in mind that it could have an impact on your data speeds and coverage, so it’s worth checking how much data you and others on your current plan use per month. (Log in to your wireless provider’s website and review your bills.) Then, if needed, choose a new plan that gives you enough high-speed data. Be sure to read the fine print on the company’s website to see if and when it reduces data speeds.