Decoding the Verizon Coverage Map: 5G and LTE Networks
Verizon operates on a dual network system, utilizing both 4G LTE and the newer 5G technologies. The Verizon service map visually represents the reach of these networks, allowing you to assess coverage strength in specific locations.
Verizon 5G Coverage: A Growing Footprint
While Verizon’s 5G network is rapidly expanding, it’s essential to understand its current scope. FCC data indicates that Verizon’s 5G coverage area is less extensive compared to T-Mobile and AT&T in terms of landmass percentage. Specifically, Verizon 5G covers approximately 14.5% of the US land area.
However, focusing solely on land area can be misleading. Verizon emphasizes its 5G Ultra Wideband network’s reach to over 222 million people, representing about 60% of the US population. Their more widespread Nationwide 5G network extends even further, covering over 230 million people, or roughly 69% of the US population.
It’s important to note that Verizon’s 5G rollout is ongoing. As they continue to build infrastructure, you can anticipate their 5G coverage to become increasingly comprehensive. For prospective customers, checking the Verizon service map regularly for updates is advisable.
Verizon LTE Coverage: Nationwide Reliability
Verizon’s 4G LTE network is a cornerstone of their service, known for its extensive national reach. This LTE network blankets over 98% of the US population, making it a highly reliable option for consistent connectivity across the country. The Verizon service map clearly illustrates this broad LTE coverage, highlighting areas where users can expect dependable 4G service for calls, texts, and data.
State-by-State Breakdown of Verizon Coverage
To provide a granular view of Verizon’s coverage, examining state-level data is beneficial. Verizon’s network covers approximately 67.4% of the total land area of the United States. However, coverage varies significantly from state to state.
The following table provides a detailed state-by-state breakdown of Verizon’s overall coverage, along with a categorization of coverage quality within each state (Great, Good, Poor):
| State | Area Covered (sq km) | Total Percent Covered | Great Coverage | Good Coverage | Poor Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 117,368 | 87.7% | 30.6% | 31.8% | 25.4% |
| Alaska | 31,097 | 3.4% | 0.7% | 1.0% | 1.7% |
| Arizona | 172,067 | 59.9% | 16.1% | 18.6% | 25.3% |
| Arkansas | 113,836 | 82.6% | 28.5% | 27.4% | 26.8% |
| California | 264,743 | 68.4% | 30.7% | 21.6% | 16.1% |
| Colorado | 156,469 | 58.1% | 14.1% | 19.7% | 24.2% |
| Connecticut | 12,566 | 97.5% | 50.5% | 34.5% | 12.5% |
| Delaware | 5,197 | 98.9% | 69.0% | 23.5% | 6.4% |
| District of Columbia | 177 | 100.0% | 94.7% | 5.3% | 0.0% |
| Florida | 130,161 | 93.9% | 51.0% | 29.0% | 13.9% |
| Georgia | 146,871 | 96.3% | 34.8% | 38.5% | 22.9% |
| Hawaii | 12,346 | 74.2% | 27.3% | 22.5% | 24.3% |
| Idaho | 101,613 | 47.1% | 14.3% | 18.0% | 14.8% |
| Illinois | 143,276 | 98.2% | 49.3% | 35.3% | 13.7% |
| Indiana | 92,696 | 98.9% | 50.1% | 31.5% | 17.3% |
| Iowa | 135,278 | 92.8% | 43.8% | 33.9% | 15.2% |
| Kansas | 206,796 | 97.0% | 34.3% | 32.9% | 29.9% |
| Kentucky | 77,835 | 74.4% | 26.6% | 22.3% | 25.5% |
| Louisiana | 103,069 | 85.3% | 33.6% | 30.7% | 21.1% |
| Maine | 42,089 | 70.2% | 20.3% | 27.1% | 22.9% |
| Maryland | 25,909 | 92.7% | 54.3% | 27.8% | 10.5% |
| Massachusetts | 20,049 | 95.3% | 50.2% | 31.1% | 14.0% |
| Michigan | 117,868 | 78.2% | 30.0% | 23.5% | 24.8% |
| Minnesota | 185,395 | 88.0% | 41.8% | 29.6% | 16.7% |
| Mississippi | 96,140 | 77.9% | 19.5% | 26.9% | 31.5% |
| Missouri | 159,462 | 88.3% | 31.0% | 29.1% | 28.1% |
| Montana | 205,630 | 54.0% | 14.7% | 19.7% | 19.7% |
| Nebraska | 173,893 | 86.8% | 23.5% | 27.3% | 36.1% |
| Nevada | 130,669 | 45.6% | 17.1% | 17.2% | 11.4% |
| New Hampshire | 19,583 | 83.3% | 26.3% | 34.2% | 22.8% |
| New Jersey | 19,423 | 98.8% | 69.5% | 21.0% | 8.3% |
| New Mexico | 212,315 | 68.0% | 20.5% | 24.4% | 23.1% |
| New York | 106,256 | 84.3% | 36.0% | 27.2% | 21.1% |
| North Carolina | 114,493 | 88.5% | 36.1% | 32.1% | 20.2% |
| North Dakota | 172,603 | 94.3% | 38.9% | 35.7% | 19.8% |
| Ohio | 101,577 | 95.1% | 64.5% | 21.6% | 9.0% |
| Oklahoma | 101,227 | 56.0% | 30.2% | 16.4% | 9.4% |
| Oregon | 156,785 | 63.5% | 20.0% | 21.6% | 21.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 105,104 | 89.6% | 45.8% | 27.1% | 16.7% |
| Rhode Island | 2,807 | 98.8% | 52.4% | 31.0% | 15.4% |
| South Carolina | 76,583 | 95.2% | 36.9% | 34.6% | 23.7% |
| South Dakota | 174,949 | 87.4% | 26.5% | 29.2% | 31.7% |
| Tennessee | 92,281 | 84.7% | 31.1% | 27.2% | 26.4% |
| Texas | 574,514 | 83.8% | 36.0% | 28.5% | 19.3% |
| Utah | 105,874 | 48.4% | 14.4% | 16.8% | 17.3% |
| Vermont | 18,843 | 75.7% | 25.0% | 27.5% | 23.2% |
| Virginia | 93,514 | 89.1% | 33.4% | 29.8% | 25.9% |
| Washington | 109,495 | 66.1% | 22.4% | 22.0% | 21.7% |
| West Virginia | 33,668 | 53.7% | 16.2% | 19.3% | 18.1% |
| Wisconsin | 113,247 | 77.9% | 28.1% | 24.7% | 25.2% |
| Wyoming | 131,739 | 52.1% | 10.4% | 17.9% | 23.9% |
This table helps visualize that while Verizon has significant coverage in many states, there are variations. States with larger land areas or more rural landscapes may have lower overall coverage percentages.
State-by-State Breakdown of Verizon 5G Coverage
For those prioritizing the latest 5G technology, understanding state-level 5G coverage is crucial. The table below details Verizon’s 5G coverage percentage in each state:
| State | Area Covered (sq km) | Total Percent Covered | Great Coverage | Good Coverage | Poor Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 41,887 | 31.3% | 6.4% | 9.5% | 15.4% |
| Alaska | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Arizona | 46,914 | 16.3% | 5.6% | 4.4% | 6.4% |
| Arkansas | 20,990 | 15.2% | 3.7% | 5.3% | 6.2% |
| California | 120,723 | 31.2% | 11.2% | 10.0% | 9.9% |
| Colorado | 15,532 | 5.8% | 2.5% | 2.2% | 1.1% |
| Connecticut | 4,299 | 33.4% | 13.2% | 13.2% | 6.9% |
| Delaware | 3,673 | 69.9% | 21.2% | 22.7% | 26.1% |
| District of Columbia | 175 | 99.2% | 70.6% | 22.7% | 5.9% |
| Florida | 73,197 | 52.8% | 16.8% | 15.8% | 20.2% |
| Georgia | 36,783 | 24.1% | 5.4% | 7.0% | 11.7% |
| Hawaii | 2,657 | 16.0% | 4.3% | 5.8% | 5.9% |
| Idaho | 9,187 | 4.3% | 2.0% | 1.9% | 0.3% |
| Illinois | 29,723 | 20.4% | 10.7% | 6.5% | 3.2% |
| Indiana | 21,856 | 23.3% | 12.5% | 8.5% | 2.3% |
| Iowa | 32,581 | 22.4% | 6.2% | 7.1% | 9.1% |
| Kansas | 13,401 | 6.3% | 2.8% | 2.6% | 0.9% |
| Kentucky | 10,280 | 9.8% | 4.5% | 3.5% | 1.9% |
| Louisiana | 25,080 | 20.8% | 6.1% | 7.1% | 7.6% |
| Maine | 1,580 | 2.6% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 1.5% |
| Maryland | 17,354 | 62.1% | 16.1% | 19.3% | 26.7% |
| Massachusetts | 7,252 | 34.5% | 13.8% | 13.1% | 7.5% |
| Michigan | 30,819 | 20.5% | 8.1% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| Minnesota | 34,331 | 16.3% | 6.3% | 6.3% | 3.7% |
| Mississippi | 11,675 | 9.5% | 1.4% | 2.5% | 5.5% |
| Missouri | 11,690 | 6.5% | 2.8% | 2.5% | 1.1% |
| Montana | 11,995 | 3.2% | 1.5% | 1.2% | 0.5% |
| Nebraska | 9,407 | 4.7% | 2.2% | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| Nevada | 13,819 | 4.8% | 2.4% | 1.5% | 0.9% |
| New Hampshire | 2,197 | 9.3% | 1.7% | 2.8% | 4.9% |
| New Jersey | 13,646 | 69.4% | 29.1% | 21.9% | 18.4% |
| New Mexico | 13,618 | 4.4% | 1.6% | 1.8% | 0.9% |
| New York | 40,871 | 32.4% | 10.0% | 11.3% | 11.1% |
| North Carolina | 55,456 | 42.8% | 9.6% | 12.0% | 21.3% |
| North Dakota | 25,396 | 13.9% | 5.8% | 5.8% | 2.3% |
| Ohio | 49,301 | 46.1% | 16.9% | 16.4% | 12.8% |
| Oklahoma | 44,729 | 24.8% | 8.0% | 8.0% | 8.7% |
| Oregon | 11,056 | 4.5% | 2.1% | 1.6% | 0.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 44,743 | 38.1% | 13.9% | 12.6% | 11.6% |
| Rhode Island | 1,168 | 41.1% | 18.8% | 15.7% | 6.6% |
| South Carolina | 34,909 | 43.4% | 10.0% | 12.1% | 21.3% |
| South Dakota | 7,510 | 3.8% | 1.7% | 1.5% | 0.5% |
| Tennessee | 36,351 | 33.4% | 8.3% | 8.9% | 16.2% |
| Texas | 130,111 | 19.0% | 6.9% | 6.1% | 6.0% |
| Utah | 13,467 | 6.2% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 0.7% |
| Vermont | 3,887 | 15.6% | 1.9% | 4.5% | 9.2% |
| Virginia | 24,639 | 23.5% | 5.2% | 6.9% | 11.4% |
| Washington | 18,532 | 11.2% | 3.6% | 3.3% | 4.3% |
| West Virginia | 1,822 | 2.9% | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.1% |
| Wisconsin | 19,104 | 13.2% | 5.0% | 4.3% | 3.8% |
| Wyoming | 3,009 | 1.2% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 0.2% |
As indicated in the table, 5G coverage percentages are generally lower than overall coverage, reflecting the ongoing nature of 5G network deployment. States with denser populations and urban centers tend to have higher 5G coverage percentages.
Verizon Data Speeds Across the US
Beyond coverage area, network speed is a critical factor in evaluating mobile service. Verizon’s network speeds vary regionally. Crowd-sourced speed test data reveals median download speeds on Verizon ranging from 11.1 Mbps in Alaska to a high of 135.3 Mbps in Washington, DC. Median upload speeds range from 6.6 Mbps in Mississippi to 24.6 Mbps in Rhode Island. Latency, or ping, performance on Verizon varies from 26 ms to 128 ms.
The table below presents a state-by-state overview of median download speeds, upload speeds, and latency on the Verizon network:
| State | Verizon Median Download Speeds | Verizon Median Upload Speeds | Verizon Median Latency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 47.4 Mbps | 7.6 Mbps | 53 ms |
| Alaska | 11.1 Mbps | 8.4 Mbps | 81 ms |
| Arizona | 77.9 Mbps | 12.2 Mbps | 40 ms |
| Arkansas | 41.6 Mbps | 8.3 Mbps | 46 ms |
| California | 63.0 Mbps | 11.8 Mbps | 40 ms |
| Colorado | 58.1 Mbps | 11.1 Mbps | 39 ms |
| Connecticut | 82.2 Mbps | 11.0 Mbps | 43 ms |
| Delaware | 59.1 Mbps | 10.2 Mbps | 36 ms |
| District of Columbia | 135.3 Mbps | 16.3 Mbps | 29 ms |
| Florida | 96.6 Mbps | 12.9 Mbps | 37 ms |
| Georgia | 70.9 Mbps | 9.6 Mbps | 33 ms |
| Hawaii | 31.8 Mbps | 14.1 Mbps | 128 ms |
| Idaho | 26.1 Mbps | 9.5 Mbps | 63 ms |
| Illinois | 103.0 Mbps | 14.1 Mbps | 31 ms |
| Indiana | 100.9 Mbps | 13.5 Mbps | 33 ms |
| Iowa | 42.6 Mbps | 12.6 Mbps | 44 ms |
| Kansas | 53.8 Mbps | 11.8 Mbps | 49 ms |
| Kentucky | 87.9 Mbps | 11.9 Mbps | 54 ms |
| Louisiana | 38.3 Mbps | 9.1 Mbps | 58 ms |
| Maine | 25.0 Mbps | 8.3 Mbps | 61 ms |
| Maryland | 40.8 Mbps | 9.2 Mbps | 38 ms |
| Massachusetts | 80.8 Mbps | 12.5 Mbps | 40 ms |
| Michigan | 71.1 Mbps | 9.1 Mbps | 40 ms |
| Minnesota | 84.0 Mbps | 10.0 Mbps | 43 ms |
| Mississippi | 21.5 Mbps | 6.6 Mbps | 76 ms |
| Missouri | 45.7 Mbps | 9.9 Mbps | 48 ms |
| Montana | 37.7 Mbps | 11.7 Mbps | 76 ms |
| Nebraska | 125.2 Mbps | 24.1 Mbps | 26 ms |
| Nevada | 116.9 Mbps | 17.6 Mbps | 30 ms |
| New Hampshire | 24.6 Mbps | 9.3 Mbps | 52 ms |
| New Jersey | 63.7 Mbps | 9.7 Mbps | 37 ms |
| New Mexico | 38.7 Mbps | 9.5 Mbps | 74 ms |
| New York | 85.3 Mbps | 13.0 Mbps | 40 ms |
| North Carolina | 61.8 Mbps | 11.0 Mbps | 43 ms |
| North Dakota | 94.8 Mbps | 14.0 Mbps | 46 ms |
| Ohio | 59.0 Mbps | 12.7 Mbps | 41 ms |
| Oklahoma | 37.2 Mbps | 10.2 Mbps | 39 ms |
| Oregon | 37.3 Mbps | 7.5 Mbps | 40 ms |
| Pennsylvania | 78.2 Mbps | 10.8 Mbps | 37 ms |
| Rhode Island | 114.1 Mbps | 24.6 Mbps | 36 ms |
| South Carolina | 64.6 Mbps | 11.3 Mbps | 41 ms |
| South Dakota | 51.6 Mbps | 10.3 Mbps | 49 ms |
| Tennessee | 58.0 Mbps | 10.3 Mbps | 44 ms |
| Texas | 62.4 Mbps | 9.5 Mbps | 35 ms |
| Utah | 47.3 Mbps | 11.6 Mbps | 55 ms |
| Vermont | 20.0 Mbps | 7.8 Mbps | 55 ms |
| Virginia | 32.6 Mbps | 9.3 Mbps | 40 ms |
| Washington | 59.5 Mbps | 9.3 Mbps | 34 ms |
| West Virginia | 47.1 Mbps | 12.9 Mbps | 94 ms |
| Wisconsin | 63.7 Mbps | 9.3 Mbps | 40 ms |
| Wyoming | 13.9 Mbps | 9.3 Mbps | 79 ms |
This data highlights that while Verizon provides generally good speeds, there can be regional variations. Factors such as network congestion, infrastructure density, and geographic location can influence these speeds.
Verizon Coverage Compared: AT&T and T-Mobile
When evaluating Verizon’s service map, considering its position relative to competitors is essential. The primary competitors in the US market are AT&T and T-Mobile.
Verizon vs. AT&T Coverage:
Verizon and AT&T offer largely comparable nationwide coverage, both excelling in populated areas. FCC data indicates that AT&T has a slightly larger overall coverage footprint, covering 78.1% of the US land area compared to Verizon’s 67.4%.
However, the difference in practical terms is often minimal, particularly in urban and suburban environments.
In 5G coverage, AT&T currently holds an advantage in terms of land area covered, reaching approximately 43.3% of the US, significantly more than Verizon’s 14.5%.
Data speeds on Verizon and AT&T are remarkably similar. Median download and upload speeds are nearly identical based on crowd-sourced data. Ultimately, both carriers provide strong coverage and performance in most areas.
Verizon vs. T-Mobile Coverage:
Verizon generally boasts a larger overall coverage footprint than T-Mobile. Verizon’s total coverage reaches 67.4% of the US, while T-Mobile’s covers 46.6%. This difference can be more noticeable in rural or less densely populated areas where Verizon may offer more reliable service.
However, T-Mobile has a substantial lead in 5G coverage. T-Mobile’s 5G network covers around 36.0% of the US land area, significantly exceeding Verizon’s 14.5%.
Furthermore, T-Mobile often delivers faster data speeds than Verizon. Median download speeds on T-Mobile are considerably higher, approximately 2.4 times faster, than Verizon’s based on speed test data.
While Verizon may have broader general coverage, T-Mobile excels in 5G availability and speed, especially in areas where their 5G network is deployed.
Utilizing the Verizon Service Map for Informed Decisions
The Verizon service map is an invaluable tool for prospective and current customers. To make the most of it:
- Check Specific Locations: Instead of relying solely on general coverage maps, always zoom in and check coverage at your specific address, workplace, and frequently visited locations.
- Compare 5G and LTE: Pay attention to both 5G and LTE layers on the map. If 5G is a priority, verify its availability in your key areas. If consistent reliability is paramount, LTE coverage remains crucial.
- Consider Travel Areas: If you travel frequently, check the service map for coverage in your travel destinations.
- Use Third-Party Coverage Checkers: Supplement the official Verizon service map with third-party coverage maps for a broader perspective and potentially user-reported data.
By carefully analyzing the Verizon service map and considering your individual coverage needs, you can make an informed decision about whether Verizon is the right mobile carrier for you. Exploring the coverage maps of AT&T and T-Mobile alongside Verizon’s will further refine your choice based on comparative network strengths in your areas of interest.
