Let’s take a look at how MetroPCS and AT&T stack up against each other as carrier providers.
There is no doubt AT&T is among the best carriers in the county. This is thanks to its strong network and coverage in the various parts of the US.
Many of the other carriers can’t even come close to its fast download speeds. Recently, AT&T restructured its unlimited plans to ensure they suit the subscribers best.
The new unlimited plans are not as costly as the previous ones but some perks were removed. This has left the subscribers wondering if it’s still a great option.
Well, there is another carrier service referred to as MetroPCS. After T-Mobile took full ownership of the company, it was renamed Metro by T-Mobile.
This is a good alternative for people who want a strong network and cheap plans. AT&T may have earned a spot among the industry giants but its prices are still on the high end.
Metro, on the other hand, piggybacks on the T-Mobile network and offers prepaid cellphone plans at very competitive prices. As such, it’s a notable pick for budget shoppers.
The choice between MetroPCS and AT&T can be daunting. Each of the carrier services has some strengths and weaknesses to take into account. AT&T is a big name that boasts decent coverage, fast data speeds, and dependable service.
This is something the company has been doing for years now and that’s why it’s among the best. Metro on the other hand has the remarkable T-Mobile network to back it.
T-Mobile has a claim on the second-best network and coverage in the United States beating AT&T. This means you are most likely going to get the same great network and reliable coverage on Metro.
We also can’t ignore the affordable prices and many discounts subscribers get from Metro.
Table of Contents
Coverage
Metro uses the T-Mobile network. As such, you should expect to receive the same network coverage as T-Mobile. In terms of network coverage across the United States, Verizon has always led the pack, followed closely behind by T-Mobile and then AT&T.
But AT&T has been doing quite a lot in a bid to significantly improve its coverage. Well, their efforts have paid off because AT&T now has the second-best 4G coverage in the country.
The AT&T 4G network covers about 68% of the country while T-Mobile covers just 62% with 4G coverage. Since Metro runs on the T-Mobile network, the Metro subscribers enjoy good coverage and speed most of the time.
Metro and AT&T both shine in the urban areas. Folks living in the more populated regions of the country often enjoy solid coverage from Metro and AT&T.
In fact, many of the AT&T users report having reliable and stable 4G coverage 88.9% of the time. This is commendable for carrier service and we give AT&T points for it.
Unfortunately, the more remote areas struggle with coverage issues. Since many of the rural areas don’t have access to a reliable cellphone service, we would like to see carrier companies such as AT&T and Metro cover those areas.
Unlimited plans
Metro has two unlimited plan options. The best part is that these unlimited plans are pretty cheap. It doesn’t end there and what comes next is a dream come true for the budgeters.
The prices for the Metro plans are inclusive of taxes and regulatory fees. Straight-up pricing is one of the major qualities to look for in a carrier provider.
This usually means the advertised prices remain the same and you won’t have to pay anything more to cover taxes and fees. Many thanks to Metro for such honesty. The data cap for both unlimited plans is 35GB a month.
Unless you stream HD videos every single day, the data allotment is enough for the month. A potential downside is a mainly weaker coverage.
When you opt for an unlimited plan, it’s normal to expect a solid connection wherever you go. Unfortunately, Metro’s coverage leaves little to be desired.
It’s not really the best compared to its counterparts such as Verizon. It’s mostly the urban areas that have a solid and reliable connection from this carrier.
Another issue is deprioritization. The network owner may prioritize its customers during times of congestion.
AT&T has three options for unlimited plans. The prices for these plans range from $65 to $85 per month. It’s fair to mention that the AT&T unlimited plans are way more pricey compared to the other carriers’ services including Metro.
The only thing that softens the heavy blow is the high data speeds you get from AT&T. Also the AT&T unlimited data plans come with more data so if all things are considered, the price you pay might be worth it.
Power users are better off with AT&T due to the high data caps. The Unlimited Starter and Unlimited Extra have a data cap of 50GB.
This is more than enough to stream movies, music, check your emails and social media, and do lots of online activities.
If you want more, the Unlimited Elite plan provides 100GB of data. This is mainly for the intensive users. The truth is AT&T offers more GBs of data. But do you really need all that data?
Are you willing to spend an extra $15 a month for a bit more data? If not, the Metro unlimited plans will surely serve you better.
Family plans
The AT&T family plans give you quite a bang for your buck. The prices are based on a three-line family plan. That’s why you will get more value for your money with an AT&T family plan than individual unlimited plans.
| Plan | Inclusions | Price |
| Unlimited Starter | Unlimited data
3 lines |
$60 per month |
| Unlimited Extra | Unlimited data
3 lines |
$75 per month |
| Unlimited Elite | Unlimited data
3 lines |
$105 per month |
| 4GB Plan | 12GB full speed data
3 lines |
$120 per month |
We highly recommend that you hop on the AT&T family plan wagon. Each additional line added to your family plan costs almost half the price of an individual unlimited plan.
If you decide to sign up for AT&T wireless, call your relatives and let them join in on your family plan. It will save you tons of money and you’ll all still enjoy fast data speeds and reliable coverage.
We have been going on and on about the AT&T family plans.
How well do the Metro by T-Mobile family plans stack up? Shouldn’t we find out?
| Plan | Inclusions | Price |
| $50 unlimited plan | Unlimited data
3 lines |
$110 per month |
| $60 unlimited plan | Unlimited data
3 lines |
$120 per month |
For Metro, the upfront costs seem steep. But you can easily avoid all that by transferring your old phones. This means you will still be saving lots of money when you sign up for a family plan.
From what we can see, Metro and AT&T have remarkable family plan options. They both save you some good money.
Though, if what matters the most is the price, you will certainly get a juicy deal with Metro as opposed to AT&T. AT&T is the best alternative for the people who care about coverage and performance.
MetroPCS vs. AT&T: Pros and Cons
AT&T Pros
- Decent coverage
- Discounts for certain groups like military
- Fast download speeds
AT&T Cons
- Its plans are pricey
- Poor streaming quality
- Deprioritization with some unlimited plans
MetroPCS Pros
- Very affordable prices
- Nice prepaid phone plans
- Uses the T-Mobile network for decent coverage
MetroPCS Cons
- Low data caps
- Risk of deprioritization
Cellphones and Smart devices
One of the benefits of signing up for a major carrier provider like AT&T is that you get the latest and newest devices. Think of Samsung Galaxy S10+, Pixel 4 XL, or Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max, just to mention a few. You can easily get any one of these smartphones through AT&T.
The same goes for Metro by T-Mobile. It’s always a pleasant surprise to find most of the popular devices on Metro. This means users can keep up with the latest smartphones on the market.
Furthermore, Metro does offer the bring your own phone option especially for the people committed to the Google Pixel phones.
Both companies provide a wide selection of the latest smartphones which is something most people want. It’s always good to know you can use a phone from any of the big brands like Samsung and Apple iPhone.
Customer service
If you want to test your patience, try out the customer service of wireless providers. The truth is you won’t find world-class customer service at any of the cellphone companies.
This includes AT&T and Metro by T-Mobile. Wireless providers are known for their poor customer service and these two are no exception. It’s something customers have always complained about and from the look of things; no one is listening to them.
The Metro customer service is lackluster but if you’re lucky, you can come across a rep that’s friendly and helpful. I mean what’s the point of waiting for your call to go through only to encounter a rep that has no answers to your questions or any solutions at all. The most you can do is practice patience.
AT&T has various ways for the customers to get support. The options include phone, community forums, live chat, Twitter, and Facebook.
But even with all this, the wireless company doesn’t rank well with its customers. Hopefully, the customer service for Metro and AT&T will get better soon.
Network Performance
AT&T is one of the big carrier providers in the market. For that reason, you can expect the best performance from them.
A considerable selling point for AT&T is the fast speeds. AT&T offers some of the fastest data speeds you’ll find in the industry.
The AT&T average download speeds max out at about 28.9 Mbps. That means if you wanted to download a video from the internet, it will only take a few minutes or seconds. In addition, it covers about 68% of the country.
Only a small portion of the country remains uncovered and this is mainly the rural areas. As such, you are most likely going to enjoy a solid network from AT&T.
Metro also scores highly when it comes to data speeds. Remember, it operates on the T-Mobile network. T-Mobile has a reputation for providing fast wireless speeds coming very close to its big counterparts like Verizon.
The Metro subscribers are lucky enough to enjoy similar speeds as the T-Mobile customers. The only thing that might get in the way of your solid connection is deprioritization. This is common with MVNOs like Metro.
Recap: Which wireless service is better?
Metro has a lot going for it like the four solid plans, two unlimited plan options, competitive prices, and impressive family plans.
It also runs on the T-Mobile network and that’s means you can expect good speeds and coverage. Though, budget providers such as Metro usually bring along a couple of downsides.
In this case, video streaming occurs only in Standard Definition. This can’t be good news for a Netflix or Hulu fan. To make matters worse for the streamers, data speeds can be slower during periods of network congestion.
If you don’t mind paying more, AT&T would be the perfect wireless provider. You will always receive great coverage and enjoy fast speeds in exchange for a few extra dollars.
They offer higher data caps but these also come at a high cost. You barely get any value with AT&T unless you sign up for a family plan.
The choice will depend on what you want out of a carrier provider. If you’re looking to save money, go for Metro by T-Mobile. The best speeds and coverage lie with AT&T. It’s as simple as such.
FAQS
Is Metro by T-Mobile the same as T-Mobile?
T-Mobile owns Metro by T-Mobile but they are not the same thing. Both companies offer wireless services individually.
Which is better, AT&T or Metro by T-Mobile?
It depends on what you’re looking for in a wireless service provider. Metro by T-Mobile offers the cheapest prices while AT&T has the best coverage and speeds.
