Verizon vs. Metro by T-Mobile: Which Carrier is Better?

Verizon Wireless is one of the three major wireless networks popular in the United States, and Metro by T-Mobile is an MVNO that operates on, well, T-Mobile’s network. It provides affordable plans with the caveat that it is more likely to experience data deprioritization than major wireless providers.

‍

In this article, we plan to discuss the ins and outs of both carriers and what they offer. We’ll also cover:

• What the coverage of both carriers looks like
• How do the prices of their plans compare to how much data you get
• The features each carrier offers for their plans 

Coverage & Reception

Metro by T-Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). This means it purchases service access wholesale from one of the three major networks that own infrastructure across the country—AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile—giving customers service at a much lower price. Metro uses T-Mobile’s network.  

Metro is comparable with Verizon in terms of coverage and reception, as both Verizon and T-Mobile have excellent nationwide coverage with 4G LTE and 5G coverage maps. Verizon has better coverage in certain areas, while T-Mobile takes the cake in other regions. Make sure to check local coverage maps for more information about your area.  

The other significant difference between the coverage and reception of these carriers is that Verizon customers have a far higher data priority than Metro Mobile’s customers. When there is more traffic on a network than it can handle, the owning company (AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon) will throttle the data of specific customers. To evade slowing everyone’s data speed at once, carriers have users divided into tiers with different data priorities. In the United States, that priority data is roughly divided into three tiers, like so: 

• Tier 1 Data has the maximum data speeds at all times. If tier-one data is ever slowed down, it means no network customers can access high-speed data. This may occur at sporting events, concerts, or other large congregations of people.
• Tier 2 Data retains maximum speeds after MVNO customers' data is slowed down. This is excellent on all but the busiest occasions. If congestion returns after MVNOs are slowed down, then T2 gets slowed to make room for Tier 1 Data, which this plan offers, to stay at max speeds. With T2 data, you may notice slowdowns in bigger cities where there are many residents and commuters. 
• Tier 3 Data, or MVNO data, is always the first tier of data to receive slowdowns. Metro Mobile utilizes MVNO data, which is an excellent way to use major wireless networks with affordable plan pricing. 

So, Verizon offers plans that have either tier 1 or tier 2 data, and Metro Mobile offers plans that are on tier 3 data. If you live in a major metropolitan area, you will notice far more slowdowns due to data deprioritization than if you live in a suburban or rural area. 

Plan Options

Verizon offers various plans that provide unlimited data, while Metro Mobile offers a quartet of data plans with, importantly, an option for unlimited high-speed data. Along with high-speed data, both carriers offer unlimited talk and text along with various features and add-ons. First up, let’s talk about Verizon’s cell phone plans. 

Verizon Cell Phone Plans

Verizon offers three cell phone plans, keeping their offerings simple and efficient. The price of these cell phone plans varies tremendously based on how many lines are on your account. We recommend at least three lines on this major provider, as it saves $30 on each line each month. These are Verizon’s cell phone plans: 

• Welcome Unlimited, priced at $65/55/40/30 a month per line
• Unlimited Plus, priced at $80/70/55/45 a month per line
• Unlimited Ultimate, priced at $90/80/65/55 a month per line

The Unlimited Plus plan is a little more expensive and comes with the following perks: 

• 30 GB mobile hotspot
• Device savings
• Price guarantee
• Premium data

Regardless of the number of lines, the Unlimited Plus plan is $15 more per line on your account. This is a lot, but the premium data is handy in spaces with high data usage. It is hard to gauge how important premium data is. There are many areas around the country where Verizon’s network is strong enough to keep everyone using full-speed data.

Unlimited Ultimate doubles the hotspot data and opens up some new customer deals. This is an excellent choice for people who are willing to pay a premium for their cell phone service in order to get all the bells and whistles on their cell phone plan. 60 GBs of high-speed hotspot data is excellent for those who need to use data on laptops or tablets on the go. 

Premium data is most valuable for those in big cities. There is a lot of congestion in big cities, and Data is frequently slowed down in other areas, especially in big cities. We recommend starting on the less expensive plan and checking your data speeds for a month or two. If you notice slow data, we recommend switching to a more expensive plan if you have the budget for it. 

Alongside the base plans, Verizon offers a package of optional add-ons that each add $10 to your cell phone bill. The best part is that you can skip them entirely and stick to the base plan price, but if you find any Verizon add-ons you like, adding them to your plan always saves a few dollars on the service. 

Metro Mobile Cell Phone Plans

Metro by T-Mobile’s unlimited plan provides unlimited high-speed data, which separates them from other MVNOs. Few MVNO data plans offer the same. Metro Mobile has four cell phone plans. Three are unlimited plans, and the last is a 10 GB plan. Each plan comes with unlimited talk and text, as well as the same 5G and 4G LTE coverage that T-Mobile users get. The phone plans at Metro Mobile are competitively priced and come with a variety of benefits and shortcomings, just like their competitors. Their four major plans are:

MetroFlex Plus

Metro Mobile’s most expensive cell phone plan offers a huge selection of add-ons on top of their unlimited high-speed data. The difference between Metro Mobile’s three unlimited cell phone plans is the hotspot data and additional add-ons like international messages and subscription services. With MetroFlex Plus, you receive 25 GB of hotspot data, an Amazon Prime membership, a 1-year VIX Premium subscription, and a 100 GB Google One membership. That’s a lot of add-ons!

The downside, of course, is the price of this plan. A $70 MVNO is a steep price. The multi-line savings are great, but it is still around $44 a month per line. 

MetroFlex UP

This cell phone plan comes with 25 GB hotspot data, the Google One membership, the VIX subscription, and unlimited international texting. Along with unlimited high-speed data, this plan and all three unlimited plans have a soft cap of 35 GB. After you use 35 GB of data, you become further susceptible to data throttling in times of congestion. That means you will get slower data speeds than other Metro by T-Mobile customers as well as T-Mobile customers. 

MetroFlex Start

The basic unlimited plan from Metro still comes with 8 GB of hotspot data, as well as the Google One and VIX memberships. These are nice, but they add to the significant price tag of this unlimited plan. Paying $50 a month for an MVNO is still a hefty price tag, even if it does come with unlimited high-speed data. 

10 GB plan

Coming in at $40 a month with no multi-line savings, Metro’s limited-data plan is not very well priced compared to other MVNO plans that provide this amount of data. This means Metro is best for people who want unlimited high-speed data. If you are interested in limited-data plans where you can save big on your monthly phone bill, we recommend looking at providers like Tello Mobile, Mint Mobile, and Ting Mobile. 

Low-data providers have fantastically priced cell phone plans that provide single-digit GB of high-speed data. This data allocation does not give you a lot of wiggle room when it comes to data usage, but it is a fantastic way to get a phone number with unlimited talk and text, and, of course, you can use as much data as you want on WiFi. 

‍

Major Wireless Network vs. MVNO

One of the biggest differences between Verizon and Metro Mobile is that Verizon is a major wireless network, while Metro Mobile is an MVNO. There are several key differences between these kinds of carriers. Let’s get into it.

Data throttling and data deprioritization are two key differences between major wireless networks and MVNOs. 

Deprioritization

Data deprioritization occurs when a network is too “busy” to handle the current level of traffic. This happens all the time across the country, but the frequency of deprioritization is hard to quantify. 

Certain plans from major wireless networks will also allocate an amount of data on the premium tier before deprioritizing your account for the rest of the month. This gives you a pool of congestion-free data each month; you have a higher risk of slowed-down data once you use it up.

Throttling

Data throttling occurs when you are on a limited data plan and use up all your data for the month. This is completely separate from network congestion. This is the dramatic slowing of data, where speeds will be a lot slower than those who’ve just been deprioritized. At the beginning of next month, you will get a new data allocation and return it to high speeds. 

As an MVNO, Metro Mobile’s data fluctuates far more than Verizon’s data, as Metro Mobile receives data deprioritization far more. This makes Metro Mobile, among other MVNOs, unreliable in terms of data speeds. Anytime there is a danger of congestion within Verizon’s network, the high-speed data given to Metro Mobile’s customers is slowed down to allocate more bandwidth to major wireless customers. 

This congestion is seen most in big cities around the United States. In those cities, the network is stronger but not strong enough to handle the city's residents and the commuters coming in for work. Places like New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Miami, to name a few, are all areas where MVNOs experience a lot of congestion. 

It is harder to predict the congestion in less populated cities and rural areas around the country. Festivals, concerts, and sporting events are common times when a lot of congestion hits the area. If you’ve ever been to a football game and tried to access your phone for just about anything, we are certain that you’ve seen what it feels like to try to use data with congestion. 

Verizon, a major network, does not throttle its customers' data (its plans have unlimited high-speed data) and sees less data deprioritization than Metro Mobile. Verizon’s customers have either tier 1 or tier 2 data, so MVNOs will always be deprioritized before major wireless networks. 

Customer Service 

Verizon has physical locations and robust online customer service offerings, while Hello Mobile only has online customer service. You can call Verizon’s customer service line on this number: 800-922-0204. You can also reach Verizon’s help pages following this link, which has answers to frequently asked questions, the option to chat, and more. 

Metro Mobile's contact information is 888-8-METRO-8, or you can access its help page here. 

The Verdict

Due to data deprioritization, Metro Mobile is best for people without high-speed data when they are out and about. Though Metro Mobile offers unlimited high-speed data, it is priced comparably to Verizon without the data priority that you get with the major network. It is nice that users can switch to lower-data cell phone plans to save, but there are other MVNOs with similar data allocations at far better prices. 

Overall, we recommend Verizon over Metro Mobile. The pricing between these two companies makes the additional data priority and plan features a clear reason to go with Verizon.  

We’d recommend checking your data usage before committing to a plan.

Want to compare other carriers?

Really.com helps users compare between features, coverage, price, reviews, and more!

Are you still unsure which carrier to choose or which phone plan to pick? Use really.com to compare your top choices and find the best deal to fit your needs. Really allows you to compare and sort between most phone plans on the market without the hassle!

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I choose the right cell phone provider? 

Choosing the right provider depends on your location, budget, and data usage. Research the coverage maps of major providers in your area to determine which one has the best coverage for you. Also, consider customer reviews for each provider's service quality and customer support.

How can I choose the right cell phone plan?

To choose the right plan, assess your usage habits—how much data, talk time, and texts you need. Look for plans that fit your requirements and budget. Compare different providers' offerings and check for additional features like international roaming, hotspot data, or family plans.

Who does Metro Mobile use for mobile?

Metro Mobile has agreements with T-Mobile to provide high-speed data coverage nationwide. Check their website or contact customer service to confirm which major carrier they currently use for their mobile services, as this may vary by region.

Is Verizon faster than T-Mobile?

In many areas, Verizon and T-Mobile offer competitive speeds. Performance can vary depending on your location, network congestion, and the quality of service. Check your specific area's speed test data and coverage maps to determine which provider offers faster speeds.

Who provides better coverage, Verizon or Metro Mobile?

Verizon provides faster and more reliable data speeds, but Metro Mobile has comparable coverage, as they use T-Mobile’s network. The exact coverage is dependent on your area. If you live in a major metropolitan area, you will experience much more data deprioritization using Metro Mobile than you would in, say, a rural area. 

Should I use an MVNO or a major wireless provider?

It depends on your priorities. MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) often offer more affordable plans with similar coverage since they use the same network that major providers use. However, major providers may offer better perks, such as higher data speeds, broader coverage, and more premium features. Evaluate your budget and needs to make the right choice.