Best Phone Coverage in New Orleans, LA: Cell Service in the River City

New Orleans is a populous city in Louisiana that’s well known for its vibrant culture, incredible food, and festivals. 

New Orleans, LA, is just south of the state’s capital, has around 225,000 residents, and is an exciting place to live. Whether you are planning a move to River City or live there already and just want to find the best cell phone coverage, this is the article for you. New Orleans is in the sweet spot of population density, where both major wireless networks and MVNOs provide excellent coverage. 

Our research found that T-Mobile, Tello Mobile, and AT&T are the top three for best phone coverage in New Orleans overall. This article features detailed information on the following: 

• Map of the fastest cell phone coverage in New Orleans, LA
• Local and national carriers that cover New Orleans, LA
• Frequently asked questions about phone coverage in New Orleans, LA

Phone Coverage in New Orleans, LA, at a Glance

Lightning-Fast Data Speeds on Major Networks

New Orleans, LA, is exceptionally well covered by the three major networks. While there are a lot of good options in the area, T-Mobile provides the best cell phone coverage in New Orleans, LA. As a populous city, New Orleans has received a lot of attention from the three major networks as they keep their networks up to speed with increased usage from residents and tourists. 

Local and National Cell Phone Carriers in New Orleans, LA

The top three carriers in New Orleans, LA, are T-Mobile, Tello Mobile, and AT&T

This article covers the best cell phone coverage in New Orleans, LA. For anyone looking for a new cell phone provider, they can pick between Major Wireless Providers and Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs). Major wireless providers, like AT&T, T-Mobile, and AT&T, own and operate their own mobile networks. They maintain the current infrastructure while building more throughout the country. As a result, purchasing service from a major wireless provider is expensive but gives you unlimited high-speed data and fast and reliable data speeds. The other cell service provider is Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), and these comprise the many companies that rent bandwidth from major wireless providers. This lets MVNOs offer more affordable plans that often give less high-speed data and reserve the right to slow down data in times of high usage.

New Orleans, LA, has a high population and strong networks. The networks are almost always able to handle normal strain, but the city’s high volume of tourism throws a wrench in that plan, making high-priority data essential for anyone who wants to maximize high-speed data. We have two major networks and one MVNO on our list, each one providing the best cell phone coverage in New Orleans, LA, in their own way. Let’s take a closer look at the top three providers in the city. 

#1 in New Orleans, LA: T-Mobile 

Fastest 5G and 4G LTE in New Orleans, LA

T-Mobile provides fantastic 5G coverage in New Orleans, LA. Their 5G network is exceptionally strong in the area, maximizing the number of devices that can use high-speed data before anyone is slowed down. This makes T-Mobile MVNOs stronger in that area, but they still have a higher chance of data slowdowns. 

The best cell phone plan for you depends on how much you value high-speed data. If your phone does little more than play music when you are on mobile networks in the city, then priority data may not be worthwhile. If you use your phone a lot in the city for maps, streaming video, and browsing the web, however, that added security of high-speed data more than pays for itself. 

Priority data is especially important if you frequent New Orleans’s amazing festivals. Events like Oktoberfest, the Jazz and Heritage Festival, and, of course, Mardi Gras all see a high volume of tourists visiting the city. Among other things, a lot of tourism increases congestion on all the major networks.

Price: Varies

Plan: T-Mobile offers three unlimited plans at various price points. While these plans are all very expensive, multi-line accounts save big. 

The biggest change between the plans, besides the price, is the amount of premium data your account receives. Premium data increases your chances of receiving high-speed data, but there is no guarantee. If there’s a crazy amount of people in the city (Mardi Gras, for instance), the entire network is bogged down, leaving no one with high-speed data. Even in that case, premium data users get data back before any other tier. 

That being said, premium data should be a priority if you want the highest chances of high-speed data in your day-to-day. One of our favorite parts about T-Mobile is that all of the plans offer some priority data. It starts at 50 GBs with their tier 1 plan, 100 GBs with tier 2, and unlimited premium data with tier 3. You can choose which plan best suits your data needs. 

Fifty GB of premium data split among multiple lines might not last that long, but it is a nice buffer before you run the risk of slowed data speeds. 

👍 What We Liked

• Large 5G Network. T-Mobile has the best 5G network coverage. In New Orleans and around Virginia, T-Mobile’s 5G network is incredibly strong, cementing it as providing the best cell phone coverage in New Orleans, LA. 
• Premium Data. Starting their plans with 50 GBs is a great feature that neither of the other major networks has done. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

• Phone Deals. Be wary when you see awesome new customer deals at T-Mobile. They are usually only available if you select their most expensive cell phone plan. Users interested in a cheaper plan get tied to the Go5G Plus, making monthly bills much more expensive. 
• Spotty Coverage in Buildings. T-Mobile’s network does not cover the inside of buildings as well as the other major networks.  

#2 in New Orleans, LA: Tello Mobile

Most Affordable Cell Phone Plans in New Orleans, LA

Tello Mobile is an MVNO on T-Mobile’s network that provides the same nationwide coverage without the high price points from T-Mobile. As an MVNO, Tello customers see a lot more congestion than T-Mobile customers, but they pay much less as well. Tello Mobile cell phone plans are best for low-data single-line accounts. 

New Orleans has a lot of free WiFi inside buildings. When you’re out to eat in the Market District, perhaps at The Commissary, you can connect to their network and won’t have to worry about congestion! 

Tello Mobile offers incredible low-data plans, making it great for people who don’t use much data each month. Their unlimited data plan offers 25 GBs of high-speed data at $29 a month. Tello offers many other affordable, low-data cell phone plans. Let’s check them out. 

Price: Varies

Plan: Tello Mobile offers a variety of plans between 0 GBs of high-speed data and 25 GBs of high-speed data. 

Tello Mobile is an excellent choice for people who want an affordable set of low-data plans. In our explanation of the plans, we will focus on the different data offerings in Tello Mobile. While there is an option for limited talk and text, it is only a $4 addition to your cell phone bill, so we recommend going unlimited! Here is the list of their data offerings: 

• 500 MB for $9 a month
• 1 GB for $10 a month
• 2 GBs for $14 a month
• 5 GBs for $19 a month
• 10 GBs for $24 a month
• 25 GBs for $29 a month

The wide range of plans available at Tello Mobile lets you figure out exactly what you need from your cell phone plan and pay that and no more for your service. As there are no contracts at Tello Mobile, you can change your plan as your data needs change. The downside to this is that their biggest plan only offers 25 GB of high-speed data each month, so if you use your phone frequently out and about, you will quickly run through your data allocation. 

👍 What We Liked

• Excellent customer service. Online reviews rave about Tello Mobile, a feat for any cellular provider. Tello Mobile has one of the highest-rated customer service branches in the country, and we are confident that whenever issues arise, its customer service will do all in its power to fix them.  
• Competitive prices among MVNOs. Tello Mobile’s prices are fantastic. The reason you would switch to a carrier like Tello Mobile is to save money. Tello’s plans cater to low-data users. If you spend most of the day in WiFi zones and are able to limit usage when out and about, you will save big on your cell phone bill. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

• No multi-line savings. Tello Mobile’s plans are priced amazingly, but they do not offer any savings for multi-line plans. This makes them great for single-line accounts, but if you are part of a family plan, the affordability of Tello Mobile diminishes in relation to multi-line savings from MVNOs like Mint and other MVNOs. 
• Data deprioritization. It is not a surprise, but your data will slow whenever there is a high strain on the bandwidth in your area. If you travel around the country, you may find zones with high congestion throughout the day.  

#3 in New Orleans, LA: AT&T 

Best Cell Phone Plan Range in New Orleans, LA

We have AT&T at number three because their network is not quite as strong as T-Mobile’s in New Orleans, but it still provides fantastic coverage in the River City. AT&T’s nationwide network is best for travelers who spend time in rural areas of Louisiana, as AT&T’s total coverage is stronger than the competition, while their in-city coverage is not quite as good as T-Mobile’s. 

Louisiana has six amazing national parks, and the closest is Jean Lafitte National Park. This wetlands park has trails, boat tours, and a lot of history. Traveling to national parks, you will want AT&T’s network to cover you in the Bayou. 

Price: Varies

Plan: AT&T offers three unlimited plans at various price points. 

AT&T offers three unlimited plans. 

• AT&T Unlimited Starter Plan
• AT&T Unlimited Extra Plan
• AT&T Unlimited Premium Plan

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• AT&T’s starter plan has unlimited high-speed data with 3 GBs of high-speed hotspot data.  
• AT&T’s extra plan comes with 50 GB of premium data and 15 GB of high-speed hotspot data. 
• AT&T’s premium plan comes with unlimited premium data and 50 GB of high-speed hotspot data.

This is a great trio of plans, with the hotspot data an excellent addition for those who can make use of it. While the unlimited premium data is great, the added cost of the 50 GB hotspot data will weigh on your cell phone bills unless you can make the most of it. We like to highlight the premium data as one of the biggest benefits of high-tier plans, especially in a city like New Orleans.

👍 What We Liked

• New Customer Deals. There are some really good deals at AT&T. Make sure to read the fine print, but if it fits with your plan, you can save a lot of money. 
• Hotspot Data. High-speed hotspot data can come in handy if you often find yourself out and about and need to access the web on a laptop or tablet. 

👎 What We Didn’t Like

• SD Streaming. Only the most expensive plan can stream HD using mobile data. 

• Price. Overall, prices at AT&T are challenging to pay without multi-line discounts. If you can, find some friends to take out an account together and enjoy serious savings.

Get to Know Your Local Carrier Options in New Orleans, LA

We talked about T-Mobile and AT&T as the two major providers that provide the best cell phone coverage in New Orleans, LA, but AT&T is right behind them regarding network reliability and speed. Each network has inexplicable dead spots within the city, but they will all provide excellent coverage if you aren’t ready to switch just yet. 

T-Mobile customers talk about poor interior building coverage compared to the other two providers, but a few months within the city with T-Mobile should help you decide whether it is the right carrier for you. We caution against switching to a new carrier and taking a new customer deal that locks you into their service for two or three years. There might be some parts of their service that don’t work for you or a piece of their plan that you don’t like. If your new customer deal locks you into their service, you no longer have any flexibility to change providers when the time comes. 

Instead, look at device deals in the future. Many major wireless providers offer amazing deals when you turn in an old cell phone, letting you save big on new devices as long as you take out a two or three-year cell phone plan. If you are confident you want to stay with the service, then this is a great way to save big on a new cell phone. 

FAQ: Your Questions About Cell Phone Coverage in New Orleans, LA, Answered

Is Verizon or AT&T better in New Orleans?

Right now, AT&T is better than Verizon in New Orleans. AT&T’s network is more reliable in and around the city.  

What cell service is best in Louisiana?

AT&T has the best cell service in Louisiana, with a well-developed 5G and 4G LTE network. 

Which phone carrier gets the best signal?

That depends on the area! While T-Mobile offers the best cell phone coverage in New Orleans, LA, each major wireless carrier has areas within the country where they provide the best coverage. 

TLDR: T-Mobile is your best bet for fast phone coverage in New Orleans, LA

Use really.com to compare! 

New Orleans is a great place to live. It is a city with an exceptional amount of culture and life. If you want more info about plans available in New Orleans, LA, you can compare carriers at Really.com to decide which phone carrier is best for you.