Over the last year or so, we’ve talked a lot about switching carriers. With policy changes frustrating consumers, tiered data hampering usage, and phones not being offered across the board on all carriers, there may not be a better time than now to consider a move. One downside to moving, though, is the worry of coverage with a new carrier not being equal to what you were previous receiving. The last thing you want to do is commit to a new carrier, only to find that your phone can barely hold a signal at home or that LTE won’t be in your neighborhood for years.
Thanks to apps like CellMaps Mobile, you can check out carrier coverage in your area before deciding to make a move. There are a handful of apps that do similar things to CellMaps Mobile, but this app was released this morning and offers up an incredibly simple map feature and carrier selector. It does have an in-app upgrade that unlocks more features, though.
From the main screen you have options of Coverage, Insights, About, and Settings. Coverage takes you directly into a map with boxes for 2G, 3G, 4G, and 4G LTE, along with the four major U.S. carriers to be displayed. Tap the appropriate boxes, and bam, enjoy the visualization of coverage.
The information displayed is not community-generated, but instead uses the marketed maps of carriers for comparison’s sake.
If this isn’t your cup of tea, feel free top check out OpenSignal, which is a community-generated app with quite a few additional features.
Play Link
Should have done the review on openaignal…cellmaps has more 1 star reviews than anything else..
Has no one heard of sensorly? Or opensignal? They do the same thing for free. Not seeing the value here.
this is stupid…why would i need to PAY to zoom in closer in the map or to see 2+ carriers together…..Money hungry dev.
wtf… they give you an incredibly useful preview of an app they worked hard on and they are money hungry for wanting to make a few bucks of it? What do you do for a living? Whatever it is I hope it’s a charity.
Every Dev. works hard on their app, not just these people… I don’t mind paying for apps as i have purchased a handful.
Sure, thanks for putting everything that is already free online together in one app.. yea i can go online and look at coverage, but how OFTEN do we go and check for coverage status? It’s cool and neat to see how coverage has been added to your nearby areas, but this is not a everyday needed app no need to be charging for things that they source to make this app for free.
He is 5. just look at his avatar
O.K. Bicycle Sprocket, You sir are so mature. Stay on Topic if you don’t mind.
my work place is very far from the centre. whether the cell map can help me?
Just remember that not all spectrum is equal in coverage when it comes to buildings.
The higher the frequency, the less effective coverage will be indoors. This is especially noticeable in office buildings.
Tmob is terrible in particular indoors.
The lower the frequency, the better at penetration.
I love sensorly for this. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sensorly.viewer&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwiY29tLnNlbnNvcmx5LnZpZXdlciJd
How does this one compare?
What about RootMetrics?
They have some pretty good data.
if you try to get in close to see specific coverage it tells you to buy the full version,,,, really? pay for something that is free on the websites?
GFY, and I uninstalled it. junk
This is so stupid. Pulling from carrier sourced maps is not accurate.
Haha, this thing shows all of LA and its suburbs blanketed in LTE. That’s why i had to buy an LTE booster for my house. I wish LTE coverage was that dense.
I could get the same info by going to individual carrier’s website! And that would be current and accurate!
Right on!
Yeah!!
That app is getting curbstomped in the reviews for old/outdated information.
Well, according to this I’d be on Verizon 4G LTE almost the entire distance between Houston and San Antonio on I-10…where in reality (I make the trip monthly) I get about 1 bar of 3G most the trip…if I get anything at all.
I have made the same trip literally a week ago and I had LTE the whole way and I abused my unlimited data for video playback off of Netflix.
Hmm I just got back actually, did the trip yesterday and barely had service on my GS3 or my wifes Gnex. Wonder what’s up with that?
Samsung phones, that’s why
Never an issue with my Gnex or Note 2.
Gnex should not be included in that statement. That’s a bold faced lie.
I had the Gnex for a year. I never once had a signal issue. The only issue I had was the annoying call muting.
Impossible.
Because I have so much to gain by lying…
You’re defending Samsung because you own a Samsung phone.
You dismissed the part where I said I had the muted call issue. As I stated before, I have nothing to gain by lying
I was using an iPhone 5 (company phone)
Both our phones are on custom ROMs so maybe we missed an important radio update or something. II’m doing the trip again this weekend so I’ll take another look.
The custom radio is definatly it.
I said custom ROMs, not radios. Custom ROMs don’t get OTA radio updates.
Whoops, I misread, I thought you said you are running custom radios.
Yeah man Verizon is awesome. Made a trip from Houston to Corpus on I-35 and had LTE almost the entire time. My girlfriend was streaming Netflix for 4 hours straight. There was only one occasion where it dropped to 1x through this podunk backwoods area.
Maps are not updated for added LTE for the past few months. Then they want $2/subscription. Don’t do it!
the app want you to upgrade to the pay version just to zoom in on the map get serious i buy apps all the time but im not paying to zoom in
If you read the description in the Google Play Store, you’d see that you get to compare multiple carriers and intersect coverage on a point by upgrading. I’m guessing they charge you more to zoom in due to the additional load it would place on their services.
So verizon only one with 4g in my area and t mobile only has 2g.
Of course you have to PAY to see anything close to what you need to see in order to make an INFORMED choice. OF COURSE!
Pay to zoom in and see the coverage, what is this a porn app. They must of came from iOS
Of course Verizon is the only carrier that has LTE in my area
This is great. Thanks for posting. As I am preparing to leave Verizon later this summer, this gives me a great way to check coverage in the areas I frequent most.
The last sentence should read:
“…, feel free to (not top) check out OpenSignal…”
Verizon wins in all area’s I’m frequently at. It’s a shame, I want out of their clutches in the worst way.
Seems like a lot of people are in this situation.
If you aren’t on Verizon, you’re playing in the minor leagues. Period.
Yeah but union dues are much cheaper
lets see.. up arrows from those on verizon…. down arrows from those who thought theyd stick it to verizon by leaving them… lol.
Bingo…
If you’re on Verizon, you’re using a minor league phone. Period.
Note 2 is minor?
I guess the SGIII is, too.
I rather have great service, than the best phone that I can’t use
clearly didn’t think that comment out did you…
no he didnt… he too stuck it too verizon… yeah you’ll show them lol
If you’re not on Verizon, your service is worthless.
thats taking it a bit far… but your right… ha
Oh, you said “period.” That surely proves your point. You must be very knowledgeable.
I’m tired of getting butt raped by big red with changing policies and plans that don’t positively effect consumers like me. Why pay more when you can get great service elsewhere (in my case) for cheaper?
Sprint, great service? HAH, yeah right! T-mobile, well they have good coverage but its usually on 2G edge if you go outside a major city. AT&T- well they are pretty much the same as Verizon when it comes to pricing, except AT&T has less LTE coverage and a higher dropped call rate than Verizon. I have no problem paying 90 dollars a month for reliable coverage everywhere i go and most of the time i get LTE.
I’m tired of getting butt raped by big red with changing policies and plans that don’t positively effect consumers like me. Why pay more when you can get great service elsewhere (in my case) for cheaper?