In the San Diego area, you’ll select from 3 mobile wireless carriers listed below. 97.3% of the San Diego area’s land area is covered by some kind of wireless service, as are 100.00% of San Diego’s 3,302,821 residents. 5G reception covers up to 97.96% of people while they are sitting at home. Note that we may have a financial relationship with some of the San Diego providers below. This does not influence what data we show, and helps us provide high-quality, detailed information for free.
San Diego, CA Top Cell Providers
Plans include 5G where available.
Coverage:
T-Mobile Network
Data Speeds:
Same as T-Mobile below
Plans start at $15/mo.
View plans
Mint Mobile provides very affordable plans using the same network as T-Mobile throughout the United States.
Plans include 5G where available.
Coverage:
Verizon Network
Data Speeds:
Same as Verizon below
Plans start at $30/mo.
View plans
Visible offers unlimited data, talk and text for $30/month powered by Verizon.
AT&T Wireless 5G available in the San Diego area
Coverage:
99.92% of the San Diego area
98.83% of the USA
Data Speeds:
5G: 96.19%
4G: 99.90%
3G or 2G: 99.91%
More about AT&T Wireless in the San Diego area
AT&T Wireless Data Speeds and Coverage in the San Diego area
AT&T Wireless covers 99.92% of homes in the city with mobile data. The fastest cellular data speed available is 5G. Coverage by homes and land mass (the % of acres with cell coverage versus the total acreage in the San Diego area) is shown below.
Tech |
% Homes |
% Land |
|---|---|---|
5G |
96.19% |
44.05% |
4G |
99.90% |
91.19% |
2G or 3G |
99.91% |
94.31% |
5G is the fastest wireless internet and data speed for 96.19% of homes. 4G is the fastest cell coverage for 3.71% of homes. 0.00% of homes can only receive 2G or 3G data. We rank AT&T Wireless as #1 out of 3 for a combination of coverage and speed among San Diego mobile providers.
AT&T Wireless Voice Quality in the San Diego area
5G voice quality can be very clear, and is available to 96.19% of homes. 4G voice is considered HD, and is available at 99.90% of San Diego homes. 99.91% of homes can make calls using older 2G or 3G voice technology.
T-Mobile 5G available in the San Diego area
Coverage:
99.91% of the San Diego area
99.34% of the USA
Data Speeds:
5G: 84.60%
4G: 99.89%
3G or 2G: 99.58%
Plans start at $30/mo.
More about T-Mobile in the San Diego area
T-Mobile Data Speeds and Coverage in the San Diego area
T-Mobile covers 99.91% of homes in the city with mobile data. The fastest cellular data speed available is 5G. Coverage by homes and land mass (the % of acres with cell coverage versus the total acreage in the San Diego area) is shown below.
Tech |
% Homes |
% Land |
|---|---|---|
5G |
84.60% |
53.11% |
4G |
99.89% |
89.24% |
2G or 3G |
99.58% |
66.24% |
5G is the fastest wireless internet and data speed for 84.60% of homes. 4G is the fastest cell coverage for 15.29% of homes. 0.00% of homes can only receive 2G or 3G data. We rank T-Mobile as #2 out of 3 for a combination of coverage and speed among San Diego mobile providers.
T-Mobile Voice Quality in the San Diego area
5G voice quality can be very clear, and is available to 84.60% of homes. 4G voice is considered HD, and is available at 99.89% of San Diego homes. 99.58% of homes can make calls using older 2G or 3G voice technology.
Verizon Wireless 5G available in the San Diego area
Coverage:
99.95% of the San Diego area
98.82% of the USA
Data Speeds:
5G: 0.21%
4G: 99.94%
3G or 2G: 99.79%
Plans start at $35/mo.
More about Verizon Wireless in the San Diego area
Verizon Wireless Data Speeds and Coverage in the San Diego area
Verizon Wireless covers 99.95% of homes in the city with mobile data. The fastest cellular data speed available is 5G. Coverage by homes and land mass (the % of acres with cell coverage versus the total acreage in the San Diego area) is shown below.
Tech |
% Homes |
% Land |
|---|---|---|
5G |
0.21% |
0.03% |
4G |
99.94% |
96.01% |
2G or 3G |
99.79% |
78.27% |
5G is the fastest wireless internet and data speed for 0.21% of homes. 4G is the fastest cell coverage for 99.73% of homes. 0.00% of homes can only receive 2G or 3G data. We rank Verizon Wireless as #3 out of 3 for a combination of coverage and speed among San Diego mobile providers.
Verizon Wireless Voice Quality in the San Diego area
5G voice quality can be very clear, and is available to 0.21% of homes. 4G voice is considered HD, and is available at 99.94% of San Diego homes. 99.59% of homes can make calls using older 2G or 3G voice technology.
Coverage percentages on this page are based on the percent of the San Diego area homes that would be covered by cellular service of any kind, unless specified as San Diego land area.
Fastest Cell Service Down to the San Diego Neighborhood
The map below shows where Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile are faster in San Diego, CA. Areas with no clear winner are shown as ties.
Overall, the San Diego area ranks #1936 out of 3658 cities for the fastest mobile internet network speeds in California.
Best San Diego Cell Provider Key
The central parts of the city feature better overall coverage for faster data. The opposite is true in the northeastern areas of the San Diego area where mobile data speeds are generally slower.
Best Coverage & Data Speeds in San Diego, CA: AT&T Wireless
Among the largest cell phone companies in the United States, AT&T Wireless has the best speed and coverage in the San Diego area. AT&T Wireless has 5G that covers 96.19% of the city. Cell service of any type reaches 99.95% of San Diego homes.
Cheap Options for Mobile Service in San Diego, CA
If the price of a San Diego mobile plan is a major concern for you, cheaper mobile plans are available as well. There are several options available in the San Diego area including pre-paid, no-contract plans that start as low as $15 per line. Many of these providers such as Mint, Boost, and Cricket partner with the three major carriers to provide excellent coverage nationwide. With these discount options, the price of your San Diego wireless plan will quickly rise if you add additional lines or features such as a hotspot or unlimited data.
Plans include 5G where available.
Coverage:
T-Mobile Network
Data Speeds:
Same as T-Mobile above
Plans start at $15/mo.
View plans
Mint Mobile provides very affordable plans using the same network as T-Mobile throughout the United States.
These providers all offer excellent coverage at a lower price compared to more well-known brands. Mint is generally regarded as the most affordable provider for unlimited data, with a high "throttle cap" of 35GB. Depending on where you live, you may prefer the AT&T network coverage offered by Cricket. Boost is a good option for international travelers.
San Diego, CA Mobile Network Coverage Maps | Voice, 4G & 5G
San Diego Fastest Speeds Key
Your mobile coverage in the San Diego area may vary based on your provider and location. The map above shows the fastest mobile data speeds in and around the city. To see coverage for an individual provider, click the provider's availability maps above.
There are several types of mobile coverage to consider when evaluating a carrier’s geographic reliability. 5G is the fastest mobile data connection in the San Diego area covering 97.96% of homes in the area while 4G covers 100.00% of the city. Overall, 100.00% of homes (3,302,866 people) and 97.3% of the land (3,942.1 square miles) are covered by some form of cell technology.
5G Coverage Map and Availability in San Diego
San Diego 5G Coverage Key
5G is currently the most advanced network available with speeds several times faster than 4G. 5G networks in the San Diego area cover 97.96% of homes with 5G voice and data. In total 62.79% or 2,545.0 square miles of the San Diego area are covered by 5G. The best 5G coverage in San Diego comes from AT&T Wireless with 96.19% coverage.
4G Coverage Map and Availability in San Diego
San Diego 4G Coverage Key
4G/LTE networks have become one of the nation’s most common mobile coverage types for data, and in some locations, voice calls. In the San Diego area, 100.00% of the area is covered by 4G data, and 100.00% is covered by 4G HD voice service. Verizon Wireless has the best 4G network in the San Diego area with 99.94% coverage.
Selecting the Best Cell Provider in the San Diego area for You
If you’re still struggling to choose a cell phone provider in the city, some of these facts may help you decide:
- Coverage to San Diego houses is best with service from Verizon Wireless, with 99.95% of homes covered.
- The best coverage across all San Diego land is provided by Verizon Wireless at 96.07% of land area covered.
- The current best 5G coverage comes from AT&T Wireless reporting 96.19% in the San Diego area.
- The top estimated average speed in the San Diego area, estimated at 69.78, Mbps is available through AT&T Wireless.
Mobile Service Near San Diego
If you live near San Diego but aren’t technically in the city, or you like to explore the region a lot, your coverage availability and speeds may vary.
Enter your zip code here to find more precise mobile numbers on your exact location. Here are our mobile and cell phone guides for several popular locations in and around the San Diego area:
Cities close to San Diego
- La Mesa, CA: better mobile coverage
- Lemon Grove, CA: better mobile coverage
- La Jolla, CA: worse mobile coverage
- Coronado, CA: worse mobile coverage
- National City, CA: better mobile coverage
- Santee, CA: better mobile coverage
- Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, CA: better mobile coverage
- La Presa, CA: better mobile coverage
- Spring Valley, CA: better mobile coverage
- Bostonia, CA: better mobile coverage
Cities with similar populations to San Diego
- Memphis, TN: better mobile coverage
- Oklahoma City, OK: better mobile coverage
- Dallas, TX: better mobile coverage
- Raleigh, NC: better mobile coverage
- Phoenix, AZ: worse mobile coverage
- Louisville, KY: worse mobile coverage
- Richmond, VA: worse mobile coverage
- New Orleans, LA: better mobile coverage
- Bronx, NY: better mobile coverage
- Jacksonville, FL: worse mobile coverage