List of mobile network operators in the United States
This is a list of mobile network operators in the United States. The Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association, lists approximately 30 facilities-based wireless service providers in the United States as members. Competitive Carriers Association has over 1000 members. Aside from the facilities-based providers, there are over 50 virtual operators that use the top three networks to provide service.
Big three American wireless providers
The big three wireless telecommunications facilities-based service providers by subscriber count in the United States are:| Company | Subscribers | Date | Ref |
| Verizon | 146.9 million | Q4 2025 | |
| T-Mobile US | 139.9 million | Q3 2025 | |
| AT&T Mobility | 120.1 million | Q4 2025 |
Technologies used
The big three wireless providers have standardized on 4G LTE and 5G NR as their wireless communication standards and have enabled VoLTE and VoNR on their networks. AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon also sell SIM cards through their retail channels, both in-store and online.The big three wireless providers operate nationwide wireless networks which cover most of the population in the United States, while smaller carriers provide native network coverage across selected regions of the United States while supplementing nationwide coverage through roaming agreements with other carriers.
Facilities-based service providers
The following tables lists service providers that own and manage their network equipment and facilities. Unless specified otherwise the subscriber count includes subscribers on the virtual networks hosted.Defunct, merged and acquired operators
Some operators listed below may still function as a separate brand but they no longer own any infrastructure.| Operator | Voice technology | Data technology | Subscribers | End date | Notes |
| Airfire Mobile | GSM | EDGE | 0.02 | Acquired by U.S. Cellular. | |
| Alaska Communications | GSM, UMTS | EDGE, HSPA+, LTE | 0.103 | Acquired by GCI | |
| Alltel | CDMA | CDMA2000, EV-DO | 13 | Acquired by Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility. | |
| AT&T Wireless Services | GSM | EDGE | 22 | Acquired by Cingular Wireless, which later rebranded to AT&T Mobility. | |
| Big Sky Mobile | GSM | EDGE | Unknown | 2017 | Sold spectrum licenses to AT&T and T-Mobile and exited the business. |
| Blaze Wireless | GSM, UMTS | EDGE, HSPA+, LTE | Unknown | Parent company, Pinpoint Communications, discontinued cellular service and spectrum leases through Viaero Wireless were cancelled. | |
| Blue Wireless | CDMA2000 | EV-DO, LTE | Unknown | Exited business and sold spectrum licenses to Verizon. | |
| Bluegrass Cellular | CDMA2000 | EV-DO, LTE | 0.210 | Acquired by Verizon. | |
| Breakaway Wireless | CDMA2000 | EV-DO | Unknown | Discontinued cellular service. | |
| Cellular One of East Central Illinois | GSM, UMTS | EDGE, HSPA+ | Unknown | Acquired by AT&T Mobility. | |
| Cellular One of Northeast Pennsylvania | CDMA | CDMA2000, EV-DO | Unknown | Acquired by Verizon Wireless. | |
| Chariton Valley Wireless | CDMA2000 | EV-DO, LTE | Unknown | Acquired by Verizon Wireless | |
| Chat Mobility | CDMA2000 | EV-DO, LTE | Unknown | Acquired by Verizon Wireless | |
| Choice Wireless former Amerilink Wireless | GSM | EDGE | Unknown | Became a T-Mobile US MVNO. | |
| Choice Wireless ATN International | GSM, UMTS, VoLTE | EDGE, HSPA+, LTE | Unknown | December 2024 | Choice Wireless has stopped offering wireless service as of December 31, 2024. |
| Cincinnati Bell Wireless | GSM, UMTS, GAN Wi-Fi calling | EDGE, HSPA+ | 0.34 | Spectrum assets acquired by Verizon Wireless, service to any customers remaining on the network was shut off after February 28, 2015. | |
| Cleartalk affiliate of Clear Talk Wireless | CDMA2000 | EV-DO, LTE | Unknown | WGH Communications sold South Carolina licenses to T-Mobile US and exited the business | |
| ClearTalk Wireless Flat Wireless | CDMA2000 | EV-DO, LTE | Unknown | 2017 | Flat Wireless assets acquired by Sprint. |
| Clearwire | WiMAX | 11 | Acquired by Sprint. | ||
| Corr Wireless | GSM | EDGE | 0.02 | Acquired by AT&T Mobility. | |
| CTC Wireless | CDMA2000 | EV-DO, LTE | Unknown | 2019 | Exited wireless business. |
| DTC Wireless | GSM, UMTS | EDGE, HSPA+ | Unknown | 2017 | Discontinued cellular service, though still offers fixed wireless service. |
| Element Mobile | CDMA2000 | EV-DO | 0.077 | Acquired by AT&T Mobility. | |
| Epic PCS | GSM | EDGE | Unknown | Acquired by United Wireless and PTCI. | |
| Farmers Mutual Telephone Company | CDMA2000 | EV-DO, LTE | Unknown | Sold spectrum licenses to Verizon Wireless and Eltopia Communications and became a Verizon Wireless MVNO. | |
| Fuego Wireless | LTE | Unknown | Sold network and spectrum licenses to AT&T and Infrastructure Networks | ||
| Golden State Cellular | CDMA2000 | EV-DO | 0.018 | Acquired by Verizon Wireless. | |
| Illinois Valley Cellular | CDMA2000 | EV-DO, LTE | Unknown | December 2023 | Acquired by AT&T Mobility |
| Indigo Wireless | GSM, UMTS | EDGE, HSPA+, LTE | 0.0004 | Acquired by AT&T Mobility | |
| iWireless | GSM, UMTS | EDGE, HSPA+, LTE | Unknown | 2018 | Acquired by T-Mobile US. |
| KTC PACE | GSM | EDGE | Unknown | Became an AT&T Mobility MVNO. | |
| Leap Wireless •Includes Cricket PAYGo & RadioShack No Contract Wireless | CDMA, GSM, UMTS | EDGE, HSPA+, LTE | 4.57 | Acquired by AT&T Mobility. | |
| Long Lines Wireless | GSM | EDGE | 0.018 | Acquired by AT&T Mobility | |
| MTA Solutions | CDMA2000 | EV-DO, LTE | Unknown | 2017 | Discontinued cellular service. |
| MetroPCS Communications, Inc. | CDMA | EV-DO, LTE | 9.5 | Acquired by T-Mobile US. | |
| Mid-Rivers Communications | CDMA2000 | EV-DO, LTE | 0.001 | Exited wireless business and sold network to Verizon Wireless. | |
| miSpot | LTE | Unknown | |||
| MobileNation | CDMA2000 | EV-DO, LTE | 0.02 | Exited wireless business. | |
| Mosaic Telecom | UMTS | HSPA+, LTE | Unknown | Discontinued cellular service | |
| NEP Wireless | GSM | EDGE, LTE | 0.011 | ||
| Nextel | iDEN | WiDEN | 15 | Acquired by Sprint. | |
| NorthwestCell | CDMA2000 | EV-DO, LTE | Unknown | December 2024 | Exited wireless business, customers urged to switch to Verizon. |
| NMobile | CDMA2000 | EV-DO | Unknown | Discontinued cellular service. | |
| nTelos | CDMA2000 | EV-DO, LTE | 0.300 | Acquired by Shentel | |
| Peoples Wireless | CDMA2000 | EV-DO, LTE | Unknown | ||
| Phoenix Communications | GSM, UMTS | EDGE, HSPA | Unknown | Sold to Hillary Communications and cellular service discontinued. | |
| Pioneer Cellular | CDMA2000 | EV-DO, LTE | 0.06 | Discountinued cellular service. | |
| Plateau Wireless | GSM, UMTS | EDGE, HSPA+ | 0.042 | Acquired by AT&T Mobility. | |
| Pocket Communications | CDMA2000 | 1xRTT | Unknown | Merged with Cricket. | |
| PrimeCo Wireless | CDMA | Unknown | Unknown | Became Verizon Wireless. | |
| Revol Wireless | CDMA | CDMA2000, EV-DO | Unknown | Sold spectrum licenses to Sprint. Subscribers transferred to Boost Mobile. | |
| Shentel •T-Mobile Affiliate | VoLTE, Wi-Fi calling | LTE | 0.84 | July 2021 | Wireless assets acquired by T-Mobile US. |
| Sprint Corporation •Including hosted virtual operators, and Boost Mobile | VoLTE, Wi-Fi calling | LTE, NR | 54.1 | April 2020 | Merged with T-Mobile US on April 1, 2020. |
| Standing Rock Telecom | CDMA2000 | EV-DO | Unknown | Shut down CDMA for UMTS/LTE and rebranded to Rock Wireless | |
| Stelera Wireless | HSPA | Unknown | Defunct. | ||
| Syringa Wireless | CDMA2000 | EV-DO, LTE | 0.00135 | Discontinued cellular service | |
| TerreStar | GSM | EDGE, HSPA | Unknown | Acquired by Dish Network | |
| Triangle Mobile | CDMA2000 | EV-DO, LTE | Unknown | Acquired by Verizon. | |
| UScellular | VoLTE, Wi-Fi calling | LTE, NR | 4.4 | August 2025 | Acquired by T-Mobile |
| West Central Wireless •Including Right Wireless and Five Star Wireless | GSM, UMTS, VoLTE | EDGE, HSPA+, LTE | 0.04 | August 2023 | Acquired by Verizon. |
| Westlink Wireless | GSM | EDGE | Unknown | Acquired by United Wireless. |