In Santa Cruz County, you’ll select from 3 mobile wireless carriers listed below. 94.5% of Santa Cruz County’s land area is covered by some kind of wireless service, as are 99.81% of Santa Cruz County’s 270,861 residents. 5G reception covers up to 91.75% of people while they are sitting at home. Note that we may have a financial relationship with some of the Santa Cruz County providers below. This does not influence what data we show, and helps us provide high-quality, detailed information for free.
Santa Cruz County, CA Top Cell Providers
Starter Phones Designed for Child Safety
Coverage:
T-Mobile Network
Data Speeds:
Same as T-Mobile below
Plans start at $29/mo.
View plans
Built-in Parental Controls | Approved Contacts Only | Parent-Controlled Internet Access
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. Learn more about Mint vs. other carriers.
AT&T Wireless 5G available in Santa Cruz County
Coverage:
99.69% of Santa Cruz County
96.67% of the USA
Data Speeds:
5G: 83.20% 4G: 96.60% 3G or 2G: 99.68%
1-833-652-2264
More about AT&T Wireless in Santa Cruz County
AT&T Wireless Data Speeds and Coverage in Santa Cruz County
AT&T Wireless covers 99.69% of homes in the county 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 Santa Cruz County) is shown below.
Tech |
% Homes |
% Land |
|---|---|---|
5G |
83.20% |
32.96% |
4G |
96.60% |
68.16% |
2G or 3G |
99.68% |
93.86% |
5G is the fastest wireless internet and data speed for 83.20% of homes. 4G is the fastest cell coverage for 0.00% 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 Santa Cruz County mobile providers.
AT&T Wireless Voice Quality in Santa Cruz County
5G voice quality can be very clear, and is available to 83.20% of homes. 4G voice is considered HD, and is available at 97.20% of Santa Cruz County homes. 99.68% of homes can make calls using older 2G or 3G voice technology.
Verizon Wireless 5G available in Santa Cruz County
Coverage:
98.39% of Santa Cruz County
96.15% of the USA
Data Speeds:
5G: 81.86% 4G: 93.68% 3G or 2G: 97.93%
More about Verizon Wireless in Santa Cruz County
Verizon Wireless Data Speeds and Coverage in Santa Cruz County
Verizon Wireless covers 98.39% of homes in the county 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 Santa Cruz County) is shown below.
Tech |
% Homes |
% Land |
|---|---|---|
5G |
81.86% |
51.41% |
4G |
93.68% |
67.27% |
2G or 3G |
97.93% |
81.79% |
5G is the fastest wireless internet and data speed for 81.86% of homes. 4G is the fastest cell coverage for 0.00% of homes. 0.00% of homes can only receive 2G or 3G data. We rank Verizon Wireless as #2 out of 3 for a combination of coverage and speed among Santa Cruz County mobile providers.
Verizon Wireless Voice Quality in Santa Cruz County
5G voice quality can be very clear, and is available to 81.86% of homes. 4G voice is considered HD, and is available at 95.73% of Santa Cruz County homes. 94.57% of homes can make calls using older 2G or 3G voice technology.
T-Mobile 5G available in Santa Cruz County
Coverage:
96.24% of Santa Cruz County
97.12% of the USA
Data Speeds:
5G: 56.46% 4G: 89.33% 3G or 2G: 92.97%
More about T-Mobile in Santa Cruz County
T-Mobile Data Speeds and Coverage in Santa Cruz County
T-Mobile covers 96.24% of homes in the county 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 Santa Cruz County) is shown below.
Tech |
% Homes |
% Land |
|---|---|---|
5G |
56.46% |
29.36% |
4G |
89.33% |
43.25% |
2G or 3G |
92.97% |
57.18% |
5G is the fastest wireless internet and data speed for 56.46% of homes. 4G is the fastest cell coverage for 0.00% of homes. 0.00% of homes can only receive 2G or 3G data. We rank T-Mobile as #3 out of 3 for a combination of coverage and speed among Santa Cruz County mobile providers.
T-Mobile Voice Quality in Santa Cruz County
5G voice quality can be very clear, and is available to 56.46% of homes. 4G voice is considered HD, and is available at 95.87% of Santa Cruz County homes. 94.21% of homes can make calls using older 2G or 3G voice technology.
Coverage percentages on this page are based on the percent of Santa Cruz County homes that would be covered by cellular service of any kind, unless specified as Santa Cruz County land area.
Fastest Cell Service Down to the Santa Cruz County Neighborhood
The map below shows where Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile are faster in Santa Cruz County, CA. Areas with no clear winner are shown as ties.
Overall, Santa Cruz County ranks #2740 out of 3619 counties for the fastest mobile internet network speeds in California.
Best Santa Cruz County Cell Provider Key
The southwestern parts of the county feature better overall coverage for faster data. The opposite is true in the northeastern areas of Santa Cruz County where mobile data speeds are generally slower.
Best Coverage & Data Speeds in Santa Cruz County, CA: AT&T Wireless
Among the largest cell phone companies in the United States, AT&T Wireless has the best speed and coverage in Santa Cruz County. AT&T Wireless has 5G that covers 83.20% of the county. Cell service of any type reaches 99.69% of Santa Cruz County homes.
Cheap Options for Mobile Service in Santa Cruz County, CA
If the price of a Santa Cruz County mobile plan is a major concern for you, cheaper mobile plans are available as well. There are several options available in Santa Cruz County 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 Santa Cruz County 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.
Santa Cruz County, CA Mobile Network Coverage Maps | Voice, 4G & 5G
Santa Cruz County Fastest Speeds Key
Your mobile coverage in Santa Cruz County may vary based on your provider and location. The map above shows the fastest mobile data speeds in and around the county. 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 Santa Cruz County covering 91.75% of homes in the area while 4G covers 98.92% of the county. Overall, 99.81% of homes (270,853 people) and 94.5% of the land (420.7 square miles) are covered by some form of cell technology.
5G Coverage Map and Availability in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County 5G Coverage Key
5G is currently the most advanced network available with speeds several times faster than 4G. 5G networks in Santa Cruz County cover 91.75% of homes with 5G voice and data. In total 57.57% or 256.2 square miles of Santa Cruz County are covered by 5G. The best 5G coverage in Santa Cruz County comes from AT&T Wireless with 83.20% coverage.
4G Coverage Map and Availability in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County 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 Santa Cruz County, 97.82% of the area is covered by 4G data, and 98.92% is covered by 4G HD voice service. AT&T Wireless has the best 4G network in Santa Cruz County with 97.20% coverage.
Selecting the Best Cell Provider in Santa Cruz County for You
If you’re still struggling to choose a cell phone provider in the county, some of these facts may help you decide:
- Coverage to Santa Cruz County houses is best with service from AT&T Wireless, with 99.69% of homes covered.
- The best coverage across all Santa Cruz County land is provided by AT&T Wireless at 93.86% of land area covered.
- The current best 5G coverage comes from AT&T Wireless reporting 83.20% in Santa Cruz County.
- The best 4G coverage is obtainable with AT&T Wireless, covering 97.20% of Santa Cruz County.
- The top estimated average speed in Santa Cruz County, estimated at 59.07, Mbps is available through AT&T Wireless.
Mobile Service Counties Near Santa Cruz County
If you live near Santa Cruz County but aren’t technically in the county, 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 Santa Cruz County:
Counties close to Santa Cruz County
- San Benito County, CA: better coverage
- Madera County, CA: better coverage
- Morton County, KS: better coverage
- Seward County, KS: better coverage
- Beaver County, OK: worse coverage
- Ottawa County, OK: better coverage
- Newton County, MO: better coverage
- Lawrence County, MO: better coverage
- Christian County, MO: better coverage
- Douglas County, MO: worse coverage
Counties with similar populations to Santa Cruz County
- Yuma County, AZ: better coverage
- Harrison County, MS: better coverage
- Hawaii County, HI: better coverage
- St. Louis County, MN: better coverage
- Sumner County, TN: better coverage
- Sussex County, DE: better coverage
- Trumbull County, OH: better coverage
- Tuscaloosa County, AL: better coverage
- Caddo Parish, LA: better coverage
- Union County, NC: better coverage