Datasets / Phone plans / Carrier networks
Which network each US prepaid carrier runs on
20 carriers, each answered in the carrier’s own words, with a link to the page that says it. Checked September 28, 2026; Gen Mobile added October 19, 2026.
How to read this page. The Network column states only what the carrier’s own website says. The quote beside it is copied word for word from the linked page. Where a carrier’s own site does not name its network, the table says so and quotes what the site does say; Deldur does not fill the gap from other sources.
Prices for all 20 of these carriers are in the US prepaid phone plan price dataset. Deldur has no financial relationship with any carrier listed here.
By network
T-Mobile
5 carriers
Google Fi, Metro by T-Mobile, Mint Mobile, T-Mobile Prepaid, Ultra Mobile
Verizon
5 carriers
Straight Talk, Total Wireless, Tracfone, Verizon Prepaid, Visible
AT&T
3 carriers
AT&T Prepaid, Cricket Wireless, H2O Wireless
More than one
4 carriers
Boost Mobile, Consumer Cellular, Red Pocket, US Mobile
Not named by the carrier
3 carriers
Gen Mobile, Tello, Twigby
Carrier by carrier
| Carrier | Network, as stated | In the carrier’s words | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Prepaid | AT&T | “Service provided by AT&T Mobility and is subject to AT&T’s Network management policies” | att.com/prepaid/plans |
| Boost Mobile | Its own “Hybrid MNO” network, plus AT&T and T-Mobile | “In collaboration with AT&T, Boost Mobile provides you access to its state of the art Hybrid MNO network.” “…our partnerships with AT&T and T-Mobile mean that a user’s experience could be powered by AT&T or T-Mobile instead.” | help.boostmobile.com |
| Consumer Cellular | AT&T and T-Mobile | “We offer coverage on both AT&T and T-Mobile networks.” (company reply on its own blog; its help page on the topic was not available when checked) | consumercellular.com/blog |
| Cricket Wireless | AT&T | “Cricket is on the AT&T Network” | cricketwireless.com/5g |
| Gen Mobile | Not named on its own site | “Gen Mobile offers 99% nationwide coverage on an award-winning network!” (its FAQ answer to “What network does Gen Mobile use?”) Its plans page describes its own “Rose” and “Sky” networks only by phone compatibility: “Our Rose Network is compatible with most T-Mobile phones.” “Our Sky network is compatible with most AT&T phones.” | genmobile.com/pages/faqs genmobile.com/plans |
| Google Fi | T-Mobile | “Google Fi Wireless provides fast, reliable nationwide 4G LTE and 5G coverage through the T-Mobile network.” | fi.google.com/about/coverage |
| H2O Wireless | AT&T | “H2O Wireless uses the same nationwide network as AT&T, which means you get access to reliable coverage across the United States.” (from its Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands page; the main coverage page was not available when checked) | h2owireless.com/pr-usvi |
| Metro by T-Mobile | T-Mobile | “Metro runs on T-Mobile, America’s Best Network.” | metrobyt-mobile.com/coverage |
| Mint Mobile | T-Mobile | “Mint Mobile is on the T-Mobile network, the nation’s largest 5G network.” | mintmobile.com/coverage |
| Red Pocket | Three options, described by phone compatibility: GSMA (AT&T), GSMT (T-Mobile), CDMA (Verizon) | GSMA “works with AT&T-compatible, GSM unlocked phones.” GSMT “works with T-Mobile-compatible, GSM unlocked phones.” CDMA “works with Verizon-compatible, GSM unlocked phones.” | help.redpocket.com |
| Straight Talk | Verizon (the only network its pages name) | “Coverage provided by Verizon, at home and on the go.” | straighttalk.com/whyst |
| T-Mobile Prepaid | T-Mobile | “Premium 5G data on theT-Mobile network.” (spacing as printed) | prepaid.t-mobile.com |
| Tello | Not named on its own site | “We run on America’s largest, fastest, and most reliable network. While the agreement with our partner doesn’t permit us to publicly use their name in our marketing efforts…” | tello.com/help_center |
| Total Wireless | Verizon | “Always in touch thanks to the Verizon 5G network.” | totalwireless.com/coverage |
| Tracfone | Verizon | “Tracfone Freedom Unlimited plan is only available on the Verizon network.” | tracfone.com/kyop |
| Twigby | Not named on its own site | “Twigby Mobile uses the same towers as the nation’s largest and most reliable cell phone company.” | twigby.com/page/coverage |
| Ultra Mobile | T-Mobile | “Every Ultra Mobile plan includes free 5G coverage powered by the T-Mobile 5G Network…” | ultramobile.com/coverage |
| US Mobile | AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, sold as three named networks | “Dark Star runs on AT&T towers, Light Speed runs on T-Mobile towers, and Warp 5G runs on Verizon towers.” (its own blog; its networks and help pages use only the names Warp, Dark Star and Light Speed) | usmobile.com/blog |
| Verizon Prepaid | Verizon | “All Verizon Prepaid phone plans include: Verizon’s award-winning 4G LTE/5G.” | verizon.com/support |
| Visible | Verizon | “We’re the app-based wireless company started by Verizon, which means you get the reliability of Verizon’s award-winning network” | visible.com/coverage |
Quick answers by carrier
Each answer below comes from the table above and the same carrier page, checked September 28, 2026 (Gen Mobile: October 19, 2026).
What network does AT&T Prepaid use?
AT&T Prepaid runs on the AT&T network, according to its own website. In its words: “Service provided by AT&T Mobility and is subject to AT&T’s Network management policies”
Source: att.com/prepaid/plans
What network does Boost Mobile use?
Boost Mobile names its own “Hybrid MNO” network, plus AT&T and T-Mobile. In its words: “In collaboration with AT&T, Boost Mobile provides you access to its state of the art Hybrid MNO network.” “…our partnerships with AT&T and T-Mobile mean that a user’s experience could be powered by AT&T or T-Mobile instead.”
Source: help.boostmobile.com
What network does Consumer Cellular use?
Consumer Cellular says it offers coverage on both AT&T and T-Mobile. In its words: “We offer coverage on both AT&T and T-Mobile networks.” (company reply on its own blog; its help page on the topic was not available when checked)
Source: consumercellular.com/blog
What network does Cricket Wireless use?
Cricket Wireless runs on the AT&T network, according to its own website. In its words: “Cricket is on the AT&T Network”
Source: cricketwireless.com/5g
What network does Gen Mobile use?
Gen Mobile’s own website does not name the network it uses. In its words: “Gen Mobile offers 99% nationwide coverage on an award-winning network!” Its plans page describes its “Rose” and “Sky” networks by phone compatibility: “Our Rose Network is compatible with most T-Mobile phones.” “Our Sky network is compatible with most AT&T phones.”
Source: genmobile.com/pages/faqs · genmobile.com/plans
What network does Google Fi use?
Google Fi runs on the T-Mobile network, according to its own website. In its words: “Google Fi Wireless provides fast, reliable nationwide 4G LTE and 5G coverage through the T-Mobile network.”
Source: fi.google.com/about/coverage
What network does H2O Wireless use?
H2O Wireless runs on the AT&T network, according to its own website. In its words: “H2O Wireless uses the same nationwide network as AT&T, which means you get access to reliable coverage across the United States.” (from its Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands page; the main coverage page was not available when checked)
Source: h2owireless.com/pr-usvi
What network does Metro by T-Mobile use?
Metro by T-Mobile runs on the T-Mobile network, according to its own website. In its words: “Metro runs on T-Mobile, America’s Best Network.”
Source: metrobyt-mobile.com/coverage
What network does Mint Mobile use?
Mint Mobile runs on the T-Mobile network, according to its own website. In its words: “Mint Mobile is on the T-Mobile network, the nation’s largest 5G network.”
Source: mintmobile.com/coverage
What network does Red Pocket use?
Red Pocket offers three options, described by phone compatibility: GSMA (AT&T), GSMT (T-Mobile) and CDMA (Verizon). In its words: GSMA “works with AT&T-compatible, GSM unlocked phones.” GSMT “works with T-Mobile-compatible, GSM unlocked phones.” CDMA “works with Verizon-compatible, GSM unlocked phones.”
Source: help.redpocket.com
What network does Straight Talk use?
Straight Talk runs on Verizon, the only network its own pages name. In its words: “Coverage provided by Verizon, at home and on the go.”
Source: straighttalk.com/whyst
What network does T-Mobile Prepaid use?
T-Mobile Prepaid runs on the T-Mobile network, according to its own website. In its words: “Premium 5G data on theT-Mobile network.” (spacing as printed)
Source: prepaid.t-mobile.com
What network does Tello use?
Tello’s own website does not name the network it uses. In its words: “We run on America’s largest, fastest, and most reliable network. While the agreement with our partner doesn’t permit us to publicly use their name in our marketing efforts…”
Source: tello.com/help_center
What network does Total Wireless use?
Total Wireless runs on the Verizon network, according to its own website. In its words: “Always in touch thanks to the Verizon 5G network.”
Source: totalwireless.com/coverage
What network does Tracfone use?
Tracfone runs on the Verizon network, according to its own website. In its words: “Tracfone Freedom Unlimited plan is only available on the Verizon network.”
Source: tracfone.com/kyop
What network does Twigby use?
Twigby’s own website does not name the network it uses. In its words: “Twigby Mobile uses the same towers as the nation’s largest and most reliable cell phone company.”
Source: twigby.com/page/coverage
What network does Ultra Mobile use?
Ultra Mobile runs on the T-Mobile network, according to its own website. In its words: “Every Ultra Mobile plan includes free 5G coverage powered by the T-Mobile 5G Network…”
Source: ultramobile.com/coverage
What network does US Mobile use?
US Mobile sells three named networks, on AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon towers. In its words: “Dark Star runs on AT&T towers, Light Speed runs on T-Mobile towers, and Warp 5G runs on Verizon towers.” (its own blog; its networks and help pages use only the names Warp, Dark Star and Light Speed)
Source: usmobile.com/blog
What network does Verizon Prepaid use?
Verizon Prepaid runs on the Verizon network, according to its own website. In its words: “All Verizon Prepaid phone plans include: Verizon’s award-winning 4G LTE/5G.”
Source: verizon.com/support
What network does Visible use?
Visible runs on the Verizon network, according to its own website. In its words: “We’re the app-based wireless company started by Verizon, which means you get the reliability of Verizon’s award-winning network”
Source: visible.com/coverage
Outdated text still on carriers’ own sites
Two carrier pages read on September 28, 2026 still name the Sprint network, which conflicts with the same carriers’ other pages. They are recorded here as found, not used for the table above.
- Boost Mobile, boostmobile.com/coverage (no longer online on November 6, 2026): “Boost® offers service on the Nationwide Sprint® Network.” Its help page (in the table) describes its own network with AT&T and T-Mobile.
- Tello, the footer of its blog at blog.tello.com names the “Nationwide Sprint® Network”. Its help page (in the table) does not name a network.
What sharing a network does and does not mean
A carrier that runs on another company’s network uses that company’s towers and coverage area. It does not follow that service is identical: data amounts, hotspot allowances and other plan terms differ by carrier, and those are recorded plan by plan in the price dataset. Coverage at a specific address is best checked on the carrier’s own coverage map.
Method
Each carrier’s own domain was read on September 28, 2026: its coverage page first, then its help or FAQ pages, then its own blog. Third-party sites were not used as sources. Each quote was checked against the page a second time. Where a page was not available, the note says so. Gen Mobile, added October 19, 2026, was read the same way that day: its coverage page, its FAQ page and its plans page. This page is re-checked when a carrier’s price page changes and at least monthly.
Change log
- 2026-11-06 — Wording — Boost Mobile’s coverage page (boostmobile.com/coverage), quoted in the note on pages that still named Sprint, is no longer online; the quote stays as read on September 28, 2026 and the link was removed. No network or figure changed.
- 2026-10-24 — Wording — the Consumer Cellular and H2O Wireless notes and the method note now say which pages were not available rather than how they were read. No figure changed.
- 2026-10-19 — Gen Mobile added: its own site does not name its network; its FAQ answer and its plans page’s “Rose” and “Sky” network lines are quoted. Now 20 carriers. No other network entry changed.
- 2026-10-10 — Quick answers added: one question per carrier, answered from the table on this page. No network entry changed.
- 2026-09-29 — Text corrected: the introduction said prices for 18 of these carriers were in the price dataset; since Consumer Cellular was added on September 28, 2026, all 19 are. No network entry changed.
- 2026-09-28 — Page published: 19 carriers. Tello and Twigby do not name their network on their own sites.