Cricket vs AT&T: Same Network, Half the Price?

Cricket Wireless is owned by AT&T and uses the same towers, but costs half as much. I spent 4 months comparing them side-by-side to find the real differences.

The Setup: A Fair Fight

Cricket Wireless is AT&T's own prepaid brand, which makes this comparison unique. Unlike other MVNOs that lease network access, Cricket is directly owned by AT&T. This should mean better service, right?

To find out, I used both services simultaneously on dual-SIM phones for four months, conducting identical tests in the same locations.

Pricing: Cricket's Clear Advantage

Network Performance: Surprisingly Close

Since Cricket uses AT&T's network directly, I expected identical coverage. The reality was more nuanced:

The 8.5 Mbps Speed Cap

Cricket's biggest limitation is their speed cap. Even on unlimited plans, speeds are capped at 8.5 Mbps for most plans. This affects:

What Works Fine at 8.5 Mbps

• HD video streaming - Netflix, YouTube work perfectly
• Social media - Instagram, TikTok load quickly
• Web browsing - Pages load fast enough
• Music streaming - No issues with Spotify, Apple Music
• Video calls - FaceTime, Zoom work well

What Struggles at 8.5 Mbps

• Large file downloads - Apps, photos take longer
• Cloud backups - Slow photo/video uploads
• 4K streaming - Not possible with speed cap
• Gaming downloads - Console/PC game updates crawl

Coverage: Identical Where It Matters

Both services use the same AT&T towers, so coverage is essentially identical. I found no dead zones on Cricket that worked on AT&T postpaid.

"In 4 months of testing, I never encountered a location where AT&T worked but Cricket didn't."

Features Comparison

Customer Service: Cricket Surprises

I expected AT&T to have better customer service, but Cricket actually impressed me more:

My Support Experiences

• AT&T: 12-minute hold, transferred twice, issue resolved
• Cricket: 3-minute hold, knowledgeable agent, quick resolution

Cricket stores are often less crowded than AT&T stores, leading to faster in-person service.

Real-World Usage Tests

Here's how both services performed in daily use:

Streaming Video

Both handled Netflix and YouTube identically. Cricket's speed cap doesn't affect HD streaming quality, but 4K isn't possible.

Navigation and Maps

Google Maps, Waze, and Apple Maps worked perfectly on both services. No difference in GPS accuracy or real-time updates.

Work Usage

Email, Slack, video calls, and cloud sync performed similarly. Cricket's speed cap rarely affected productivity apps.

Social Media

Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook loaded equally fast on both networks.

The Hotspot Difference

AT&T includes 30GB of premium hotspot data, while Cricket includes 15GB. For my usage, Cricket's allowance was sufficient, but heavy hotspot users might prefer AT&T.

Hotspot Speed Comparison

• AT&T: Full speed up to 30GB, then throttled
• Cricket: 8.5 Mbps cap, but consistent throughout 15GB

International Usage

AT&T includes Canada and Mexico roaming, while Cricket charges extra. For my occasional trips to Canada, this was a $20/month difference in value.

Who Should Choose AT&T?

Stick with AT&T postpaid if you:

• Need unlimited full-speed data
• Regularly download large files
• Want 4K streaming capability
• Use more than 15GB of hotspot monthly
• Travel to Canada/Mexico frequently
• Value included streaming services

Who Should Choose Cricket?

Switch to Cricket if you:

• Want to save $120-180 annually
• Primarily stream HD (not 4K) content
• Don't download large files regularly
• Use 15GB or less of hotspot data
• Stay within the US most of the time
• Don't need streaming service perks

The Verdict: Cricket Wins for Most Users

After 4 months of testing, Cricket delivered 90% of AT&T's experience for 75% of the cost. The speed cap rarely affected my daily usage.

My Final Decision

I cancelled my AT&T postpaid plan and kept Cricket. The $120 annual savings wasn't worth the minimal performance difference for my usage patterns.

"Cricket gives me 90% of AT&T's performance for 75% of the cost. That's an easy choice for me."

The Bottom Line

Cricket Wireless proves that you don't always need premium postpaid service. For most users, the speed cap won't affect daily usage, making Cricket an excellent value on AT&T's reliable network.

The key is understanding your usage patterns. If you're a heavy downloader or need 4K streaming, stick with AT&T. For everyone else, Cricket offers the same coverage with meaningful savings.