Does 4G coverage = cell phone coverage?

Hey everyone,

I'm pretty new to Android phones, so bear with me if I don't get the wording right.

I just got a 4G unlimited data plan with T-mobile. I seem to get pretty good reception everywhere I regularly go and I can also make phone calls everywhere I go (from what I have heard, I guess I am one of the lucky ones). Here's my question: Is the coverage of these two things one and the same?

In other words, is it possible to find a spot where I can make phone calls just fine but my 4G reception is poor/non-existent (and vice versa)? If so, are there lots of these spots around? I've tried looking on T-mobile's coverage map and the presence of a single map suggests that my phone calls and my data have identical coverage.

I apologize if this question has already been posted/asked somewhere else. I tried searching for it with no luck.

Thanks.

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› See More: Does 4G coverage = cell phone coverage?

When you're able to make a call, you can also get on the Internet. That doesn't mean you're using the 4G data network. You can be using an older data technology.

You can view the 4G coverage map on T-Mobile's website to see where 4G is available. If 4G is not available, you'll just be using a different data technology, and will still have the ability to make calls.

I hope this answers your question.

I see. This does answer the question that I asked, but let me rephrase.

I guess what I am trying to ask is if the cell phone towers responsible for making phone calls are the same towers as the ones used to communicate all other data, such as browsing the web or downloading apps. I understand that phone calls are just another form of digital data (voice data...?) so I think I am just asking if the phone calls are also coming from the same towers as the 4G service (or, as you said, any other data service, if the 4G is not available).

So, regardless of which data service is being used, are there locations where only data will work, but not the phone, or vice versa?

Originally Posted by TheNewGuy

I see. This does answer the question that I asked, but let me rephrase.

I guess what I am trying to ask is if the cell phone towers responsible for making phone calls are the same towers as the ones used to communicate all other data, such as browsing the web or downloading apps. I understand that phone calls are just another form of digital data (voice data...?) so I think I am just asking if the phone calls are also coming from the same towers as the 4G service (or, as you said, any other data service, if the 4G is not available).

So, regardless of which data service is being used, are there locations where only data will work, but not the phone, or vice versa?

The data does come from the same towers, but only some towers have 4G. If a tower doesn't have 4G, you can still make voice calls and use regular data (2G or 3G data).