3 ways to check coverage before you sign a cell phone contract

The most important thing to consider when choosing a cell-phone provider is whether there is good coverage in the areas you use your phone the most. Here are some ways to check coverage before you sign a contract.

1. All of the major carriers offer coverage maps where you can put in an address, intersection, ZIP code or city and see the strength of the coverage.

For T-Mobile, go to t-mobile.com/coverage; for Sprint, go to sprint.com/coverage; for Verizon Wireless, go to verizonwireless.com/b2c/CoverageLocatorController; for AT&T, go to wireless.att.com/coverageviewer.

2. When you go to one of these Web sites, first enter your home address to check the coverage around your house. You might want to also enter your work address, a relative or friend's address, or anywhere else you plan to make a lot of cell-phone calls.

3. If you are thinking of getting a data plan with your phone so you can surf the Web or send and receive e-mails, check the maps to see the strength of the data coverage.