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The UniFi 5G Max is certified for Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile — but “certified” doesn’t tell you which carrier delivers the best real-world performance at your specific sites. Each carrier deploys different 5G and LTE spectrum in different markets, with different coverage densities and different speed profiles. Choosing the right carrier for each UniFi 5G Max deployment — or knowing when to use dual-SIM failover across two carriers — is the difference between a cellular WAN that performs reliably and one that underdelivers against its spec sheet. This post breaks down what each carrier brings to the table, which 5G bands matter most, and how ISPTek’s multi-carrier SIM plans let you pick the best option for every site without managing separate carrier accounts.
UniFi 5G Max Band Support: The Full Picture
The UniFi 5G Max’s cellular modem supports an extensive list of 5G NR and LTE bands — 28 NR bands and 31 LTE bands in total. This wide band support is what makes tri-carrier certification possible. Here’s how the most important U.S. bands map to each carrier:
5G NR Bands
| Band | Frequency | Type | Primary Carrier(s) | What It Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n77 | 3.7 GHz (C-Band) | Mid-band | Verizon, AT&T | Primary high-speed 5G — 200–1,000 Mbps typical in covered areas |
| n78 | 3.5 GHz | Mid-band | AT&T | Additional C-Band spectrum in select markets |
| n41 | 2.5 GHz | Mid-band | T-Mobile | T-Mobile’s primary 5G layer — fastest and most widely deployed T-Mobile 5G |
| n71 | 600 MHz | Low-band | T-Mobile | Extended-range 5G — best rural and suburban reach, 30–100 Mbps typical |
| n5 | 850 MHz | Low-band | AT&T | AT&T’s extended-range 5G layer for suburban/rural coverage |
| n2 | 1900 MHz | Mid-band | AT&T, T-Mobile | PCS spectrum — urban capacity layer |
| n66 | AWS | Mid-band | AT&T, T-Mobile | AWS spectrum used for additional 5G capacity in metro areas |
| n13 | 700 MHz | Low-band | Verizon | Verizon’s low-band 5G foundation — wide coverage, moderate speeds |
| n14 | 700 MHz (FirstNet) | Low-band | AT&T (FirstNet) | Priority spectrum for public safety — available to FirstNet subscribers |
Key LTE Fallback Bands
| Band | Frequency | Primary Carrier(s) | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| B13 | 700 MHz | Verizon | Verizon’s primary LTE band — widest LTE coverage in the U.S. |
| B12 | 700 MHz | T-Mobile | T-Mobile LTE foundation — strong indoor penetration |
| B14 | 700 MHz | AT&T (FirstNet) | FirstNet priority LTE for public safety deployments |
| B71 | 600 MHz | T-Mobile | Extended-range LTE — T-Mobile’s best rural reach |
| B2/B66 | 1900 MHz / AWS | All three | Mid-band LTE capacity in urban/suburban areas |
| B41 | 2.5 GHz | T-Mobile | High-capacity LTE layer — fast speeds in metro areas |
Verizon With the UniFi 5G Max
Verizon’s 5G strategy centers on C-Band (n77) deployment in metro and suburban markets, layered over the most extensive LTE network in the country. For UniFi 5G Max deployments, Verizon is the strongest choice in several scenarios:
- Best for: Suburban and urban sites where Verizon has deployed C-Band — expect 200–800 Mbps 5G speeds in covered areas, with the 5G Max’s 4-antenna array pulling maximum signal from the C-Band tower.
- LTE fallback is excellent: Verizon’s Band 13 LTE coverage is the broadest single-band LTE footprint in the U.S. — even in areas without 5G, LTE CAT speeds of 50–150 Mbps are common.
- Consideration: Verizon’s rural 5G rollout lags behind T-Mobile’s low-band n71 deployment. Sites in rural areas may spend more time on LTE fallback than on 5G.
AT&T With the UniFi 5G Max
AT&T deploys C-Band (n77/n78) and low-band n5 as its primary 5G layers, with the strongest enterprise certification program of the three carriers. AT&T’s network strengths align well with specific UniFi deployment types:
- Best for: Enterprise and FirstNet sites — AT&T’s Band 14 / n14 FirstNet spectrum provides priority network access for public safety, government, and healthcare deployments. If the site qualifies for FirstNet, AT&T delivers priority connectivity that no other carrier matches.
- C-Band performance: Similar to Verizon in markets where AT&T has deployed n77/n78 — 200–700 Mbps typical 5G speeds with the UniFi 5G Max.
- Consideration: AT&T’s mid-band 5G coverage density varies more by market than Verizon or T-Mobile. Check AT&T’s coverage map for the specific deployment address before committing.
T-Mobile With the UniFi 5G Max
T-Mobile’s 5G strategy is built on n41 (2.5 GHz) mid-band as the primary speed layer and n71 (600 MHz) low-band for extended range. This two-layer approach creates the broadest 5G geographic footprint of any U.S. carrier:
- Best for: Rural and suburban sites — T-Mobile’s n71 low-band 5G covers areas where Verizon and AT&T still rely on LTE. For UniFi deployments in small towns, rural commercial districts, and suburban fringe areas, T-Mobile often provides 5G where the other carriers do not.
- n41 performance: In urban and dense suburban areas, T-Mobile’s n41 delivers 200–600 Mbps — competitive with C-Band performance from Verizon and AT&T, and deployed more widely in some markets.
- Important: T-Mobile data SIM plans work perfectly with the UniFi 5G Max. T-Mobile Home Internet SIMs do not — they use CGNAT, which blocks remote management, VPN, and port forwarding. Use a standard T-Mobile data plan (like those from ISPTek) for full functionality.
Which Carrier Should You Pick? A Decision Framework
For MSPs and IT teams deploying the UniFi 5G Max across multiple sites, the carrier choice isn’t one-size-fits-all. Here’s the decision framework:
| Deployment Scenario | Recommended Carrier | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Urban / suburban office | Verizon or AT&T | C-Band (n77) delivers peak 5G speeds in metro areas |
| Rural / small-town site | T-Mobile | n71 low-band 5G has the broadest rural footprint |
| Public safety / FirstNet | AT&T | Band 14 / n14 provides priority network access |
| Maximum LTE fallback coverage | Verizon | B13 is the single widest LTE band in the U.S. |
| Multi-site portfolio (mixed markets) | ISPTek multi-carrier | Match each site to its best carrier — one account, one pool |
Dual-SIM: Don’t Pick One Carrier — Use Two
The UniFi 5G Max has two Nano-SIM slots with automatic carrier failover. For sites where uptime is critical — retail POS, healthcare, financial services — deploying two ISPTek SIMs on different carriers provides redundancy that a single carrier can’t match. If Verizon’s tower goes down or a carrier-level outage hits one network, the 5G Max switches to the second carrier automatically.
With ISPTek, both SIMs share the same data pool. The backup SIM costs almost nothing in months when it doesn’t activate, because its unused data allocation flows to other SIMs on the account. True multi-carrier redundancy without paying double.
ISPTek Makes Carrier Choice Simple
ISPTek’s cellular SIM card data plans are available on all three carriers — Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile — managed from a single account. For MSPs deploying the UniFi 5G Max across a portfolio of client sites:
- One account, all carriers: Order Verizon SIMs for your urban sites, T-Mobile SIMs for your rural sites, and AT&T SIMs for your FirstNet-eligible clients — all managed, billed, and pooled under one ISPTek account.
- Public static IP on every SIM: Regardless of which carrier you choose, every ISPTek SIM includes a fixed public IP for remote management, VPN, and out-of-band access.
- Switch carriers without switching providers: If a site’s coverage changes — a new tower goes up, a carrier improves coverage in that market — swap the SIM to a different carrier on ISPTek without changing your billing, your data pool, or your management workflow.
- No activation or cancellation fees: Test Verizon at a site, find T-Mobile performs better, and switch — no penalties, no friction, no carrier lock-in.
Choosing the Right Carrier and Plan
The UniFi 5G Max supports every major U.S. 5G and LTE band across Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. The hardware isn’t the bottleneck — the SIM plan is. A plan with CGNAT, throttling, or single-carrier lock-in wastes the 5G Max’s tri-carrier potential. ISPTek’s cellular SIM card data plans unlock full carrier flexibility — public static IPs, data pooling, multi-carrier management from one account, and zero fees to switch carriers as your deployment evolves.
View ISPTek’s multi-carrier data plans and activate your UniFi 5G Max today.
