"National coverage" or "nationwide coverage"

Question

"National coverage" or "nationwide coverage" which is more correct? for instance "we have a national coverage of three locations"

Answer 1

National tends to mean to the nation

The presidential debates have received national coverage
The presidential debates were nationally televised

whereas, nationwide tends to mean across the nation

The major networks have given nationwide coverage to college graduations
College gradutations across the country were reported on

Verizon now has 4G nationwide coverage
4G is available across the country

In your example,

national coverage of three locations

doesn't really make sense, however

nationwide coverage from three locations

means you have three locations scattered across the nation.

Answer 2

national = at the level of the nation (as distinct from local or regional)

nationwide = extending across the country

Let's say that an important political rally is happening in a particular city. Reporters from all parts of the country have come there in order to cover the story. We would say that the rally is receiving national coverage. When the story has been aired in cities throughout the country, so that people everywhere have learned about it, we would say that the story was seen nationwide.

Now let's say a particular news corporation claims to have reporters and local syndicates in every city throughout the nation. They could claim to offer nationwide coverage of the news.

Let's say a local newspaper has stories mostly about the region, and very few stories about events affecting the entire nation. We could say that the newspaper has a regional focus, not a national focus.

If a telecommunications company claims to have nationwide coverage, it means they have erected communications towers throughout the country, so that their customers can travel anywhere in the country and still use their phones.