If you’ve ever debated which of the big three U.S. carriers—AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile—is the best, a new report from Opensignal has some compelling answers. This independent study analyzed consumer connectivity experiences across several metrics and revealed a clear leader.
Opensignal’s comprehensive study evaluated the three major carriers across four main metrics: overall experience, 5G experience, coverage, and consistency. These metrics were further broken down into 15 categories, including video experience, 5G game experience, and coverage availability. The results reveal a dominant winner: T-Mobile.
T-Mobile Takes the Crown
Despite some recent consumer-unfriendly decisions, T-Mobile emerged as the big winner in this study. The “Un-carrier” topped the charts in nine out of fifteen categories, showcasing a dominant performance. Most notably, T-Mobile excelled in overall experience, sweeping this category and leaving its competitors far behind. It also led in two out of four coverage categories and claimed the top spot in consistency. However, T-Mobile’s 5G experience wasn’t as strong, only winning the best 5G download speed.
Verizon Shines in 5G Experience
While T-Mobile led overall, Verizon demonstrated its strength in the 5G arena. Verizon won awards for best video, live video, gaming, and upload speed over 5G. Additionally, Verizon managed to edge out T-Mobile for coverage experience, highlighting its robust network capabilities.
AT&T Struggles to Keep Up
AT&T, unfortunately, lagged in most categories, often finishing in last place. However, it did manage a narrow victory over Verizon for best coverage availability, with a score of 99.5% compared to Verizon’s 99.3%. This win shows that AT&T still offers solid coverage, even if it falls short in other areas.
Key Highlights from the Study
- 5G Availability: T-Mobile users spend an impressive 67.9% of their time connected to 5G, about six times more than AT&T users.
- Consistency: T-Mobile won the Consistent Quality award for the third consecutive time, though its lead over Verizon has shrunk to just one percentage point.
- Speed: T-Mobile’s download speed more than tripled that of third-place Verizon, with an average download speed of 139.3Mbps.
- 5G Upload Speed: Verizon maintained its lead with an average 5G upload speed of 21.2Mbps, with T-Mobile close behind.
Conclusion
The Opensignal report paints a clear picture: T-Mobile is the top carrier in the U.S. for 2024, especially when it comes to overall experience and consistency. Verizon remains a strong contender, particularly in the 5G experience categories. Meanwhile, AT&T has some catching up to do but still holds its ground in coverage availability.
For consumers, this data can guide decisions on which carrier best meets their needs, whether it’s T-Mobile’s broad 5G reach, Verizon’s top-notch 5G performance, or AT&T’s reliable coverage. The competition among these carriers drives improvements across the board, ultimately benefiting everyone who relies on their services.