In the US, there are three major smartphone carriers to choose from. There are also a bunch of smaller MVNOs if price and simplicity are what you’re after. So, with all these options to choose from, how do you pick? Thanks to Ookla’s latest US Connectivity Report, here’s what we found that might help you find the best mobile network.
T-Mobile still has the fastest network
According to Ookla, T-Mobile posted a Speedtest Connectivity Score of 80.12, well ahead of Verizon’s 74.12 and AT&T’s 72.82. Its median download speed came in at 275.55 Mbps, more than 100 Mbps faster than second-place AT&T. T-Mobile also led on median upload speed and latency. It posted the highest 5G availability too, with 92.6% of users connected to 5G most of the time.
Ookla’s own users rated it the top network overall, giving it a consumer sentiment score of 3.77 out of 5. None of this is new. T-Mobile has topped this same report for a while now. That being said, while T-Mobile seems to have swept up most of the “top” spots, it doesn’t mean the carrier is a sure win for the best mobile network.
Verizon still covers more ground
Choosing the best mobile network is subjective. Some might prioritize price, some might prioritize features. But if your priority is coverage, Ookla’s one exception to the sweep was Verizon. The carrier walked away with a Coverage Score of 30.4%. That’s ahead of AT&T’s 26.8% and T-Mobile’s 24.8%.
This is important because while having a fast network is good, it doesn’t matter if its reach is bad. Speed only counts if there’s a signal to test in the first place. Drivers outside dense metro areas might get less real-world benefit from T-Mobile’s numbers than this report suggests. Verizon’s coverage lead could matter more depending on where someone actually lives.
Ultimately, what this means is that if you’re choosing a phone carrier, think about what you need. Don’t just rely on branding and marketing claims. Ookla had previously ranked Verizon as the best overall carrier, so that’s worth considering. But if you stay somewhere that has strong T-Mobile coverage, then maybe looking at speed could be a better idea.
The post T-Mobile Has the Fastest Network, But Is It the Best Mobile Network? appeared first on Android Headlines.
