A recent report from Ookla has declared Metro by T-Mobile the fastest prepaid network in the US. But is it really that simple?

• A new report from Ookla claims Metro by T-Mobile is the fastest prepaid network overall.
• While this is a great compliment and should hold true for most users, there’s more involved than just pure speed.
• Many smaller prepaid carriers are unlikely to be fully represented here.

As someone who’s spent years testing dozens of prepaid carriers, I can tell you that there’s more to a good mobile service than just speed. Factors like consistency, ping times, customer service, and special features are just as important.

According to Ookla’s report, Metro by T-Mobile is the clear leader in terms of speed, followed closely by Visible, Boost, and Cricket. In terms of consistency, Metro narrowly came out on top at 88.5%, compared to 88.3% for Visible.

Ookla’s report does evaluate other factors, such as video performance and customer sentiment. Visible ranked highest for video performance at 78.68%, with Metro close behind at 77.15%. In terms of customer sentiment, Visible led with a score of 3.91, while Metro took second place with 3.66.

The takeaway is that while Metro might be the speediest overall, many prepaid carriers walk a close line. Ultimately, this is good news for prepaid in general, as it continues to edge closer and closer to the postpaid experience while still costing significantly less.