T-Mobile still the fastest and most reliable network but Verizon closes in

T-Mobile keeps earning accolades for the comprehensive 5G network it managed to build out thanks to the spectrum bands acquired via a Sprint merger synergy, as it has scored points for the fastest and most stable network in the US from Ookla, the maker of Speedtest.

Riding high on the coverage of its 5G Ultra Capacity and Extended Range networks, T-Mobile scored the fastest mobile provider award for the first half of the year, with median download speeds of 234.82 Mbps, as well as upload speed with 13.3 Mbps, as well as latency with 48ms. Next in line was AT&T, followed by Verizon, which have a lot of rural coverage slowing down their median speeds.

Despite the deployment of the C-band mid-frequencies by Ma Bell and Big Red, the 5G equation hasn’t changed much. The process of catching up to T-Mobile is seemingly slow for them, as T-Mobile also scored the fastest 5G network award, at 265.80 Mbps, with Verizon and AT&T in the follow.

Verizon vs T-Mobile network speeds

Verizon, however, logged the biggest increase in 5G download speeds, notching 207.79 Mbps, compared to just 130.94 Mbps last year for the same January-June period, a whopping 60% increase. Meanwhile, T-Mobile only increased its median 5G network download speeds by about 20%. Moreover, Verizon and T-Mobile‘s upload speeds are now equal at 14.56 Mbps, too. Here are all the Ookla report’s findings for the state of the US carrier networks:

T-Mobile continues to dominate the mobile landscape in the U.S., boasting the fastest speeds, the best consistency, and top user ratings. However, Verizon has started making inroads on performance, and recorded the best 5G Gaming Experience.
AT&T Fiber led in speed and Consistency, while Verizon was best for video and gaming experiences.
5G continues to expand, with T-Mobile leading on top-line performance, and the rest of the market playing catch-up. Fixed broadband speeds are also on the rise, driven by greater fiber deployment, and cable technology upgrades.
Connecticut topped the state rankings for fixed broadband download speeds, with a median almost 160 Mbps faster than last placed Alaska. Mobile was a similar story, with Illinois leading, some 120 Mbps faster than Alaska.

The good news is that everyone notched network speed gains, boosting the overall median download speeds and consistency of mobile connectivity up, in a sign of a healthy competition.

Network consistency and media streaming

When it comes to stability of the network, T-Mobile also scored highest, with 86.6% of the test measurements meeting or exceeding the 5 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload mark, no matter where the tests were taken. Verizon follows with 83.3% Network Consistency Score, and AT&T recorded 80.3% on network reliability.

T-Mobile also gathered around the smaller awards, earning the title of the best carrier for Mobile Video Experience in the U.S., with а Video Score of 77.78, and а median video start time of under a second, while the Un-carrier grabbed the more specific Video Experience over 5G in the U.S. recognition, with а total score of 81.36. The scores of Verizon and AT&T were not far behind in that respect, though, indicating that the video streaming experience is now good enough regardless of the carrier.

The same goes for the gaming experience, where latency is king. While it was T-Mobile again that returned the highest Game Score for the overall network, Verizon took away the best Gaming Experience over 5G in the U.S. award with a Game Score of 88.32, and median game latency of 57 ms, lower than T-Mobile‘s 64 ms.

Overall, T-Mobile kept being the highest rated by consumer’s network, despite its recent plan price increases. In terms of the all-important general network coverage, though, be it 4G LTE, both AT&T and Verizon are ahead of T-Mobile, especially in rural areas, despite that the rapid 5G network deployment made possible by the mid-band frequencies it inherited from Sprint have now made Big Magenta the current market leader at places where it offers signal.

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he’s keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.