Skip to main content

T-Mobile beats out Verizon for title of fastest mobile network in U.S.

For the first time in PCMag’s 12 years of testing mobile networks in the United States, T-Mobile has been named the fastest mobile network. With average download speeds of 162.3Mbps, T-Mobile greatly outperformed the competition in most cities. After years of lagging behind, how did T-Mobile turn it around?

Investing in C-band

In the race to provide 5G service, the major carriers pursued different strategies. Verizon and AT&T expanded their use of mmWave, a band of spectrum that provides high speeds but doesn’t travel far. Indoor places with heavy traffic like airports are perfect for mmWave, but it’s unsuitable for outdoor broadband, especially in less-populated areas like the rural stretches between cities.

What did T-Mobile do differently? It bought Sprint. The acquisition gave T-Mobile access to a cache of midband airwaves, increasing their capacity to offer 5G service. T-Mobile was the only carrier with nationwide 5G that was considerably faster than 4G. In cities like Chicago, Las Vegas, New York, and Tucson, Arizona, T-Mobile 5G phones made use of 5G around 90% of the time.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

What about the competition?

Verizon and AT&T showed a decline in overall speed, but that’s probably about to change. Those two companies spent almost $70 billion on C-band licenses at a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) auction in February 2021. They’ll begin deploying 5G on that spectrum starting in December.

T-Mobile’s 5G service was the fastest overall, but its coverage is lacking in small cities and rural regions. AT&T outperformed T-Mobile in those regions, particularly in the Northwest and the Carolinas. AT&T’s average download speed was 98.2Mbps, much slower than T-Mobile’s, but that doesn’t make a difference if T-Mobile doesn’t provide coverage in your area.

At 93.7Mbps, Verizon’s average download speed was slightly lower than AT&T’s. The company bought more C-band licenses than any other, so it’s poised to offer faster speeds in the near future as it rolls out 5G service.

If you haven’t already upgraded to a 5G phone, it’s going to be worth doing soon regardless of which carrier you use. The difference between 4G and 5G has been underwhelming, but T-Mobile’s win proves that midband 5G is going to change that.

Editors' Recommendations

Sandra Stafford
Sandra Stafford is a Mobile team writer. She has three years of experience writing about consumer technology. She writes…
What is 5G UC? What that icon on your phone really means
5G logo on the Motorola Edge (2022).

If you're wondering what 5G UC means at the top of your phone, you aren't alone. To put it simply, 5G UC is T-Mobile's "Ultra Capacity" 5G network. In other words, seeing this means that you are on T-Mobile's 5G network. At the same time, you may have also heard of 5G UW, a similar network protocol from Verizon.

Ultimately, being on the 5G UC network should mean you are receiving some of the best speeds possible. But, if you don't have a solid grasp of what 5G is and how these networks operate, you may not get the most out of your phone. Here's what you need to know about the 5G UC icon and how to use it best to benefit you.
T-Mobile's 5G UC

Read more
The T-Mobile Tuesdays app is about to get a big upgrade
A screenshot of the T-Mobile Tuesdays app, showing a promo for the new T Life app.

T-Mobile is a consistent leader in the ongoing 5G race, and to kick off 2024 on an interesting note, the carrier has announced that a big change is coming to its T-Mobile Tuesdays app. In short, the app is going away — and in its place, a new one is launching soon.

If you open the T-Mobile Tuesdays app today, January 2, you'll see a card that says "Introducing T Life." Below that is additional text that describes T Life as "a new app for T-Mobile Tuesdays."

Read more
You can now get unlimited 5G for just $20 a month — with a twist
Helium Mobile $20/month plan banner showing a happy woman against a pink background.

Nova Labs, the company that pioneered the “people-powered” Helium Network, has just announced a wallet-friendly new plan under its Helium Mobile brand that offers unlimited data, talk, and text for only $20 a month.

The no-contract plan provides nationwide 5G access primarily through its own Helium Mobile Network that’s backed up by “the nation’s largest 5G network” — T-Mobile. This allows the carrier to provide full 5G coverage at much more affordable prices than traditional carriers and Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs).

Read more