Speed test intelligence, powered by Ookla, has the latest numbers for network speed, consistency, 5G availability and other markers across the top three US mobile carriers: T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T. As the data shows, T-Mobile is crushing the opposition and it’s not even really that close right now.
According to AND, when it comes to being the fastest provider, T-Mobile has a median download speed of 90.65 Mbps. That’s much faster than AT&T’s median speed of 49 Mbps and double Verizon’s 44 Mbps. Median latency was also calculated, with each carrier marked in the low 30ms range.
Consistency tests, i.e. the carrier’s ability to deliver consistent speeds, showed that T-Mobile took top honors here as well. T-Mobile scored 87.3%, while Verizon scored 80.4% and AT&T scored 80.2%.
5G performance is where T-Mobile has really decided to shine. According to these tests, T-Mobile delivered a median 5G download speed of 187.12 Mbps, crushing Verizon’s 78 Mbps and doing the same with AT&T’s 68 Mbps.
The last part we want to highlight is the availability of 5G. As you can guess by now, T-Mobile did very well in this category as well. How this is measured is the “percentage of users on 5G-enabled devices who spend the majority of their time on 5G, both roaming and on the network.” T-Mobile took the crown with 61.4%, followed by AT&T’s 48%, then Verizon’s 36.4%.
While these numbers are fun for number seekers, everyone’s case is different. What looks good on paper may not translate to actual results. For example, Verizon may always have the best coverage for your home, which is perfectly fine. Go with what’s best for you, but if you’re relying on Ookla to tell you which carrier is the best value, it seems like T-Mobile is the clear winner out of the three.
// speed test
