T-Mobile vs. Verizon vs. AT&T: The Ultimate 5G Carrier Showdown

Choosing the right mobile carrier—whether it’s T-Mobile, Verizon, or AT&T—has become even more important than before, as it will determine the quality of connectivity, production, and the overall experience. Each carrier has its list of advantages on 5G speed, broad coverage, pricing, and customer service.  

This makes it complex for the masses to choose the best carrier for themselves. Owing to this confusion, the masses often make a wrong decision that leads to a bad overall experience.

Send Credit’s editorial team has conducted a detailed survey to determine various aspects that will help you make an informed decision with respect to the selection of the best carrier.  

This article provides a detailed comparison of these carriers, focusing on their 5G performance, network reach, and plan value. The goal is identifying which carrier offers the best speed, coverage, and affordability. 

It’s structured to analyze the speed and coverage of 5G before contrasting pricing and features, alongside estimating punctuality and assistance offered. This sort of evaluation gives a thorough understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each carrier.  

Did it pique your interest? Let’s dive right in. 

5G Speed Performance of Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile

According to recent reports from Ookla and Opensignal, T-Mobile has consistently outperformed Verizon and AT&T in 5G median download speeds.

The following table summarizes the 5G speed performance of these carriers: 

T-Mobile 

T-Mobile’s dominance in 5G speed is no fluke but rather the result of strategic investment and technological advancement. 

Over 200 MVNO brands operate over T-Mobile’s network, including Boost Mobile, SIMPLE Mobile, Mint Mobile, and Lycamobile.

Many elements account for its astounding 5G speed:

• Widespread Use of Mid-Band Spectrum: The forces driving the leap in T-Mobile’s mid-band spectrum usage after the network was upgraded in March 2024 are a game-changer. The strategy has already produced an appreciable improvement from 257.5 Mbps to 287.14 Mbps in a month. 

• 5G Standalone (SA) Network Expansion: Focus on the 5G Standalone (SA) network rollout has further raised T-Mobile’s numbers on speed and network efficiency. This type of network does not require an LTE anchor to maintain connections, thus allowing for faster and more reliable connections. 

• Six-Carrier Aggregation: The use of six-carrier aggregation has allowed T-Mobile to combine multiple frequency bands, maximizing the use of spectrum available and speeding up performance. According to the other info gathered, T-Mobile’s performance declined slightly from 275.50 Mbps in May to 275.24 Mbps in June 2024. Still, it outperformed its nearby rivals quite considerably. The other gains that T-Mobile would have acquired if revived at the finish of the US Cellular merger with additional spectrum would further expand T-Mobile’s capacity and rural footprint, making their already strong network nearly unbeatable. 

Verizon 

Verizon’s 5G performance has been considerably improved over the past year, but it looks like the growth will slow down from its earlier rate going into 2024. 

Here are some key Insights into Verizon’s 5G Speed Performance: 

• C-Band Spectrum Deployment: Verizon’s primary source of speed top-up towards the end of 2023 was deployment in C-band spectrum that carried the provider up from 133.56 Mbps as of June 2023 to 215.57 Mbps by the end of the same year.

• Speed Stabilization: By early 2024, Verizon speed was at 224.67 Mbps; the report said this growth type of scale is likely to become difficult to maintain at the same pace, thus signaling a stalling of performance. 

• Urban vs. Rural Focus: Its increasing urban speeds are the main focus of Verizon, which is closely battling against T-Mobile. Nonetheless, the lack of significant rural 5G improvement might hinder its competitive edge.

Verizon remains a strong competitor, particularly in urban markets. However, its stagnating speed growth raises questions about its ability to keep pace with T-Mobile’s rapid advancements.

AT&T 

AT&T gets dragged down by T-Mobile on speed in the 5G setting. 

Although one of the biggest carriers in the United States, AT&T’s 5G adjustments have not kept pace with its competitors:

• Speed Lag: AT&T scored 145.36 Mbps of median 5G speed, trailing behind T-Mobile and Verizon significantly. This gap worries AT&T, desperate for hefty investments to help it catch up on performance.

• Limited Spectrum Deployment: AT&T’s slow speed is partly explained by its former cautious approach regarding the deployment of spectrum. T-Mobile and Verizon have made spectacular advancements throughout their mid-band and C-band networks, while AT&T has barely scratched the surface when upgrading its network. 

• Future Prospects: AT&T must speed up its 5G rollout and elevate its network for higher speeds to stay afloat. This is a long way off compared to T-Mobile and Verizon, but it calls for great effort and significant investments.

5G Availability of T-Mobile, Verizon, and T-Mobile in the U.S. 

How carriers adopt the changing demands of 5G users will determine the competitive landscape. Features such as network reliability, coverage, and speed will separate them.

In terms of further investment in network infrastructure and technology, T-Mobile will surpass all. 

Currently and far into the future, T-Mobile is positioned as the leader in 5G speed and performance. 

However, Verizon and AT&T need their innovations and much heavier investments to fill the gap and create a more competitive future for 5G. 

Concerning 5G coverage expansion across the United States, the race among T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T—while not very competitive—offers varying levels of success. 

Unlike others, T-Mobile continued to dominate the gladiatorial arenas of 5G in early 2024. 

This section delves into 5G availability among the top three carriers based on updated data and trends. 

The following table summarizes the 5G availability statistics for T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T, as reported by Opensignal:

T-Mobile 

T-Mobile has showcased its impeccable hold in 5G availability as users experience 5G services roughly 50% of the time. Several attributes have assisted T-Mobile immensely in this case: 

• Strategic investments: Satellite internet has improved coverage in more rural areas, including ongoing initiatives by T-Mobile’s next-generation service to expand its reach into more parts of the United States. This was a major focus of the 5G spectrum auction held in August 2022 by T-Mobile. 

• The carrier’s approach: Their approach in conjunction with its mid-band spectrum, mainly the 2,500 MHz spectrum, is aimed at expanding its 5G footprint. In addition to additional spectrum licenses in the 2.5GHz and 600MHz being sought to complement deployment, that carrier has pushed to further augment coverage, especially in rural areas.  

• Standalone 5G Network: The early and expanded rollout of T-Mobile’s standalone 5G network (which relies less on LTE fallback) has provided a more consistent and extensive 5G coverage experience. 

Verizon 

While Verizon shows only an 8.9% coverage with 5G, this clearly establishes that its acquisition policy is to confine coverage to specific urban areas rather than offering national availability.

Verizon has adequate launch support in densely populated places, but widening its reach in other states remains challenging:

• Focus on C-band spectrum: Deployment of C-band spectrum has mostly taken place in urban areas, helping achieve stronger speeds in those regions but contributing little to national-scale coverage. 

• Minimal rural coverage: Verizon has struggled to extend its 5G Ultra Wideband service to rural regions, despite its effectiveness in cities. Although the carrier has announced plans to expand its C-band coverage, availability remains limited. 

While users experience megabit download speeds in upstate New York cities like Syracuse and Albany, Verizon’s urban-focused strategy makes it extremely difficult for users to connect to 5G broadband services outside city limits. 

AT&T 

AT&T sits between T-Mobile and Verizon, with 5G availability at 20.7%. While its coverage is slightly better than Verizon’s, it still falls behind T-Mobile. 

• Future potential: To remain competitive, AT&T must rapidly increase its 5G deployment and expand its spectrum holdings to improve coverage in both urban and rural areas. 

• Spectrum strategy of reasonable proportions: AT&T’s hesitating approach in spectrum deployment restrained the reaching capacity of 5G today. Unlike T-Mobile,  it never went for new licenses during the 2.5GHz auction, hampering its expansion efforts. 

• Availability: Much like Verizon, AT&T’s 5G network mainly covers urban and suburban zones, although in this scenario, AT&T does have a slight edge over Verizon. Nevertheless, it has not aggressively expanded into rural territories, which denies a large sector of the population access.  

Ultimately, AT&T claims a middle ground in 5G availability, prioritizing a balanced but less aggressive expansion strategy. 

Plans Pricing, Features, and Value for Money 

When evaluating unlimited plans based on pricing and features, two key factors define overall value-for-money: 

Each provider offers a range of plans catering to different needs. Below is a breakdown of plans per provider:

Learn: How to top up mobile data?

T-Mobile  

T-Mobile offers excellent value, as most plans include taxes and fees, simplifying the billing process. 

Magenta Max and Go5G Plus provide premium features at affordable prices, catering to heavy users and international travelers. 

AT&T  

AT&T has comprehensive plans loaded with great features; however, the substantial taxes and fees may further the total cost.

The Unlimited Premium plan is the best option for users needing high data speeds without throttling.

Verizon  

Verizon’s plans offer flexibility with add-on perks but can be expensive depending on customization.  

The Unlimited Ultimate plan is well-suited for users prioritizing extensive data and hotspot use.

Customer Support Comparison: T-Mobile vs. Verizon vs. AT&T 

When it comes to a carrier choice, customer support is as essential as cost, reliability, and network quality. 

The latest Opensignal report that focused on a factor “reliability experience” has shown that the three major carriers—T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T—indeed provide tremendous value, but there are some differences. 

T-Mobile Customer Support: 

• Rating: 887/1000 

• Central Overview: T-Mobile continues as the best-for-customer-satisfaction with good standards in support, including 24/7 customer care, reliable clear app ease of use, and a good record of issues settlement. 

• Strength: Southwestern-Southeastern areas boost their image in reliability and customer care amongst the network. 

Verizon Customer Support: 

• Rating: 886/1000 

• Central Overview: Verizon is just behind T-Mobile for its strong support for customers that binds its services through reasoned support. This includes responsive service and myriad support options, thereby helping the customers avail themselves of help on time without undue delay across the nation. 

AT&T Customer Support: 

• Rating: 875/1000 

• Central Overview: While AT&T falls behind in terms of overall ratings, it still provides commendable customer support. Attributes include an extensive library of online resources and a wealth of representatives. 

Our Analysis: The Most Suitable Carrier for You 

In fact, T-Mobile is on top in comparison with Verizon and AT&T by offering one of the most comprehensive choices available. 

T-Mobile provides an exceptional value by optimally balancing speed, coverage, and pricing. Trials suggest that nearly 50% of T-Mobile’s 5G coverage has an average of just less than 287 megabits per second.

Its plans, though reasonably priced with clearly understood pricing, offer great value. This makes it ideally suited to users looking for reliable coverage without breaking the bank. 

Verizon prides itself on offering superior speeds, namely the fastest 5G experience in cities, with most areas touching or exceeding 494 Mbps speeds.

However, it has limited reach at 8.9% coverage in 5G, making it less appealing for people not based in urban areas or those looking for an economical contract. 

AT&T offers reliable service but falls behind in terms of speed at about 145 Mbps and overall coverage of 20.7%. While good options exist in plans, AT&T still lags behind T-Mobile in innovation and reach, making it a bit of an underdog in this comparison. 

The Bottom Line 

In selecting between T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T, weigh your priorities: whether it is speed, quality of coverage, or overall value. 

• T-Mobile provides a great all-around option with broad 5G reach and solid performance metrics at reasonable prices—the perfect option for those looking for a balance of service quality and expense. 

• Verizon stands strong on a high-speed platform, offering fast access primarily in metropolitan areas. However, its relatively higher costs might be an obstacle for many outside city centers. 

• AT&T ensures reliability but does not match the speeds or breadth of 5G access provided by competitors. Its services may appeal more to those who prefer stability over advanced features. 

Overall, T-Mobile remains the most flexible and cheapest telephone carrier for most people. In contrast, Verizon realizes superfast speeds attractive to certain customers, while AT&T is for those who are mainly concerned with delivery service rather than fast data rates.