The Best — and Worst — Wireless Carriers for Network Quality Across the U.S.

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Phone networks are failing to live up to the needs of Gen Z’s young adults, members of which spend an average of more than five hours a day on their smartphones compared with just one hour for the oldest Americans.

That is among the findings of recent rankings from J.D. Power.

The 2024 U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study — based on responses from nearly 27,000 wireless customers nationwide during the second half of 2023 — found that unreliable connections and data speed are a bigger concern for Gen Z, thanks in part to demand for streaming and games.

“As wireless users get younger, network speed and reliability must remain at the forefront for providers to retain and attract customers,” says Carl Lepper, senior direct of technology, media and telecom at J.D. Power.

Gen Z noticed an average of 15 problems per 100 phone uses, while baby boomers noticed an average of seven. Pre-boomers — members of the Greatest and Silent Generations — cited just five.

The survey divided the U.S. into six regions and examined network performance in each. AT&T and Verizon had the fewest network problems — nine per 100 phone uses — in the Mid-Atlantic and North Central regions.

In the Southeast, the best performers, T-Mobile and Verizon, also had nine problems per 100 phone uses. In the Northeast, Verizon was the clear winner with problems reported just eight times out of 100.

Meanwhile, the farther west you go, the poorer the performance: The best network in both the Southwest and West regions was Verizon, with problems cropping up in 10% of cases.

Carrier performance by region

Here’s a breakdown of how each major wireless carrier performed on devices in a given region.

In the Mid-Atlantic region:

  • AT&T: 9 problems per 100 uses
  • Verizon: 9
  • T-Mobile: 11

In the North Central region:

  • AT&T: 9 problems per 100 uses
  • Verizon: 9
  • T-Mobile: 10
  • U.S. Cellular: 10

In the Northeast region:

  • Verizon: 8 problems per 100 uses
  • AT&T: 11
  • T-Mobile: 11

In the Southeast region:

  • T-Mobile: 9 problems per 100 uses
  • Verizon: 9
  • AT&T: 11

In the Southwest region:

  • Verizon: 10 problems per 100 uses
  • T-Mobile: 11
  • AT&T: 12

In the West region:

  • Verizon: 10 problems per 100 uses
  • T-Mobile: 11
  • AT&T: 12

How to find the best cellphone carrier

If the J.D. Power rankings have you thinking it might be time for a new carrier — and in truth, it’s always a good idea to comparison shop — stop by Money Talks News’ Solutions Center and use the phone and plan comparison tool.

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