T-Mobile squeaks past Verizon for title of fastest LTE network

[satam55]

Who really gives you the fastest download speeds in the US? According to a new report on America's mobile networks from OpenSignal, the answer is T-Mobile. The carrier easily took the top spot when it came to downloads on 3G (an average speed of 3.5 Mbps compared to second place AT&T’s 2.2 Mbps), and just narrowly clinched the top spot for 4G (12.3 Mbps download speeds compared to Verizon’s 12 Mbps). Both Verizon and Sprint performed pretty badly on 3G (0.7 Mbps and 0.6 Mbps respectively), while AT&T and Sprint did marginally better on 4G (7.9 Mbps and 6.6 Mbps respectively).

To keep these figures in context, the average download speed on an LTE network in the US was 9.9 Mbps — fine for loading web pages and keeping your apps ticking over, but short of the global average of 13.5 Mbps and well behind top performers like New Zealand and Singapore (average LTE speeds of 36 Mbps and 33 Mbps respectively in last year’s report). The US does make up for this in terms of coverage, though, with subscribers getting an LTE signal 81 percent of the time — putting it in the top 10 worldwide, impressive for such a large nation.

T-Mobile was also particularly successful when it came to coverage. The carrier has previously lagged behind its rivals, but as part of CEO John Legere’s ambitious and often bombastic campaign to remake "the Uncarrier," it has improved its LTE coverage to 81 percent — up from 61 percent at the beginning of 2014. That’s still behind AT&T (82 percent) and Verizon (86 percent), but ahead of Sprint (70 percent). Coverage in this case is based on the amount of time subscribers have an LTE signal available to them — not necessarily geographic availability.

 

[Maddmike]

We made it!!! 20 years I been with T-Mobile

 

[Hiphoplives4eva]

Best mobile network hands down

 

[Joe Sixpack]

signal is still ass

 

[Khalil's_Black_Excellence]

Yeah, that speed don't really mean much if your range of reliability is so limited. I'm on T-mobile so I can speak on that life. My signal goes from really strong to pure shyt just walking in a circle. These shyts are shyt when indoors and when on freeways too.

 

[-DMP-]

If only the coverage better. Had to get the lil LTE mini tower for my apt cuz it was so ass.

Its cheap as hell tho and fast so

 

[BonafideDefacto]

I've had both, currently still with t mobile due to how much I travel abroad. That said, if it weren't for my time spent over seas, I'd switch back to verizon. Tmob is ass domestically when it comes to signal. I have colleagues of mine with at&t that has a better domestic signal in most places

 

[Leasy]

Went from to not mention to top 5. We did it

 

[Cat piss martini]

 

[#StarkSet]

Nyc and LA won

Signal doesn't work anywhere else

 

[head shots101]

shyt still ass in my hospital.... Fast as fukk tho when I have service

 

[Joe Sixpack]

Nyc and LA won

Signal doesn't work anywhere else

This is wrong I keep tellin y'all this..

I'm in NYC and T Mobile was still asscheeks with me

 

[ball15life]

Nyc and LA won

Signal doesn't work anywhere else

Haven't had many problems in the dc/bmore metro area...they've definitely improved over the years

 

[NatiboyB]

Im glad Tmobile is improving but I'm in too many bullshyt cities and areas to actually make use of this.

 

[Ill Lou Malnati]

T-Mob