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T-Mobile Has Most Reliable 5G Network Over AT&T and Verizon, Say Two Studies

T-Mobile comes out ahead of other US carriers in recent Umlaut and Ookla network studies.

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David Lumb Mobile Reporter
David Lumb is a mobile reporter covering how on-the-go gadgets like phones, tablets and smartwatches change our lives. Over the last decade, he's reviewed phones for TechRadar as well as covered tech, gaming, and culture for Engadget, Popular Mechanics, NBC Asian America, Increment, Fast Company and others. As a true Californian, he lives for coffee, beaches and burritos.
Expertise smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, telecom industry, mobile semiconductors, mobile gaming
David Lumb
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A pair of reports has put T-Mobile's 5G network ahead of AT&T and Verizon's networks in key metrics including reliability, coverage and speed.

From April to September, T-Mobile nearly beat out AT&T in 5G coverage and stability and handily topped Verizon, though the latter had better latency than the other carriers, according to analyst firm Umlaut's midyear Audit Report

Separately, Ookla's speed test for the third quarter of 2022 showed T-Mobile's network showing a median speed of 116 Mbps, nearly double Verizon and AT&T at 58 Mbps and 57 Mbps, respectively. T-Mobile similarly topped upload speeds, but only barely, at just under 11 Mbps compared with around 8 Mbps for both Verizon and AT&T. T-Mobile also beat out the others for availability, though Verizon edged out T-Mobile for consistency.

Raw numbers help consumers understand how 5G networks stack up to each other, but carriers stack up differently based on methodologies used in studies. JD Power, which takes 5G and 4G LTE into account, named Verizon as the most reliable network in July.

AT&T and Verizon didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.