This time the congratulations go to T-Mobile US TMUS in the latest Opensignal report on 5G service. Opensignal is one of several wireless testing companies that measure the performance of the various carriers in the United States. The firm publishes several reports every year on the progress each carrier is making. 5G leadership has changed many times so far and will continue to change. This time, T-Mobile gets the nod.

These studies are important because they keep all carriers on their toes.

It does not pay to switch away from one carrier to another for better 5G performance, however, simply because all carriers are rapidly moving in the same direction and will continue to do so for years to come.

Here is the current Opensignal lineup for 5G wireless in the United States this time around:

  • T-Mobile US is the winner in three of five 5G categories today.
  • Verizon Wireless VZ is the winner in two of five, 5G categories, today.
  • AT&T Mobility won in no categories this time around.

My how things have changed. T-Mobile used to be at the bottom; now it has worked its working its way to the top.

T-Mobile was the leader in these three categories:

  • 5G availability
  • 5G reach.
  • 5G download speed.

Verizon Wireless was the leader in these two categories:

  • 5G games experience.
  • 5G voice app experience.

AT&T didn’t win any categories this time.

So, today T-Mobile is the winner until the next snapshot report is released.

No single wireless carrier is best for every 5G user

The real question you should be asking yourself is this:

Which carrier is the fastest and best for you? What I mean is, in the area you spend the most time.

Let me explain. In my coffee group each morning, we chat about a variety of things. Sometimes we compare 5G speeds using the Ookla SpeedTest.

During the last several months, at our location, T-Mobile has been the fastest, period, by a long shot.

If we were in a different location around town, however, the fastest could be Verizon Wireless or AT&T Mobility.

So, it all depends on where you are, the kind of device you have and the service and plan you have.

The fastest 5G signal requires network, handset and plan

Getting the fastest 5G connection counts on a variety of conditions all being met.

Just because T-Mobile won this Opensignal test, and just because it’s the fastest carrier in the towers where we have coffee, does not mean we should all be switching.

Yesterday, T-Mobile was in trouble. The good news is that, today, it can compete with Verizon and AT&T effectively.

Which carrier has the fastest speed for you all depends on where you spend time and what you need. Remember, not everyone wants or needs 5G speeds.

If you want 5G speeds, then you must compare carriers based on where you spend time. That’s the only way to accurately judge the best carrier for you.

Of course, if you are responsible for the entire family or company, that doesn’t matter as much since users are all over the map.

The fastest 5G wireless carrier is different for everyone

The fastest carrier will be different for different people in different locations.

You may be on the fastest network in your area of the city. Or you may be on the slowest. Then again, that will change as we move ahead.

You see, it all depends on how the towers you use are engineered. In the future, they will all be 5G speeds. Today, they are not. Only some towers are.

So, if you are lucky to be in an area with a fast 5G signal, count yourself lucky, no matter who your carrier is.

Opensignal tests 5G wireless with T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T

Opensignal is one of the leading testing companies in the United States. They have been testing the wireless signal from the nation's networks for longer than I can remember.

Remember, while these studies are great for looking at which carrier leads today, every user must determine the best carrier for them. Period.

Over time we have seen different companies in the leadership position for different categories.

I fully expect this will continue to change over the coming years.

For example, just a year or two ago, AT&T Mobility was first to market with 5G and held Opensignal's crown for several studies.

During that time, Verizon Wireless was the leader in home based 5G. This is different from 5G over a wireless smartphone in the public space.

Today, T-Mobile takes the lead.

Bottom line, it all depends on where the user is standing. Tomorrow, the 5G wireless leader could be T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless or AT&T Mobility.

5G will continue to grow and different carriers will lead over time

This is what we can expect going forward.

Will this help you make a decision regarding how fast your 5G connection is for you, your family or your company?

It will make a difference for some and not so much for others.

The truth is all wireless carriers are rapidly moving toward 5G and will be doing so continually over the next several years.

Which carrier will lead 5G wireless in next Opensignal report?

So, making a move today may not make much sense when in a few months the carrier you switched away from could be the leader where you spend most of your time.

These wireless reports are important as a general score card. They let us know which carriers are winning across broadly defined categories.

They are also good because they keep each competitor rushing to upgrade as fast as it can. After all, no carrier wants to be last. And that competition is good for the 5G marketplace.

So, pick a carrier and if you are happy, stick with it. They are all rushing and heading in the same 5G direction. They have to for competitive reasons. That’s the name of the game in the 5G wireless race for the next several years.

 

Jeff Kagan is an Equities News columnist. Kagan is a Wireless Analyst, Technology Analyst and Commentator who follows Telecom, Pay TV, Cloud, AI, IoT, TeleHealth, Healthcare, Automotive, Self-Driving cars and more. Email him at [email protected]. His web site is www.jeffKAGAN.com. Follow him on Twitter @jeffkagan and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-kagan/.

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Equities News Columnist: Jeff Kagan

Source: Equities News

Mentioned in this Article
AT&T, Inc.
Verizon Communications Inc
T-Mobile US Inc