Internet research firm Ookla’s latest test report reveals that T-Mobile’s 5G services are still the fastest in the US. Thanks to the additional 2.5GHz spectrum, the telco’s median download performance on 5G networks has increased by nearly 30Mbps. The most noticeable change in T-Mobile’s 5G services after the allocation of the new spectrum is seen in the rural areas of the nation.
T-Mobile’s 5G services were fastest in March at 287.14Mbps
According to Ookla’s latest intelligence report, T-Mobile’s 5G services were the fastest in the US in March 2024. The carrier managed to achieve a median download speed of 287.14Mbps on its 5G networks. The company’s download speeds increased by 29.64Mbps within a month after the deployment of the additional 2.5GHz 5G spectrum. While the telco’s download speeds dropped to 275.50Mbps in May, it’s still the fastest 5G provider in the US.
Furthermore, the report suggests that 5G services of all telecom operators, especially T-Mobile, have seen a boost in rural areas. As per the data, the company added more download speeds in these regions thanks to the recent mid-band spectrum deployments. T-Mobile put the 2.5GHz mid-band spectrum to good use. It finally received the additional spectrum from the FCC after the 5G SALE Act was signed by President Biden in December 2023.
Verizon and AT&T’s 5G download speeds were 224.67Mbps and 145.36Mbps, respectively
Verizon took second spot on Ookla’s test results by offering a maximum download speed of 224.67Mbps in March. The company provided 22 percent slower 5G services than the market leader T-Mobile. As for AT&T, it lagged far behind in March with the median 5G download speeds of 145.36Mbps.
Verizon was also able to put its C-band mid-range 5G spectrum to good use which it purchased a few years ago. The additional spectrum allowed the company to play catch-up with T-Mobile in Q4 2023. Verizon was also able to boost its 5G performance in rural areas. AT&T unfortunately only saw a minor boost in median 5G download speeds in rural regions across the nation.
The report indicates that all telecom carriers in the US are prioritizing improvements in the 5G download performance. It will likely continue throughout the year. After stabilizing their download speeds, the telcos are expected to focus on maintaining latency and offering higher upload speeds as well.
2024-06-25 15:04:59