The news: T-Mobile was named the fastest cellular service in the US for Q1 2022 by the Market Report on the state of US mobile and fixed networks from Ookla.

Digging into the data: Ookla’s report revealed T-Mobile’s download speeds were the fastest in Q1, with a median download speed of 117.83 Mbps.

• Verizon Wireless ranked second with 62.62 Mbps.
• AT&T came in third with 56.10 Mbps.

T-Mobile also outranked competitors in 5G performance in Q1.

• The carrier boasts 191.12 Mbps download speeds on 5G devices, followed by Verizon (107.25 Mbps)  and  AT&T (68.43 Mbps),
• Verizon reached 107.25 Mbps in Q1 2022— up from 78.52 Mbps in Q4—after it flipped the switch on its 5G C-band network in January.

What’s next: While very much in flux, the state of wireless providers’ speeds and coverage can be a factor in business expansion as existing and new wireless customers deliberate which carriers presently offer more speed and wider coverage.

• T-Mobile has attributed its extra 5G network capacity in offering lower pricing for mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) partners like Google Fi, Altice, Ultra Mobile, and EarthLink.
• T-Mobile is in a strong position to continue expanding its own 5G wireless network in the US as well, allowing them to seize a larger market share in both the subscription and prepaid 5G segments.
• Competing carriers will need to ramp up their download speeds and coverage to remain competitive, especially as 5G handset adoption continues to grow.