Ookla, the company behind Speedtest, has just released its semi-annual connectivity report for the United States, analyzing the second half of 2024. A notable insight from the report is the ongoing improvement in 5G performance. This brings up an important question: can users actually perceive this enhancement?
The findings indicate that 5G performance has developed significantly across the country, showcasing enhanced download and upload speeds. For users with iPhones, this translates to quicker application downloads and a reduction in video streaming interruptions.
Nevertheless, 5G has been viewed as an upgrade that doesn’t always feel substantial. After accounting for the ultrafast mmWave 5G performance experienced in select locations, many users may feel like they’re simply experiencing an extension of 4G/LTE technology.
5G Performance in 2024
What are the specifics according to the data? The earliest comparable report from Ookla covers the first half of 2024. Below are some comparisons between the first and second halves of the previous year.
5G Speed Score is derived from an evaluation of download, upload, and latency results.
- T-Mobile increased its score from 228.24 to 242.76.
- Verizon’s score dropped from 191.56 to 185.26.
- AT&T inched upward from 131.63 to 132.68.
In terms of customer perceptions, there hasn’t been a significant positive shift, with overall satisfaction ratings remaining quite stable.
Customer Sentiment is assessed using a 5-star rating scale.
- T-Mobile’s rating slightly decreased from 3.73 to 3.7.
- Verizon maintained a rating of 3.29 throughout the year.
- AT&T’s rating slipped from 3.14 to 3.12.
Although the scores are above average, there hasn’t been much overall evolution in consumer satisfaction.
Additionally, Ookla has introduced 5G Availability rankings in this latest documentation, which account for how frequently a carrier’s customers can utilize 5G access.
- T-Mobile is ahead with an availability rate of 89.4%.
- AT&T follows in second place at 86.2%.
- Verizon remains below 50% with a rate of 49.3%.
This aspect will need to be monitored in future reports.
Regarding fixed internet service, Ookla has given high marks to AT&T Fiber, stating:
AT&T Fiber achieved the highest ISP ranking in the United States for the second half of 2024, boasting a median download speed of 357.45 Mbps and a median upload speed of 286.93 Mbps.
AT&T is celebrating this dominance in the market:
Explore both reports in detail below:
You can learn more about Ookla’s testing methodology here. Let us know your thoughts on the current state of 5G experiences.
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