Not AT&T, Not Verizon: This Is JD Power's Overall Best In Wireless Network Quality

According to Vol. 1 of J.D. Power's 2026 U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study, T-Mobile is your best bet for the strongest wireless network quality. The latest edition of the annual study took a look at how consistently top networks place at or near the top across every region measured. And while Verizon Wireless came out ahead in the North Central U.S. and tied T-Mobile in a few others, the magenta-colored mobile network still ended up with fewer problems reported per 100 uses overall.

That's the study's core metric: PP100. Lower PP100 scores mean better network quality. Essentially, fewer dropped calls, faster data speeds, and fewer connectivity issues during normal device use. Just because T-Mobile's PP100 scores were lowest overall doesn't mean all the other networks in competition aren't worth using, of course. Industrywide, almost all wireless networks are performing at a high level of functionality, with the only exception being AT&T.

While J.D. Power reports the national average holding steady at a PP100 score of nine or less over the past year, AT&T was at or above that in every region they measured. The study was based on responses from 20,050 customers surveyed between June and November 2025 and also included feedback on smartphones, tablets, and home internet devices for the most comprehensive view of real-world network reliability.

Big picture, T-Mobile ranks highest outright in the Southeast and Southwest with eight PP100 in both regions. It also ties with Verizon Wireless for the top spot in the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, and West, with scores ranging from eight to nine PP100 depending on the region. And while T-Mobile is the overall best, Verizon earned the lowest PP100 score on a region-to-region basis, with a six in North Central U.S. AT&T's 11 PP100 in the Northeast is the worst score in the entire study, region-to-region or overall, so it's not hard to see why AT&T is making some major adjustments this year.

These 2026 findings are a real shake-up compared to last year's. In 2025, Verizon Wireless was the most frequent regional leader, and national average PP100 scores were higher than they are now. Then, customers reported an average of 11 problems per 100 uses, up from nine in 2024. This year, it's back down to nine. Verizon Wireless ranked highest in four regions in 2025: Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, West, and tied with AT&T for the top spot in the Southwest. At the time, T-Mobile claimed first only in the Southeast, and with 11 PP100 to boot. With so many changes coming to T-Mobile in 2026, it'll be interesting to see how next year's findings pan out.