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If You Want the Best Cell and Internet Service in 2025, Go With These Brands

Data from 'millions' of consumer tests suggests you might want to switch to this mobile carrier and fixed internet provider, according to Ookla.

 & Emily Forlini Senior Reporter

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The best mobile carrier and internet service providers (ISPs) in 2025 are—drumroll, please—T-Mobile and AT&T Fiber, according to a new report from Ookla.

Data gathered by the company's Speedtest tool in the first half of 2025 shows that T-Mobile earns the top spot for best mobile network, "across all technologies combined, and also specifically for 5G," with Speedtest score of 79.95, followed by Verizon (75.49) and AT&T (72.47).

The score combines download and upload performance. T-Mobile's median download speed is 245.48Mbps and its median 5G download speed is an even better 299.36Mbps. T-Mobile also scores the highest for its consistency of connection and for mobile gaming.

(Credit: Ookla)
(Credit: Ookla)

While T-Mobile earns the top spot overall, Verizon wins in two categories. The first is the best mobile experience for video streaming, with a score of 76.53 across all service types and 82.57 for 5G video streaming. Second, Verizon has the widest geographic reach.

Speaking of geography, San Antonio and Austin are the top performing major cities in the US for connectivity. San Antonio has the fastest median mobile download speed of 249.15Mbps, while Austin outpaces the other cities with the fastest median fixed download speed, at 344.46Mbps.

(Credit: Ookla)

The state with the fastest median mobile download speed isn't actually a state—Washington, D.C.—followed by Illinois and Rhode Island. The ones with the worst connectivity, or slowest median mobile download speed, are Alaska, Wyoming, and Vermont.

As for fixed ISPs, AT&T Fiber earns the top spot, with a median download speed of 363.54Mbps, and a median upload speed of 296.52Mbps. The second fastest is Frontier Fiber, followed by Verizon, Cox, Xfinity, and, Spectrum. When it comes to consistency of connection, they're all tied.

(Credit: Ookla)
(Credit: Ookla)

"There was no winner of best fixed network Consistency in the United States during this period, based on Speedtest Intelligence data, with no statistical difference between the ISPs," Ookla says. All the fixed ISPs scored similarly in the video streaming and gaming tests as well. The key gaming tests were latency, jitter, download speeds, and upload speeds.

In summary, if you want the best device connectivity, go with T-Mobile and AT&T Fiber—but make sure it works well in your area, because their performance can be region-dependent.

Disclosure: Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag’s parent company.

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Emily Forlini

Emily Forlini

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