Investment bank TD Cowen recently took the market's temperature, gauging everything from consumer interest in Starlink Mobile to how AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon rank on brand perception. The results might come as a bit of a surprise.
Do consumers even want Starlink Mobile?
Most customers don't seem interested in Starlink Mobile. | Image by TD Cowen
TD Cowen surveyed nearly 800 consumers to see where the incumbent carriers stand.
Only 34% of participants said they might switch to Starlink Mobile.
Of those who are unlikely to switch, 25% are happy with their current carrier, while 24% avoid Elon Musk's companies. Performance and reliability concerns keep another 12% at bay, with 5% citing miscellaneous reasons.
Starlink can't lean on convergence bundling since its satellite broadband is limited to rural areas. It could try competing on price, but it would have to undercut prepaid offerings.
With Starlink home broadband relegated to mostly rural areas, a bundle would be limited, and thus we continue to believe that Starlink Mobile would have to win on price. Even then there are compelling cable MVNOs and prepaid offers at low entry points today in the marketplace.
TD Cowen, October 2026
To bypass these hurdles, Starlink could provide connectivity for physical AI or autonomous systems as a bargaining chip to partner with US carriers.
Regardless of its path, Starlink will likely bid heavily in the April 2027 upper C-band auction.
What would be your main reason for choosing Starlink Mobile?
3 Votes
Which Big Three customers want to jump ship most?
The survey revealed that AT&T customers are the most eager to try Starlink Mobile (52%), followed by T-Mobile (30%) and Verizon (23%).
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Overall, most consumers are satisfied with their current carrier, even if most of them have no idea what plan they have. That's true for 46% of Verizon, 39% of T-Mobile, 30% of AT&T customers. These are exactly the types of subscribers who stand to benefit from Meta Muse.
The brand image wars
TD Cowen has asked survey participants to rank carriers by brand/image for more than 13 years.
For the first 10 years, Verizon topped the rankings, while AT&T was second. T-Mobile steadily improved, surpassing AT&T, and eventually overtaking Verizon.
Verizon shot back to number one in the most recent survey with an average score of 1.92 (1 being best, 3 being the worst), and AT&T and T-Mobile tied for second place at 2.04. T-Mobile lost some ground, while AT&T improved.
...this latest survey shows that T-Mobile has slipped, AT&T course corrected and Verizon has retaken the No. 1 spot.
TD Cowen, October 2026
Other findings
T-Mobile has finally started getting recognition for its 5G lead, with 26% of its users saying they chose the Un-carrier for its superior network.
Perception is finally catching up with reality, as we asked: ‘Why did you choose your current network provider?’ and 26% of T-Mobile subscribers noted choosing T-Mobile because of their network. This 26% is a survey record high.
TD Cowen, October 2026
The edge is narrowing, though, as Verizon wraps up its C-band rollout and AT&T deploys spectrum acquired from EchoStar.
Other interesting nuggets include that Verizon's customer base skews older, prepaid subscribers are generally younger than postpaid ones, the average account holds two lines, and price is the main reason Big Three customers want to switch.
A win for Verizon
With its customers proving to be the most loyal when it comes to Starlink and the carrier reclaiming its brand title, CEO Dan Schulman has plenty to celebrate.
That doesn't mean T-Mobile is falling apart. It just means Verizon's ruthless effort to reverse course is paying off.
While we predicted T-Mobile’s rise to the top for many years, the faltering comes somewhat as a surprise, perhaps not their own undoing, but strides made at both Verizon and AT&T. At this point the trends are becoming harder to predict and the scores closer than ever as we are seeing industry brand/image parity.
On the Visible+ Pro plan, you get access to 5G Ultra Wideband data on Verizon's fastest network. Along with unlimited roaming across Mexico and Canada, 2 days of Global Pass per month, 3x hotspot speeds, 4K streaming, and Smartwatch service.
Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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