Looks like Verizon isn’t losing users to T-Mobile because of price – it’s something else
People say decades of loyalty can’t outweigh constant service headaches.
Verizon customers hit the breaking point every now and then, and when that happens, the complaints usually land online – because honestly, where else do we vent in 2025? One recent post highlights a pain point Verizon can’t keep brushing off if it wants to stop the steady stream of people walking away.
Another frustrated longtime Verizon user jumped on Reddit to share why they bailed. They switched to T-Mobile not too long ago, and right after that, Verizon sent them one of those “come back to us” offers we talked about recently. But as this user explains, the issue wasn’t the bill – it was the 5G service constantly letting them down.
They go on to say that T-Mobile simply gives them better coverage, and that reliability is something they аre not willing to give up. From there, more users jumped in with the same experiences: pricing isn’t always the dealbreaker – dependable coverage is.
And while plenty of people are still getting solid Verizon service, it really comes down to where you live and how you use your phone, because a lot of users are running into problems.
Verizon’s been on shaky ground lately, and the churn numbers from last quarter made that painfully clear. High prices, hit-or-miss support, and yes – inconsistent service – are pushing people out the door. The carrier recently swapped CEOs, and the new leadership is trying to stabilize things.
Part of that plan involves cutting expenses and streamlining operations, and the first major move is massive layoffs. Verizon’s new CEO, Dan Schulman, is slashing 13,000 jobs out of its roughly 100,000-employee workforce.
That nearly 20% reduction in nonunion labor costs is supposed to help Schulman reset the company as it struggles with ongoing customer losses. But cheaper operations won’t solve everything – solid network performance still matters.
Of course, Verizon isn’t bad everywhere. On 4G, it’s still one of the most dependable carriers in the US. The real trouble starts with 5G – and in 2025, almost everyone has a 5G phone, so people expect it to actually work.
And the coverage gap is big. Verizon’s 5G-NR footprint sits at around 14%, with only about 9% for its faster 5G tier. Meanwhile, T-Mobile is far ahead: 37% coverage for standard 5G-NR (7/1 Mbps) and 26% for the faster stuff (35/3 Mbps).
Why the huge difference? T-Mobile scored early access to a huge chunk of mid-band spectrum – the famous 2.5 GHz band it inherited from Sprint. Mid-band is the sweet spot for 5G: fast enough to feel like a big upgrade, but it also travels far and covers wide areas.
Verizon went another direction early on, pouring effort into high-band mmWave – branded as 5G Ultra Wideband (UW). And yes, mmWave can deliver crazy-fast speeds, but only if you’re standing basically right next to a tower. It doesn’t travel far, and walls, trees, and even windows block it easily.
So, Verizon chased top-end speed with a tech that can’t scale across an entire country, and later tried to fix its coverage problem by buying C-band. But that rollout got slowed down by regulations and technical challenges. Meanwhile, T-Mobile already had a huge mid-band head start.
That early advantage is exactly why T-Mobile leads in 5G coverage and average speeds today – and why so many frustrated Verizon users are switching. Maybe things will shift once 6G starts rolling out in a few years, but from the way things look right now, T-Mobile might end up ahead there, too, since it’s reportedly already laying the groundwork.
Verizon frustrations hit the internet again
Another frustrated longtime Verizon user jumped on Reddit to share why they bailed. They switched to T-Mobile not too long ago, and right after that, Verizon sent them one of those “come back to us” offers we talked about recently. But as this user explains, the issue wasn’t the bill – it was the 5G service constantly letting them down.
I just received a card from them begging me to come back. “Bring in your bill from AT&T or Tmobile, and we will beat it”. I can’t believe they think I left because other carriers are cheaper. The sad thing is that they fail to realize the their service is complete trash now. I was with Verizon for about 17 years and honestly it used to be the best… not anymore…
– EnCrio, Reddit, December 2025
They go on to say that T-Mobile simply gives them better coverage, and that reliability is something they аre not willing to give up. From there, more users jumped in with the same experiences: pricing isn’t always the dealbreaker – dependable coverage is.
My biggest complaint with Verizon is how they used to have such good signal and now half the places I go I can barely get a signal or it's slow af. Something with the changeover to 5g I think, but it's terrible.
– OzMedical80, Reddit, December 2025
I was in the same boat and just switched over to T-Mobile. Have only ever had Verizon since the days I was on my parent’s plan in high school. Since I’ve made the switch I’m not constantly looking for WiFi like I was on Verizon.
– DrewRddt, Reddit, December 2025
And while plenty of people are still getting solid Verizon service, it really comes down to where you live and how you use your phone, because a lot of users are running into problems.
Yeah, the quality of network service and customer service is whats driving customers away from Verizon.
– Comprehensive_Egg402, Reddit, December 2025
I just left Verizon after 15 years. First the service sucks. Two years ago we were without service for 62 days. No prorated bills for anyone in town. Nothing. I had to file complaints with FCC and BBB to get Verizon to listen. I should’ve left then. This year we’ve had so many outages, more filing complaints. Then they said oh we’ll give you $10 off per line and a discount for being a long time customer- that was back in April. I never saw the discounts and in November yet another outage. I bailed as fast as I could.
– Goat_Goddesss, Reddit, December 2025
Verizon is losing customers – and fast
Verizon’s been on shaky ground lately, and the churn numbers from last quarter made that painfully clear. High prices, hit-or-miss support, and yes – inconsistent service – are pushing people out the door. The carrier recently swapped CEOs, and the new leadership is trying to stabilize things.
That nearly 20% reduction in nonunion labor costs is supposed to help Schulman reset the company as it struggles with ongoing customer losses. But cheaper operations won’t solve everything – solid network performance still matters.
The real problem: 5G
Of course, Verizon isn’t bad everywhere. On 4G, it’s still one of the most dependable carriers in the US. The real trouble starts with 5G – and in 2025, almost everyone has a 5G phone, so people expect it to actually work.
Verizon 5G network (first map), T-Mobile 5G network (second map), and AT&T 5G network (third map). | Image credit – FCC
Why the huge difference? T-Mobile scored early access to a huge chunk of mid-band spectrum – the famous 2.5 GHz band it inherited from Sprint. Mid-band is the sweet spot for 5G: fast enough to feel like a big upgrade, but it also travels far and covers wide areas.
Verizon went another direction early on, pouring effort into high-band mmWave – branded as 5G Ultra Wideband (UW). And yes, mmWave can deliver crazy-fast speeds, but only if you’re standing basically right next to a tower. It doesn’t travel far, and walls, trees, and even windows block it easily.
So, Verizon chased top-end speed with a tech that can’t scale across an entire country, and later tried to fix its coverage problem by buying C-band. But that rollout got slowed down by regulations and technical challenges. Meanwhile, T-Mobile already had a huge mid-band head start.
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