Network analytics company Opensignal stacked global carriers against each other to see who is at the forefront of 5G in 2026. While T-Mobile managed to stand tall alongside other global heavyweights like Germany's Telekom and Japan's SoftBank, AT&T and Verizon were left settling for second-best tier trophies.
How the scoring works
Opensignal's ranking system. | Image by Mohamed Abbas
Opensignal analyzed billions of real-world data points across coverage, download speed, games, reliability, video, voice app, and time on 5G. The highest-scoring carrier in each category won the 5G Global Winner accolade, while the next-highest scorers bagged the Global Leaders status.
The Rising Star honors were bestowed on providers who improved the most compared to last year.
The results are split into large and small land areas to recognize the difference in serving large geographic areas and compact, densely populated ones. The USA was placed in the large land division.
As the role of 5G in modern life grows, the bar for what great 5G looks like keeps rising. The best operators in the world are defined by how well they deliver on that challenge, and this year's Global 5G Award winners set the standard.
Shawn Heidel, President, Network Experience at Opensignal, September 2026
T-Mobile is still at the top of its 5G game... domestically
T-Mobile is the only US carrier to score the highest in two categories. | Image by OpenSignal
T-Mobile was recognized as a 5G Global Leader in coverage and time on 5G.
Verizon and AT&T made it to the 5G Global Leader list for coverage. AT&T picked up Rising Star honors for improvement in download speed and voice app.
Zooming in
Digging deeper, AT&T and Verizon are within striking distance of T-Mobile in 5G coverage. However, T-Mobile has a considerable lead in Time on 5G, with Verizon very far down below in the rankings.
And although AT&T earned recognition for year-on-year improvement, T-Mobile continues to offer the fastest download speeds in the US.
The global reality check
Zoom out, and the US carriers are lurking behind their global peers.
T-Mobile may be the fastest in the US, but 18 global providers leave it in the dust on download speeds. Worse yet, T-Mobile and AT&T sit near the very bottom of the global charts for reliability.
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When it comes to gaming, voice apps, or video experience, not a single US carrier offers an experience that can touch the world's top performers.
How do the results make you feel?
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Global leadership
The FCC wants the US to be a global communications leader. However, the global rankings show that carriers have a lot of catching up to do.
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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