T-Mobile 5G about to leap ahead of AT&T and Verizon again
T-Mobile customers should expect another 5G boost soon.
The 5G gap is about to widen again. | Image by GeekWire
In 2024, T-Mobile teamed up with NVIDIA, Ericsson, and Nokia to form the AI-RAN Alliance to supercharge its network. The partnership is already bearing fruit, and customers are expected to get their first taste of the results later this year.
To understand the hype, let's do a quick 101 on the Radio Access Network (RAN). It's the link that connects devices to the core network. T-Mobile wants to use AI to revolutionize the capabilities of RAN.
T-Mobile and Ericsson trialed an AI-native Scheduler with Link Adaptation using customer traffic on T-Mobile's 5G Advanced network. This software uses an AI model to predict shifting wireless conditions and adjust in real time for a consistent customer experience.
Spectral efficiency rose by nearly 10%, and download speeds climbed by 15% during the trial.
By weaving faster decision-making into the RAN, this software ensures reliable performance even when signals are weak.
Customers can look forward to uninterrupted streaming and more responsive gaming.
T-Mobile lit up 5G Advanced, a new 5G standard, in April 2025. These latest achievements build on that foundation, proving that real-time, AI-powered decisions lead to a tangible boost in user experience.
Deeply embedding AI into the network allows T-Mobile to make the best use of its spectrum, which is a prized, limited asset.
T-Mobile plans to deploy the tech commercially in the third quarter of the year, per Fierce Wireless.
While the broader narrative around AI is getting dark, and many smartphone users are wondering if AI has improved their experience at all, T-Mobile and Ericsson's experiment shows the transformative side of the tech.
Previously, networks relied on rigid systems that couldn't react instantly to changing conditions to minimize disruptions in crowded places. With AI, users can expect a stable experience at all times.
While the network quality gap between AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon is narrowing, T-Mobile is still leading in 5G. Although Ericsson had tested the scheduler with link adaptation tech with other partners, this was the first test on actual customer traffic.
Toward a more performant network
To understand the hype, let's do a quick 101 on the Radio Access Network (RAN). It's the link that connects devices to the core network. T-Mobile wants to use AI to revolutionize the capabilities of RAN.
Spectral efficiency rose by nearly 10%, and download speeds climbed by 15% during the trial.
Customers can look forward to uninterrupted streaming and more responsive gaming.
Following our milestone as the first U.S. operator to deploy 5G Advanced nationwide in 2025, we’re continuing to push the boundaries of RAN innovation.
Grant Castle, Senior Vice President of RAN Engineering & Emerging Technologies at T-Mobile, May 2026
T-Mobile's continued lead
T-Mobile lit up 5G Advanced, a new 5G standard, in April 2025. These latest achievements build on that foundation, proving that real-time, AI-powered decisions lead to a tangible boost in user experience.
Deeply embedding AI into the network allows T-Mobile to make the best use of its spectrum, which is a prized, limited asset.
By embedding intelligence directly into RAN software, we can deliver real-time performance gains that enhance user experience while helping operators like T-Mobile maximize the value of their spectrum.
Johan Hultell, Head of Product Line RAN Software, Business Area Networks at Ericsson, May 2026
T-Mobile plans to deploy the tech commercially in the third quarter of the year, per Fierce Wireless.
How do you see the network hierarchy evolving?
Making AI actually useful
While the broader narrative around AI is getting dark, and many smartphone users are wondering if AI has improved their experience at all, T-Mobile and Ericsson's experiment shows the transformative side of the tech.
Previously, networks relied on rigid systems that couldn't react instantly to changing conditions to minimize disruptions in crowded places. With AI, users can expect a stable experience at all times.
While the network quality gap between AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon is narrowing, T-Mobile is still leading in 5G. Although Ericsson had tested the scheduler with link adaptation tech with other partners, this was the first test on actual customer traffic.
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