Wireless Network Quality Hits Record Levels, JD Power Study Finds
Key Highlights
- JD Power's 2026 study found U.S. wireless network quality reached a record high, with just 8 problems per 100 devices (PP100), the lowest level ever recorded.
- Wireless customers used their devices an average of 16 minutes less over a 48-hour period than in 2025, a trend that may have contributed to fewer reported network issues.
- Network quality (39%) and carrier reputation (38%) ranked as the top reasons consumers choose a wireless provider, well ahead of price (24%).
U.S. wireless networks continue to deliver record-high performance, according to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study—Volume 2. The study found that customers reported an average of just 8 problems per 100 devices (PP100)—the lowest level recorded since JD Power began tracking the metric. A lower PP100 score indicates better network quality.
While the findings highlight continued investments in network performance by wireless carriers, the report also points to a notable shift in customer behavior. Average device usage declined by 16 minutes during a 48-hour period compared with the same study in 2025, suggesting that reduced network demand may also be contributing to lower reported problem rates.
“Network quality and reliability are among the most important aspects of the wireless customer experience, so it is great news for the industry that problem counts are trending lower nationwide,” said Carl Lepper, Senior Director, TMT and Utilities Practice at JD Power.
Lepper continues, “While some of this trend is no doubt being driven by carrier efforts to improve their networks, JD Power also finds a concordant trend in reduced overall device usage, which is helping to keep problem counts lower.”
Key Findings
Among the study's highlights:
- Network quality remained strong nationwide, with reported issues improving or holding steady across all six U.S. regions evaluated.
- Device usage declined, with customers averaging 413 minutes (6 hours, 53 minutes) of use over a 48-hour period, down from 429 minutes a year earlier. The reduction included approximately seven fewer minutes spent on voice calls and text messaging and nine fewer minutes on data-intensive activities such as streaming, browsing and gaming.
- Network performance continues to influence carrier selection. Thirty-nine percent (39%) of respondents cited network quality as a primary reason for choosing a wireless provider, followed closely by carrier reputation (38%). Price ranked significantly lower, influencing 24% of respondents.
Regional Rankings
Carrier performance varied by region:
- Mid-Atlantic: Verizon Wireless ranked first (6 PP100), followed by T-Mobile (7 PP100).
- North Central: Verizon Wireless ranked first (6 PP100), with AT&T and T-Mobile tied for second (7 PP100).
- Northeast: T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless tied for first (7 PP100).
- Southeast: Verizon Wireless ranked first (7 PP100), while AT&T and T-Mobile tied for second (8 PP100).
- Southwest: T-Mobile ranked first (7 PP100), followed by Verizon Wireless (8 PP100).
- West: T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless tied for first (8 PP100).
The 2026 study is based on responses from 19,535 U.S. wireless customers collected between December 2025 and May 2026. In addition to smartphones, the research evaluates the network performance of tablets and mobile broadband devices across six geographic regions.
Source: JD Power
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