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Whose subscribers use the most data? Verizon vs AT&T vs T-Mobile and Sprint

By Daniel Petrov

Published: Jan 18, 2018, 8:30 AM

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Whose subscribers use the most data? Verizon vs AT&T vs T-Mobile and Sprint

Not that it comes as a huge surprise, but folks on the cheapest unlimited mobile data plans - those of T-Mobile and Sprint - are using much more bits and bytes than those on the "expensive" carriers like Verizon or AT&T, says a new report from research firm Strategy Analytics.

As you can see from the graphs below, T-Mobile subscribers are the absolute leaders in monthly data usage among all four major US carriers, with about 5GB on average, followed by Sprint at about 4GB, Verizon at 3GB, and, finally, AT&T with the modest ~2GB.

This is for cellular data, though, as Wi-fi usage distribution paints a somewhat different picture, with Verizon taking the lead, followed by Sprint and T-Mobile. Needless to say, those on unlimited plans are the worst culprits in terms of average monthly consumption, while those with monthly quotas, or the pay-as-you-go crowd, consume much less.

Given that "data prioritization" aka throttling kicks in at 20GB+, or even at 30GB of monthly usage for T-Mobile, those average numbers look pretty modest to us anyway, but let's not forget that they include all subscribers, even those without data plans, or with data cap limitations, hence humbler monthly outlays.

Verizon vs AT&T vs T-Mobile and Sprint average cellular and Wi-fi data consumption December 2017

source: Fierce Wireless

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena from 2010 to 2025, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.