Copyright SlashGear
The answer to the question of how much to spend on a new phone will depend on the buyer's individual needs, what features are must-haves, and how much they value style and brand prestige over straight specs. Fortunately, the matter of which U.S-based cellular service provider is best is quite a bit less subjective. The best carriers offer widespread, reliable coverage, plans with good value for the cost, and effective customer service. In July 2025, JD Power released the results of its first wireless carrier customer satisfaction survey. The organization polled more than 56,000 customers asking them to rank their carrier's performance across eight categories. The result was clear: T-Mobile scored the highest of any major prepaid or subscription-based carrier, outpacing large and small providers alike. The study also ranked mobile virtual network operators (companies that lease and re-sell bandwidth from major carriers), with Consumer Cellular and Mint Mobile taking the top spots in the postpaid and prepaid segments, respectively. JD Power's senior director of technology, media and telecom Carl Lepper said that the results of the survey "show that value is the most important driver of the overall experience, followed closely by service quality." A network that's not up to the task can render even newest and best smartphones useless, although one reliable way to get a stronger signal on your phone is to turn airplane mode on and off to reset the connection. Failing that, resetting your network settings or removing and replacing your SIM card might fix the problem. While it's out, you can check for damage to the card or its contact pins. The fact that T-Mobile users generally don't suffer from major problems — including coverage issues — makes it consistently a favorite of consumers and professional reviewers. Tom's Guide named T-Mobile the best phone carrier of 2025 based on cost, data speed, and other factors. Two veteran reporters from WhistleOut put T-Mobile's service to a one-month test in September, finding it excellent in urban and suburban locales. Rural coverage wasn't as good as its major competitors and T-Mobile's plan costs are on the pricier side, factors the outlet noted. Srini Gopalan took over as T-Mobile CEO on November 1, promising to make quick changes. He said T-Mobile would encourage customers to make phone upgrades using the AI-powered T-Life app, although he told Fierce Network that they will still be able to talk to live service representatives in stores or by phone if they prefer. Outgoing CEO Mike Sievert told the outlet he felt this was the perfect moment to step aside and let Gopalan take over. "You pick your moment when the next logical successor with the vision for the future is ready to go," he said, "and hopefully you do it at a time of unbelievable success like we're experiencing right now." T-Mobile's shareholders certainly hope Gopalan can keep the company's momentum going, and he has that solid foundation of customer satisfaction on which to build.
