Annually, consumers are bombarded with advertisements for the newest and most advanced mobile data plans. Many have likely witnessed the fierce competition between service providers and their coverage maps across the United States. Yet, who emerges as the leading service provider? According to various market analysis sources, the top four service providers, ranked by market share, are Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile.
However, when it comes to data usage, skepticism is often warranted. At WebFX, we sought to answer this question by examining data from nearly 2,000 distinct Google Analytics profiles. With the assistance of Supermetrics, we compiled and visualized this data.
By analyzing 43 million website visits over the past 12 months, we were able to gauge the usage patterns of the top four mobile data providers: Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile. It is important to note that this analysis is based on website visits from mobile devices and does not reflect the actual amount of data consumed. Below, you can view a state-by-state breakdown of the leading mobile data provider, depicted in a detailed color-coded map.
These findings may come as a surprise to some, as one would expect Verizon Wireless to dominate the map. However, there is an interesting mix of red and yellow, with limited representation from AT&T and T-Mobile. We delve deeper into these results below.
Our analysis provides a state-by-state share of each carrier, revealing that AT&T’s presence is minimal. The carrier only occupies a majority share in Kentucky and Mississippi, far from indicative of its status as the second-largest mobile provider in the United States. Moreover, these maps do not align perfectly with the providers’ official mobile coverage maps, suggesting that other factors may be at play.
Our dataset indicates a different order for the top four mobile carriers. This new ranking is presented below, alongside images of each carrier’s market share:
Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint
Disclaimer: Data collected from WY, AK, VT, ND, WV, NH, ME, RI, & MT should not be considered ample enough to define a mobile carrier’s market share in the respective state.
How is it that Sprint and T-Mobile are surpassing Verizon and AT&T in market share? It is crucial to note that our data is derived exclusively from 3G and 4G sources, excluding WiFi. The reality is that users of Sprint and T-Mobile are consuming more data than those on Verizon and AT&T.
Could this be attributed to Sprint and T-Mobile’s remaining unlimited data plans? While Verizon discontinued offering unlimited data packages in 2012 and AT&T in 2010, Sprint and T-Mobile still provide such plans, albeit not entirely unlimited. However, it is questionable whether the top two mobile carriers should continue to rank so low.
This discrepancy could be explained by the fact that, according to Ovum, a leading data, research, and consulting firm, only 8% of 4G subscribers and 16% of 3G subscribers had an unlimited data plan as of December 2014. Additionally, WiFi accounts for 80% of data consumption on smartphones and tablets.
The most significant takeaway from this analysis is that mobile data subscribers are likely relying on WiFi for their mobile usage and not utilizing as much data as they have purchased through their mobile carriers. The fear of data overage fees has tied us to WiFi, yet we continue to agree to substantial monthly fees for limited data plans.
