The first full quarter of Ookla® data, based on the Speedtest® app, since Verizon brought back unlimited data is here. T-Mobile’s on top once again - 14 quarters in a row as America’s Fastest LTE Network!* - but that’s nothing new.
The new big news… Verizon’s once-vaunted network is struggling. After just a few months offering unlimited data, Verizon dropped to 3rd in LTE behind T-Mobile and AT&T in Ookla’s latest quarterly rankings (2Q17) based on millions of real world wireless tests. From the “Better Matters,” “customers don’t need unlimited data,” “our sh*t don’t stink” company, that’s stunning!
Apart from unpardonable mistakes like being late to the game with advanced network technologies - 4x4 MIMO, 256 QAM, etc – Verizon has a bigger fundamental problem: spectrum, the life blood of the wireless industry. Verizon has by far the least amount of spectrum per customer! That’s a problem.
It’s likely to only get worse for Verizon. Their customers have been Theon Greyjoy’d repeatedly over the years, i.e. beaten down to the point they’re afraid to use data. According to our internal data, T-Mobile customers use more than 50 percent more data per month than Verizon customers! What happens if Verizon customers come out of shellshock and start using data on par with T-Mobile customers of today?
This is a big moment. The quarter that Verizon’s network officially and unquestionably begins its descent (thanks a lot unlimited). We like to commemorate such things (and have fun while doing it!).
John Legere, via his social channels, launched a #VZDropsTo3rd Website Hunt just a few minutes ago. We’ve hidden a bunch of websites out in the Internet wilds. We’ve tasked the world with finding them by typing in the correct URLs. The first person to find each website and send the URL to #VZDropsTo3rd wins!
The Results Are In!
The Internet is rad. All of the #VZDropsTo3rd websites have now been discovered…. and with hardly any clues! The sleuthing champions are: Kevin C. Burns, Anthony Paolini and Mr. Ramone T Conley.
For your viewing pleasure:
www.VerizonCapsize.com (Frenship with Emily Warren)
www.VZGoingDown.com (Marian Hill)
www.3isasignofthetimes.com (Harry Styles)
www.VerizonSlide.com (Calvin Harris)
www.vzisasuckerforpain.com (Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa)
www.TheGreatestNoLonger.com (Sia with Kendrick Lamar)
www.VerizonIsUnsteady.com (X Ambassadors)
www.BigRedAllTimeLow.com (Jon Bellion)
*14 quarters fastest LTE based on Ookla's analysis of Speedtest Intelligence data from Q1 2014 through Q2 2017. Ookla® trademarks used under license and reprinted with permission.
