Petroc Taylor
Research expert covering global developments in the use of data
Telecoms in the United States - statistics & facts
The United States telecoms industry provides vital communications services for the country’s 335 million inhabitants. Several major operators compete at the national level across mobile and fixed markets, with the key players ranking among the largest telecommunications companies worldwide. Smaller operators also compete at a regional level, creating a dynamic and competitive environment with a range of telecoms packages available to businesses and consumers. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has valued the U.S. telecommunications market at 133 billion U.S. dollars, though separate forecasts have placed total U.S. communications revenue at over 332 billion U.S. dollars as of 2023.
AT&T dominates the fixed market
The number of fixed broadband subscriptions in the U.S. reached 127 million in 2022, with growth appearing to slow. With roots in the Bell System monopoly, Texas-based AT&T has retained its position as a leader in fixed telecoms, servicing around 15.3 million connections as of the first quarter of 2023, while closest rival Verizon serviced around half that figure. AT&T also topped a 2023 customer satisfaction ranking for its fiber internet service, with CenturyLink following up in second place. Expanding fiber coverage has helped the U.S. rank among the countries with the fastest broadband speeds, offering an average speed of around 202 Mbps as of April 2023.T-Mobile offers the fastest 5G service
The makeup of the U.S. mobile market in many ways mirrors the fixed market, with AT&T commanding the largest share of wireless subscriptions, followed closely by Verizon. However, T-Mobile US, which is majority-owned by German firm Deutsche Telekom, has sought to challenge its rivals on the quality of its 5G network. Its efforts have included a major 2020 merger with network operator Sprint, as well as the purchase of 5G spectrum licenses at auction. As of 2022, T-Mobile offered by far the best typical 5G download speed in the United States, as well as the best 5G coverage.Verizon becomes the largest operator by revenue
Despite AT&T’s dominance across the fixed and mobile sectors, the operator was surpassed as the largest U.S. telecoms firm by revenue in 2022 by Verizon. Verizon generated 137 billion U.S. dollars that year, while AT&T generated just 121 billion, down from 169 billion the previous year. This capped a pivotal year for AT&T, with the company exiting the entertainment market through the spin-off of its interests in Warner Media, the parent company of services such as Max. AT&T’s CEO, John Stankey, has expressed the company’s desire to refocus on strategic telecommunications growth areas, namely fiber and 5G.
