5G Road Trip: Coverage Beyond Cities Revealed

A comprehensive road trip spanning over 1,000 miles through the Midwest provided a real-world assessment of 5G network performance outside of major cities. The extensive test, covering parts of Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee, aimed to evaluate not only network speed but also overall coverage continuity.

Results indicated that T-Mobile offered the most robust 5G coverage, reaching an impressive 96.2 percent across the entire route. Notably, this test highlighted the prevalent use of non-standalone (NSA) 5G, with T-Mobile being the sole carrier exhibiting any standalone (SA) 5G connectivity. Despite this, all three major carriers, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, maintained decent or better signal strength for over 90 percent of the journey.

While speeds were generally strong, with most carriers achieving double and triple-digit Mbps, the focus remained on coverage reliability. The findings suggest that while carriers are actively building out their networks, especially along major interstates, T-Mobile currently leads in terms of widespread 5G availability in non-urban areas.