Using Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra phones on AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, the reporter logged more than 52,000 data points over a 15-hour, three-day trip through Iowa and Wisconsin.
T-Mobile was the only carrier to record standalone 5G and showed 5G nearly 90% of the time, while Verizon led on signal level and strength and AT&T trailed closely.
The test found all three carriers struggled away from cities and interstates, with complete internet failure reported only in southern Wisconsin, though outages were brief and overall performance was better than expected.
Verizon has the strongest rural signal, so why is T-Mobile’s 5G network dominating the American countryside?
With billions in funding, will satellite or cell towers ultimately win the race to connect rural America?