Unless something gives, Verizon may soon lose its title as the biggest network in the US

There was a time when Verizon was the undisputed king, both in network power and reach, as well as subscriber count. Over the past few years, Verizon has lost ground in network performance as T-Mobile pushes ahead by many metrics. Now it seems T-Mobile is also moving in on Verizon’s coveted position as the leader in total subscribers as well.

The latest financial reports are in for AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. While we will not dive too deeply into every detail, the key takeaway is that T-Mobile added 2.3 million new customers in Q3 2025, including 1 million postpaid subscribers. AT&T also reported solid growth with 405,000 postpaid additions, though its press release did not include details on prepaid numbers.

In contrast, Verizon lost 7,000 postpaid phone subscribers. While those numbers paint a grim picture, the broader context matters. Verizon’s prepaid division actually grew by 47,000 subscribers and the company also saw positive results in broadband and Verizon Business. That does not even include value brands like Visible, which are not counted in these figures.

Verizon remains financially healthy and continues to outperform analyst expectations, so the company is not in any immediate danger. Still, if it wants to stay competitive, it needs to slow its postpaid decline while pushing broadband and prepaid growth even further.

The bigger risk for Verizon is perception. If T-Mobile overtakes it in postpaid subscriber count, the optics would be damaging, especially since T-Mobile already leads in 5G reputation and next-generation network standards.

How close is T-Mobile to taking Verizon’s postpaid count crown, really?

While exact figures vary, Verizon currently has about 146 million subscribers, T-Mobile around 140 million, and AT&T roughly 120 million. If trends continue at the same pace, T-Mobile could catch or surpass Verizon by the end of next year. Of course, plenty can change before then.

Verizon is actively working to rebuild its image and recently shifted leadership. T-Mobile also has new management and shows no sign of slowing down, even if many long-time customers continue to express disapproval around the company’s current direction.

Personally, I think it’s only a matter of time before T-Mobile overtakes Verizon. The real question is whether that shift will mark a lasting change or just a temporary lead. More likely, the two carriers will trade places in an unsteady cold war for years to come. Verizon knows it is at a turning point and will not let T-Mobile take the top spot without a fight.

What do you think? Vote in the poll and share your thoughts in the comments.