Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
- A new survey from ASCI indicates that after years of decline, the wireless industry’s customer satisfaction scores seem to be turning around.
- The improvement is more noticeable on the prepaid end of the market, but even postpaid brands have seen increased scores.
- In addition to the wireless market, ASCI also reports that Samsung holds the top satisfaction score when it comes to phones, while Samsung and Apple tie for wearables.
The last few years have been rough for many industries, and the mobile wireless business is no exception. According to a survey from ASCI (American Customer Satisfaction Index), customer satisfaction has been creeping downward for a while now across the industry.
From increasing prices to lowered customer support quality, there are many reasons why customer satisfaction has previously declined. The impact has been most apparent for postpaid carriers, but the prepaid market has also seen some decline here.
The good news is that the latest results suggest that things are finally starting to turn around in 2026. In fact, the industry average across both prepaid and postpaid carriers is at a record high of 77, which represents a 3% improvement. Seems a bit funny, considering how most of us are still complaining about carrier pricing and customer service, but the numbers appear to be correct.
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Of course, the improvement in satisfaction isn’t completely even across the board. Mobile network operators like Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile saw the smallest gains, improving by 1%. Both AT&T and Verizon had scores of 76 out of 100, while T-Mobile is marginally ahead at 78 out of 100.
In contrast, the MVNO (mobile virtual network operators) saw satisfaction increase by about 4%, with an average of 77 out of 100 for full-service prepaid providers and a score of 79 for value brands.
I have to say the improvement isn’t too surprising. All three carriers have gotten somewhat more aggressive about their promotions, especially when it comes to families. Likewise, the economy has stabilized in some ways, though it remains uncertain in others. It also isn’t surprising that more people are finding greater satisfaction with prepaid than traditional carriers.
While the changes in the wireless service industry are probably the most notable, even the mobile hardware game has seen some changes this year. When it comes to phones, Samsung now has the highest satisfaction of any mobile brand at 81, which is the same as last year.
Previously, Apple tied with Samsung, but it declined to a score of 80 this year. What’s more interesting is that Google and Motorola have also seen more love in the new year’s survey. Both brands saw their scores jump to 77, an increase of 3%.
The smartwatch market has also seen some interesting shifts. Previously, Samsung had a clear lead, but it now ties Apple with a score of 80, which is down from 4%. Apple Watch satisfaction remains the same as ever, but Google Fitbit did jump up 8% to a score of 78, while Garmin and Google Pixel Watch had scores of 76 and 74, respectively.
So what does this mean for end-users? I mean, technically nothing, as it all comes down to individual preference and tastes. Still, these trends are a clear indicator of which brands are heading in the right direction and are a safer bet. Do you agree with the general findings, or have you had a different experience with any of these brands? Let us know in the comments.
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