AT&T has emerged as the favorite carrier for phone plans for 17 years in a row. In the country where three rules, with T-Mobile and Verizon being the others, AT&T has continued to remain at the top for customers. The CTIA survey showed that 98% Americans have a phone and 89% said they couldn’t imagine a day without it. And they were keenly satisfied with the said telco for services.
But that doesn’t mean to say that others are affected. On the contrary, all three telcos fared pretty well, generating $352 billion in revenue in 2025.
But the new 2026 Customer Loyalty Engagement Index (CLEI) from Brand Keys has shown that when it comes to customer loyalty, AT&T stands out as the clear favorite.
According to the report, AT&T and T-Mobile have low ‘churn’ rates, with only 0.98% and 0.93% customers leaving the network. At the same time, Verizon might add up to 1 million new postpaid users in 2026.
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So why has AT&T become the favorite for 17 years in a row?
AT&T’s strong loyalty base comes from its strategic investments. The telco has invested over $150 billion in its network projects between 2020 and 2024. It now covers 99% of the US population.
RootMetrics has awarded the telco Best Overall and Fastest recognitions.
On the other hand, the telco is also promoting 5G and fiber options, together giving customers options for both wireless and fixed-line services. This gives customers bundled home internet service plans, which helps keep the customers once they are roped in.
Going further, AT&T is set to bolster its 5G network after setting up a deal to buy 50 MHz of spectrum from EchoStar.