Generation Z Customers Use Phones More and Experience More Network Problems, J.D. Power Finds

Verizon Ranks Highest in All Six Regions, Tying with AT&T in the Mid-Atlantic and North Central Regions and Tying with T-Mobile in Southeast Region

While younger wireless customers typically have higher phone usage than older customers, they also experience more network problems, according to the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study^SM—Volume 1, released today. Specifically, Gen Z¹ customers use their phones more than 300 minutes per day on average, while Pre-Boomers use their phones an average of 58 minutes per day. Problems per 100 uses (PP100) among Pre-Boomers and Boomers average 5 PP100 and 7 PP100, respectively, while Gen X (10 PP100), Gen Y (12 PP100) and Gen Z (15 PP100) have noticeably more problems.

“Younger generations, particularly Gen Z, are very demanding of their wireless networks,” said Carl Lepper, senior director of technology, media and telecom at J.D. Power. “Not only do they heavily rely on their devices, but they also stream and game at higher rates than older generations and have less tolerance for data-related issues. As wireless users get younger, network speed and reliability must remain at the forefront for providers to retain and attract customers."

Study Rankings

AT&T and Verizon Wireless rank highest in a tie in the Mid-Atlantic and North Central regions, each with 9 PP100.

Verizon Wireless ranks highest in the Northeast region with 8 PP100.

T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless rank highest in a tie in the Southeast region, each with 9 PP100.

Verizon Wireless ranks highest in the Southwest region with 10 PP100 and ranks highest in the West region with 10 PP100.

See the rankings for each region at http://www.jdpower.com/pr-id/2024002.

The 2024 U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study—Volume 1 is based on responses from 26,725 wireless customers. Carrier performance is examined in six regions: Mid-Atlantic, North Central, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest and West. In addition to evaluating the network quality experienced by customers with wireless phones, the study also measures the network performance of tablets and mobile broadband devices. The study was fielded from July through December 2023.

For more information about the U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/resource/jd-power-wireless-network-quality-performance-study.

About J.D. Power

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world's leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

J.D. Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The J.D. Power auto shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

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¹ J.D. Power defines generational groups as Pre-Boomers (born before 1946); Boomers (1946-1964); Gen X (1965-1976); Gen Y (1977-1994); and Gen Z (1995-2004). Millennials (1982-1994) are a subset of Gen Y.

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