State of 5G in the US: New York had the fastest download speed at 114 Mbps, while Vermont had the slowest at 42.2 Mbps but the best 5G video experience
As U.S. carriers continue to hit new milestones in their 5G network rollouts, Opensignal has now conducted the most comprehensive analysis …
Context & Ripple Effects
This is Opensignal's first state-by-state cut of a story it has been tracking since 2020, when it found Verizon's fast 5G was barely visible to users (seen just 0.5% of the time) and that US 5G averaged only 50.9 Mbps nationally, barely 1.8x 4G. By early 2021 the picture had not changed much — widespread 5G still delivering 4G-like speeds.
The new granularity matters because it shows the national average hides two different networks: New York's 114 Mbps reflects dense deployments actually delivering on 5G's promise, while Vermont's 42.2 Mbps — slower than last year's national average — still wins on video experience, suggesting carriers are trading raw throughput for consistency outside major metros.
First-order effects
- Carriers operating in New York can now market measured proof that their 5G delivers meaningful gains, while those serving Vermont face public benchmarks showing their networks fall below even 2020's national 5G average.
Second-order effects
- The divergence pushes competition toward Opensignal-style experience metrics rather than peak-speed claims — a carrier winning Vermont on video quality can counter a raw-throughput deficit, forcing rivals to optimize for streaming consistency, not just speed tests.
Third-order effects
- If the pattern holds, US 5G structurally splits into fast metro pockets and wide-but-modest regional coverage, repeating the availability-versus-speed tension Opensignal documented with Verizon — and making independent measurement firms the de facto arbiters of carrier claims.
The trend: US 5G is shifting from a single national speed narrative to a geography-split one, where metro density delivers real gains while regional networks compete on experience metrics instead of throughput.