User satisfaction for cell phones has dropped 4% to 78 (out of 100), the worst score in a decade, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Telecommunications, Cell Phone, and Smartwatch Study 2025.
Though the drop is concerning, the previous level was an all-time high, ACSI said.
Perennial leaders Apple and Samsung continued to be the leaders, though each saw a 1% pullback to a score of 81. Motorola and Google were next at 75 (down 3% from the previous year.
Of most concern to users of cell phones and other telecom interfaces is performance, not the bells and whistles of fancy features, according to ACSI. The organization noted that wireless phone service and service providers need to deliver reliability and provide an efficient way to reach a helpful contact center. Similarly, smartwatch manufacturer satisfaction is sensitive to basics like battery life, call quality, and watch design.
However, one feature users expect their smartphones to have is 5G. According to the study, satisfaction among those with a 5G-enabled cell phone fell just 2% to 80 out of 100. Those using a phone with legacy technology are far less satisfied, at 68.
Among other results, fiber satisfaction fell 1%, to 75 out of 100, while non-fiber increased 3% to 70. AT&T Fiber (down 3% to 78) led for the third straight year, followed by Google Fiber and Verizon Fios, tied at 76, while Xfinity Fiber was at 75.
“Brands keep racing to add new capabilities, yet customers still judge smartphones by the fundamentals,” Forrest Morgeson, ACSI director of research emeritus at the ACSI and Michigan State University associate professor of marketing, said in a press release about the cell phone study. “Only when companies strengthen the essentials — battery life, call reliability, and ease of use — does innovation truly deliver lasting satisfaction.”
According to an Ookla report earlier this year, T-Mobile ranked highest in a survey of the fastest wireless providers.
