AT&T isn't nearly as bad as you think

AT&T's 4G-LTE network has been rated faster than Verizon's network by four independent studies. Its coverage area is growing rapidly, and it will be available to just as many Americans as Verizon's 4G network by the end of next year. That's a far cry from where AT&T was just a few years ago.

After failing to anticipate how much bandwidth iPhone users would suck up with app downloads, Web browsing and video streaming, AT&T saw its 3G network became practically unusable in major cities such as New York and San Francisco. AT&T has consistently been rated the worst network by Consumer Reports readers since the iPhone launched six years ago. The network has ranked dead last in the magazine's customer satisfaction survey for three straight years. But perception and reality are diverging.