Cell Phone Satisfaction Hits Decade Low Mark as AI Promises Fall Short, ACSI Data Show

New technology promises a smarter future, but customers aren't impressed yet.

After reaching an all-time high last year, user satisfaction with cell phones tumbles 4% to a decade-low score of 78 (out of 100), according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI^®) Telecommunications, Cell Phone, and Smartwatch Study 2025, as AI features struggle to shift consumer priorities.

"Brands keep racing to add new capabilities, yet customers still judge smartphones by the fundamentals," says Forrest Morgeson, Associate Professor of Marketing at Michigan State University and Director of Research Emeritus at the ACSI. "Only when companies strengthen the essentials — battery life, call reliability, and ease of use — does innovation truly deliver lasting satisfaction."

This isn’t limited to cell phones. Wireless phone service and internet service providers (ISPs) must deliver on reliability and provide an efficient way to reach a helpful contact center (when needed). Smartwatch manufacturer satisfaction is also sensitive to basics like battery life, call quality, and watch design. Companies that continue to focus on these important underpinnings are better situated to maintain satisfied and loyal customers.

Apple and Samsung widen cell phone lead despite minor skid

Hampered by low upgrade rates and steep prices, all cell phone manufacturers suffer satisfaction declines from the year before.

Leaders Apple and Samsung put more distance between themselves and the rest of the pack despite each inching back 1% to an ACSI score of 81. Google and Motorola both decrease 3% and remain tied at 75. The collection of smaller manufacturers stays in last place after tumbling 6% to a score of 68.

The chasm between phones with and those without 5G capabilities widens. Satisfaction among those with a 5G-enabled phone slides just 2% and remains high with an overall score of 80. Those using a phone with legacy technology are far less satisfied at 68 — a 7% decline year over year. At the manufacturer level, Samsung outperforms Apple by a slim margin in the 5G category.

Fiber and non-fiber ISP leaders AT&T and T-Mobile share same score for first time

Satisfaction with ISPs, which includes both fiber and non-fiber services, improves 1% to an ACSI score of 72.

Fiber declines 1%, though still the more satisfying experience at 75, while the non-fiber segment improves 3% to a score of 70. This gap is 3 points narrower than in 2024.

AT&T Fiber (down 3% to 78) leads for the third straight year, but the fiber segment is only growing more competitive. Google Fiber (unchanged) now ties Verizon Fios (down 1%) at 76, while Xfinity Fiber is not far off, unchanged at 75.

In a departure from the segment’s downward trend, Optimum Fiber’s satisfaction improves 8% to a score of 71, driven primarily by its efforts to add value by strengthening the quality of its customer service. The smaller group of fiber ISPs, however, finish in last place after suffering a 9% decline to 70. All elements of the fiber customer experience have worsened over the past year, with notable decreases in measures relating to the quality of internet service.

Non-fiber segment leader T-Mobile climbs 3% to 78, matching the score of fiber leader AT&T. T-Mobile succeeds in improving the consistency of its non-fiber service while adding value through improved customer service and plan options. As in the fiber segment, Verizon’s non-fiber service (up 4% to 77) is a close second place, illustrating again how the margins between top performers are narrowing.

Kinetic by Windstream shows impressive movement this year, surging 11% to an ACSI score of 62. By making significant improvements in practical service metrics, Windstream drives customer perceptions of the value of its Kinetic service higher. Many of the non-fiber practical service metrics — those relating to the actual performance of the internet service — see only slight improvement or no change at all.

The ACSI also measures key aspects of the in-home Wi-Fi experience for both fiber and non-fiber customers. While fiber providers still give customers the most satisfying Wi-Fi experience, the gap between core elements of the fiber and non-fiber experience narrows over the past year.

Consumer Cellular tops wireless phone service for fourth straight year

The wireless phone service industry declines 1% to an ACSI score of 75. The industry is led by value mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), which slide 3% to 78. Mobile network operators (MNOs) are next at 75 (down 1%), followed by full-service MVNOs, which decrease 3% to 74.

T-Mobile leads the MNO category at 76 despite slipping 1% year over year. Second place Verizon is the only measured brand to improve in 2025, up 1% to a score of 75. AT&T is next, falling 5% to 74, followed by U.S. Cellular, which stumbles 3% to 72. In addition to measuring customer satisfaction for mobile network operators, the ACSI provides two unique measures: call quality and network capability. AT&T suffers the largest decrease in both, tumbling 6% to a score of 77 for call quality and 8% to 76 for network capability.

Consumer Cellular, a value MVNO, is the wireless service carrier with the highest satisfaction in the industry. Despite dropping 4% to a score of 82, Consumer Cellular customers’ strong perceptions of value and quality keep satisfaction high. Similarly, Spectrum Mobile leads the full-service category at 78. The carrier is bolstered by improvements both in-store and in customer contact channels.

Samsung outperforms Apple in smartwatch debut

In its first year of measurement, the smartwatch industry premieres with an ACSI score of 77.

Samsung smartwatch satisfaction (83) outshines Apple (80) by 3 points after promises of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 shifted from 2024 to late 2025. Fitbit finishes in third with a score of 72.

Smartwatches are rated highest for their physical traits, which include durability (81), design (81), and screen resolution/quality (80). However, the service experience is noticeably lower compared to cell phone users. The timeliness of the repair (75), courtesy and helpfulness of the technician (73), and ease of arranging service (73) are the lowest-rated aspects of the customer experience.

The ACSI Telecommunications, Cell Phone, and Smartwatch Study 2025 is based on 27,494 completed surveys. Customers were chosen at random and contacted via email between April 2024 and March 2025. Download the full study and follow the ACSI on LinkedIn and X at @theACSI.

No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the data and information in this release without the express prior written consent of ACSI LLC.

About the ACSI

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI^®) has been a national economic indicator for over 25 years. It measures and analyzes customer satisfaction with about 400 companies in about 40 industries and 10 economic sectors, including various services of federal and local government agencies. Reported on a scale of 0 to 100, scores are based on data from interviews with roughly 200,000 customers annually. For more information, visit www.theacsi.org.

ACSI and its logo are Registered Marks of American Customer Satisfaction Index LLC.

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"Only when companies strengthen the essentials — battery life, call reliability, and ease of use — does innovation truly deliver lasting satisfaction."