Broadband Map receives commissions from partners. Read details on the Transparency Page.
Broadband Map Logo
Cell Coverage | Internet Map

Priority On Cell Networks

By Christian Smith

Prioritization policies determine how network operators manage traffic on a cell network when capacity is constrained. Rather than treating all subscribers equally, network operators advantage some users over others.

Jump to Network-Specific Policies:

When Priority Matters

Cell networks usually have more capacity than they need. Prioritization policies become relevant when there's more demand for network bandwidth than a network can supply.

A big event like a concert might lead to severe congestion for a limited period of time. Congestion can also be a problem on an ordinary day in areas where network infrastructure is insufficient.

Deprioritization & Premium Data

Cell carriers may use the phrase "premium data" to indicate data that's given unusually high priority. A subscriber might be described as "deprioritized" if they're demoted to a priority level behind the typical subscriber.

Unfortunately, carriers are frustratingly inconsistent in how they use terms related to prioritization. Since the industry hasn't settled on firm definitions for their terms, understanding prioritization policies requires getting more technical.

QCI Values

On 4G LTE networks, Quality Of Service Class Identifiers (or QCI values) determine the priority level given to data.

Most data use is associated with QCI or 5QI values between 6 and 9. In that range, lower values are associated with higher priority service on a given network.

Voice calls and atypical forms of data use may be associated with values below 6. Low values may confer especially high priority or guaranteed data speeds. For in-the-weeds details about QCI values, see the 3GPP publication Policy and charging control architecture.

5QI Values

5QI, an instrument similar but not exactly equivalent to QCI, is used for 5G networks.

At the moment, 5QI values we've observed match the QCI values observed for the same service. That may not always remain true. While the rest of this page generally refers to QCI values, Broadband Map tracks both metrics and is on the lookout for services with discrepancies between the two values.

Prioritization By Network

After digging through legal disclosures, reading standards documentation, and running QCI tests on a bunch of plans, I have a model of how prioritization works on each major network. Those models and the findings of QCI/5QI tests are shared below. Huge thanks to Reddit user Ethrem for working with Broadband Map to keeping the testing up to date.

Note: QCI and 5QI values should be interpreted in the context of a given network. A QCI of 8 is associated with good priority on Verizon's network but low priority on T-Mobile's network.

Icons

When discussing the QCI of specific plans, I use the following icons:

- Confirmed by a recent test we ran
- Found in an old test we ran or found in a test ran by someone I consider credible
- Inferred

List Filters



AT&T's Network

Most data use on AT&T's network falls into one of three buckets:

QCI 6 may be available to some high-end business plans and certain first responders on AT&T FirstNet.

QCI 7 - High Priority on AT&T

Legacy Plans

QCI 8 - Decent Priority on AT&T

Legacy Plans

QCI 9 - Low Priority on AT&T

Legacy Plans

T-Mobile's Network

Most data use on T-Mobile's network falls into one of four buckets:

QCI 6 - High Priority on T-Mobile

Legacy Plans

QCI 7 - Mediocre Priority on T-Mobile

QCI 8 - Low Priority on T-Mobile

QCI 9 - Lowest Priority on T-Mobile

Verizon's Network

Data used on Verizon's network generally falls into one of two buckets:

An even higher priority level (QCI 7) is available through Verizon Frontline, a service for first responders.

QCI 8 - High Priority on Verizon

Legacy Plans

QCI 9 - Low Priority on Verizon

Legacy Plans

Notes