Priority On Cell Networks
By Christian SmithPrioritization policies determine how network operators manage traffic on a cell network when capacity is constrained. Rather than treating all subscribers equally, network operators often 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 & 5QI Values
On 4G LTE networks, Quality Of Service Class Identifiers (or QCI values) determine the priority level given to data. A similar, but not exactly equivalent metric, called a 5QI is used on 5G networks.
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 on Policy and charging control architecture.
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. Below, I summarize each of those models and share the results of QCI and 5QI tests. Huge thanks to Reddit user Ethrem for partnering with Broadband Map to keeping the testing up to date.AT&T's Network
Most customers fall into one of three buckets:- High Priority (QCI 7)
- Normal Priority (QCI 8)
- Low Priority (QCI 9)
AT&T Plan Testing Results
T-Mobile's Network
T-Mobile Plan Testing Results
Verizon's Network
Service over Verizon's network generally falls into one of two buckets:- High Priority (QCI 8): Most of Verizon's premium postpaid plans and premium business plans, the Visible+ plan, select MVNOs
- Low Priority (QCI 9) : Most of Verizon's prepaid plans, most plans from Verizon's flanker brands, most MVNOs