With the central role that mobile phones play in our lives today, good mobile service is more important than ever. We expect to be able to zip through the internet, send and receive texts instantly, upload social media photos in a flash—and even, from time to time, have a clear conversation.

Good mobile service has become as important to us as running water and electricity that works every time you flip the switch.

But, just as some cities have better infrastructure than others, our comprehensive U.S.-wide testing shows that not all cities are created equal when it comes to mobile service.