Statistics compiled for SlashGear by Dataherald show that T-Mobile’s stores have generated significantly more foot traffic than Verizon’s since the coronavirus pandemic took hold in April 2020. The gap was at its widest in April 2022 when T-Mobile’s outlets received more than double the number of visitors Verizon had. This is a complete reversal from September 2019, when T-Mobile stores had just over 17,000 weekly visitors and Verizon’s had over 31,000. Despite an overall decline in foot traffic since the 2020 pandemic, T-Mobile’s numbers also managed to beat Verizon’s 2019 peak.
September wasn’t a one-off, either. Verizon stores consistently had a higher level of footfall pre-pandemic. However, things flipped when lockdowns were implemented back in April 2020. Both brands saw a massive dip when it came to in-person store visits, although T-Mobile managed to maintain more than 5,000 weekly visitors, while Verizon dipped below that threshold. Oddly, despite the higher footfall, T-Mobile closed a higher percentage of its stores during the pandemic than Verizon did. According to Fierce Wireless, T-Mobile closed 80% of its corporate-owned stores during the pandemic, while Light Reading claims Verizon closed 70%.
Since it took the lead, T-Mobile has witnessed a 10,000-individual weekly lead in foot traffic over Verizon. The peaks and troughs of each company’s footfall have been consistent across both brands. Both T-Mobile and Verizon have also seen an increase in foot traffic over the past year as things continue to return to normal following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The footfall dominance isn’t the only piece of good news T-Mobile has had this year. In February, the company announced that it had expanded its 5G ultra capacity service to reach up to 200 million people.