Data Priority & QCI Levels Explained: QCI 8 vs QCI 9 and Which Plans Get Priority

Last verified Oct 4, 2026

Priority (premium) data decides whose data goes first when a cell tower is busy.

It's set by a number called QCI, and a lower number means higher priority.

On Verizon, QCI 8 is priority data and QCI 9 is deprioritized. AT&T and T-Mobile use the same scale but assign the numbers differently, so the same QCI can mean different things on each network. Below I explain what each level means and which plans get which.

What is premium data (priority data)?

Some plans say they include "premium data." Others warn that they "may temporarily slow data speeds if the network is busy." If a plan says it may temporarily slow data speeds, that means it is deprioritized.

Premium data is data that gets a higher place in line on the network. Think of every phone connected to a tower as waiting in line to have its data handled. When the tower is busy (at a stadium, a concert, or a freeway at rush hour), priority data is served first and lower-priority data waits at the back. When the tower isn't busy, everyone gets served right away and you won't notice a difference.

Premium data is also called "priority data." They mean the same thing.

Why do carriers split data this way? Priority is one of the main things they charge more for. Their most expensive plans get the best place in line, while cheaper plans and most MVNOs (carriers that rent space on someone else's network) are put further back. That's a big part of how some cell phone plans can be so much cheaper than others.

Here's what that looks like in practice on AT&T. AT&T Premium 2.0 includes unlimited data that won't slow down based on how much you use:

AT&T Prepaid Unlimited Enhanced Plus, on the other hand, is deprioritized. AT&T says so in the fine print:

A warning: premium data isn't the same as high-speed data. Some carriers use "premium data" to mean "high-speed data." High-speed data is just how much fast data you get each month. Priority is which place in line that data gets. The two aren't related.

T-Mobile Essentials is the classic example. T-Mobile has marketed the plan as including 50GB of "premium data," but the plan is deprioritized. T-Mobile's own fine print says Essentials customers may notice "speeds lower than other customers," which is exactly what deprioritized means.

Because of this mislabeling, I use "priority data" on BestPhonePlans for plans that genuinely get a higher tier of network access.

QCI 8 vs QCI 9: what's the difference?

QCI 8 data is served before QCI 9 data when a tower is congested. On Verizon, QCI 8 is "premium" priority data (Unlimited Plus and Ultimate, Visible+, US Mobile Premium) and QCI 9 is deprioritized (Unlimited Welcome, Visible base, most MVNOs). On an uncongested tower, the two perform the same.

The important caveat: QCI numbers are network-relative. QCI 8 is the top consumer tier on Verizon, the second consumer tier on AT&T, and isn't used for phone plans at all on T-Mobile. So "QCI 8" on a plan page only tells you something once you know the network.

Is QCI 8 worth paying extra for? It depends on where you use your phone. If you're often in crowded places (stadiums, airports, dense downtowns, big events), priority data is what keeps pages loading when everyone else's slow down. If you mostly use your phone at home and at work on quiet towers, a QCI 9 plan will usually feel the same and cost less.

What is QCI?

QCI stands for QoS (Quality of Service) Class Identifier. It's a number from 1 to 9 that tells an LTE network how to treat a piece of traffic. It was defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), the group that writes the technical standards for 4G and 5G networks.

QCI lets a network split limited capacity sensibly. A voice call needs low delay but can survive a little data loss, while a video stream needs lots of bandwidth. QCI is also why you can usually still place a call at a packed concert even when data won't load: voice runs at a higher priority than regular data. The same system lets carriers put first responders ahead of everyone else in an emergency.

Each QCI has five parameters:

• Resource type: guaranteed bit rate (GBR) or non-guaranteed (non-GBR)
• Priority level: 1 is highest, 9 is lowest
• Packet delay budget: the maximum acceptable delay, in milliseconds
• Packet error loss rate: how many packets can be lost (for example, 10⁻⁶ means one in a million)
• Example services: the kind of traffic it's meant for

Here are the nine standard values:

Note that QCI 5 (IMS signaling) has the top priority level (1).

The simple way to read this table: QCI 1–5 handle voice, video calls and messaging. QCI 6–9 are where carriers place your plan's regular data, and that's the part that decides whether your plan is "priority" or "deprioritized." Wikipedia has the full technical detail.

5G standalone networks use 5QI (5G QoS Identifier) instead of QCI. The standard 5QI values 1–9 carry over the same characteristics, so the priority tiers work the same way.

QCI levels by network

At a glance: on Verizon and AT&T, priority data is QCI 8 (AT&T adds a higher consumer tier at QCI 7, and its QCI 6 is FirstNet only). On T-Mobile, priority data is QCI 6, and QCI 8 is hotspot data.

Verizon QCI levels

Verizon QCI levels are the simplest to understand: there are three, and when Verizon advertises "premium data," it means QCI 8.

What stands out is how many MVNOs share Verizon's own QCI 8 tier: Visible+, Xfinity Mobile, Spectrum Mobile and US Mobile Premium among them. Watch the caps, though. Verizon Prepaid Unlimited Plus, Xfinity Mobile Select and Spectrum Mobile Unlimited only get QCI 8 for a set amount of data, then drop to QCI 9.

AT&T QCI levels

AT&T's limited-priority plans are worth reading closely. Extra 2.0 is priority for the first 100GB and Value 2.0 for the first 5GB each month. After that, data drops to the deprioritized tier for the rest of the cycle.

T-Mobile QCI levels

T-Mobile's QCI 9 is for "heavy data users": anyone past a set amount of data in a billing cycle, generally 50GB or 100GB depending on the plan. It's 50GB on Essentials 2.0, Essentials Saver 2.0 and Mint Unlimited, and 35GB or 50GB on Metro. The Experience 2.0 plans advertise unlimited premium data, so they don't have this drop. Google Fi works differently: its plans keep QCI 6 up to their high-speed limit, then slow to 256 Kbps.

One thing that makes T-Mobile different: its MVNOs start at QCI 7, not 9. They're below T-Mobile's own customers, but above anyone who has crossed a heavy-data threshold.

Which carriers have priority data? (QCI by carrier)

This table is hand-checked against our plan database and each carrier's own disclosures. Last verified Oct 4, 2026.

How to read it: a plan in the "Priority plans" column gets priority data, and the number in parentheses is its QCI on that network. "First 50GB" (or a similar amount) means the plan is priority only up to that much data each month, then it's deprioritized for the rest of the cycle. A carrier with a dash in the priority column doesn't sell any priority plans. If a carrier you're considering isn't listed, I couldn't confirm its QCI well enough to publish it yet.

Carriers on Verizon's network

Carriers on AT&T's network

Carriers on T-Mobile's network

QCI is shown for regular phone data. Hotspot data is often lower. "First 50GB" (and similar) means the plan's priority-data allowance; after it, data is deprioritized. Google Fi is the exception: past its limit, data slows to 256 Kbps. Last verified Oct 4, 2026.

If you're choosing between two plans on the same network, the table tells you who gets served first at a busy tower. If you're choosing between networks, remember that the numbers don't compare directly: QCI 7 on T-Mobile isn't the same as QCI 7 on AT&T.

Priority won't help if there's no coverage where you are, so check that first. I use CoverageMap for this. Full disclosure: I co-founded CoverageMap, so I'm biased. But it's free, and it's the tool I use myself.

What QCI is US Mobile?

It depends on the plan and the network. Unlimited Premium is QCI 8 on Warp (Verizon) and Dark Star (AT&T). Unlimited Starter, Flex and By the Gig are QCI 9 on Warp and Dark Star. Everything on Light Speed (T-Mobile) is QCI 7, even Unlimited Premium; US Mobile offers only one priority level there. On Dark Star, Flex and By the Gig lines can add priority data to reach QCI 8. More on the US Mobile page.

What QCI is Visible?

Visible+ and Visible+ Pro get QCI 8, the same priority data as Verizon's premium plans. The base Visible plan is QCI 9, so it's deprioritized when a Verizon tower is busy. More on the Visible page.

What QCI is Mint Mobile?

Mint Mobile is QCI 7 on T-Mobile, which is deprioritized compared with T-Mobile's own postpaid plans. On Mint Unlimited, data drops to QCI 9 after 50GB in a month. More on the Mint Mobile page.

QCI values I've tested

These are QCI values I've seen on my own lines, not values copied from carrier pages or other sites.

Deprioritized? Here's what that means

Deprioritized data isn't capped or throttled. It just waits behind priority traffic when a tower is busy, and speeds return to normal as soon as the congestion clears. Throttling is different: it's a hard speed limit, usually after you use a set amount of data. A full explainer on what deprioritization means (and how it differs from throttling) is coming soon.

How to check your QCI

Carriers rarely show your QCI anywhere, so you have to look for it:

• Network Signal Guru (Android): it can show the QCI of your data connection, but it needs a rooted phone with a supported modem: Qualcomm, or the Samsung modem in the Pixel 7, 9 and 10. Here's how to root a Google Pixel.
• iPhone field test mode: it shows signal details but doesn't reliably show QCI, so it's not a dependable way to check.
• Compare side by side: put a line you know is priority next to yours at a busy tower and run speed tests at the same time. If yours drops a lot more, you're probably on a lower tier.

FAQ

Is QCI 8 better than QCI 9?

Yes. On Verizon and AT&T, QCI 8 traffic is served before QCI 9 when a tower is busy. On an uncongested tower, you won't notice a difference.

What QCI is Verizon premium data?

QCI 8. QCI 7 is reserved for Verizon Frontline, its first-responder service. See QCI levels by network above.

Is premium data the same as high-speed data?

No. High-speed data is how much fast data you get, and priority is your place in line when a tower is busy. T-Mobile Essentials is the classic example: it was marketed with "premium data" but is deprioritized. More in What is premium data above.

What is deprioritization?

It means your data waits behind higher-priority traffic when a tower is congested, then returns to full speed once the congestion clears. A full explainer is coming soon.

How can I check my QCI?

The most direct way is Network Signal Guru on a rooted Android phone with a supported modem (Qualcomm, or the Samsung modem in the Pixel 7, 9 and 10). Otherwise, compare speeds side by side with a known priority line at a busy tower. See How to check your QCI above.

Update log

• Oct 5, 2026: Merged our QCI explainer into this page. Corrected US Mobile, Visible, AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Xfinity and Google Fi details. Added per-network QCI and carrier tables.
• Oct 2, 2026: QCI explainer published as a separate article (now merged here).

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• What is an MVNO?
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• T-Mobile review
• AT&T unlimited plans explained
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