Report: Verizon beats AT&T as the most valuable brand among worldwide carriers

Verizon owns the most valuable brand of any telecom operator, according to a new report from Brand Finance, outpacing rival AT&T. The consultancy estimated the brand of the nation's largest mobile carrier is worth more than $63 billion, up 5 percent from less than $60 billion in 2015. AT&T's brand is worth $59.9 billion, Brand Finance said, which is an increase of 2 percent, while China Mobile owned the third most valuable brand at $49.8 billion. AT&T is surely hoping to build its brand in a big way this year as it integrates its DirecTV business more closely with its other platforms, particularly mobile.

Meanwhile, Huawei took the crown as top brand among telecom infrastructure providers with a value of $19.7 billion, up a whopping 70 percent year-over-year. Cisco, which owned the top brand in the category last year, dropped to second with a brand value of $19.2 billion. Band Finance said it calculates brand value on factors including marketing investment, brand equity (the goodwill associated with it), and the impact of those on business performance. Chart