Verizon again topped the latest RootMetrics airport-focused cellular network performance testing, while AT&T surged past T-Mobile and Sprint trailed
Verizon Wireless extended its network leadership position across the nation’s 50 busiest airports in the latest testing conducted through the first half of this year by RootMetrics.
The carrier, which has dominated network testing conducted by the research firm, garnered a top ranking or shared a top ranking across 29 of the country’s 50 most trafficked airport locations. Those top rankings included 15 outright wins and 14 first-place ties.
In RootMetrics’ previous testing conducted through the second half of 2015, Verizon Wireless scored a top spot in 25 locations.
Through its latest testing, RootMetrics found the carrier’s networks showed top median download speeds across the 50 locations of 90.8 megabits per second and upload speeds of 33.6 Mbps. The carrier posted median peak speeds in excess of 10 Mbps at 37 locations, with 13 locations of median peak speeds below 10 Mbps.
Verizon Wireless also was judged as “excellent” in terms of connectivity at all 50 locations and in staying connected at 49 locations.
AT&T Mobility showed strong improvement in the latest testing, scoring a top spot or share of the top spot in 20 locations, compared with 15 locations in the previous testing round. The carrier also bumped past rival T-Mobile US, which witnessed its top placings fall from 16 locations in the previous test to 15 locations this time around.
In terms of network speed, AT&T Mobility posted the fastest median download speed of 76.1 Mbps and upload speed of 25.9 Mbps. RootMetrics did note network performance was a bit erratic, with median peak speeds of less than 10 Mbps at 20 locations. The carrier also was judged excellent in getting connected at all 50 airport locations and in staying connected at 48 locations.
T-Mobile US slipped to the No. 3 position overall in terms of top rankings, with RootMetrics noting a drop in outright location wins, which fell from 12 in the previous testing to just seven this time around.
“However, its shared award tally rose from four up to eight, which may simply be an indication of stiffer competition than anything else,” RootMetrics noted of T-Mobile US’ results.
As for network speeds, T-Mobile US generated the fastest median download speeds of 60 Mbps and upload speeds of 29.3 Mbps. The carrier had 19 airport locations of median download speeds in excess of 10 Mbps and 31 locations of speeds below 10 Mbps.
T-Mobile US was awarded an excellent rating for getting connected at 42 airports and the same rating for staying connected at 46 airports.
Sprint rounded out the nationwide carrier rankings with a share of the top spot at five locations, an improvement from the three locations in the previous testing. Sprint was judged excellent in garnering a connection at 42 airport locations and at 46 locations for staying connected.
Sprint did manage to edge past T-Mobile US in terms of fastest median download speeds, which came in at 60.8 Mbps, while upload speeds trailed all of its rivals by a significant margin at just 11.4 Mbps. Sprint had 23 airports with median download speeds in excess of 10 Mbps, and 27 with speeds of less than 10 Mbps.
Looking at combined performance across airports, Metropolitan Oakland International in Oakland, California, came out on top in terms of a weighted composite score, with AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless both judged the best performers at the airport.
General Mitchell International in Milwaukee came in at No. 2 with a top performance from Verizon Wireless; with previous testing’s top airport Southwest Florida International in Fort Myers, Florida, at No. 3 with a top performance from T-Mobile US.
Los Angeles International airport dropped to the bottom spot in the latest testing, followed by not-quite-as-poor-performances at Austin-Bergstrom International in Austin, Texas; and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International in Miami.
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