Verizon topped all categories in latest RootMetrics tests; rivals differ on reactions
RootMetrics released its latest nationwide report on wireless carrier network performance, drawing various reactions from the country’s largest operators depending on how they fared.
The results, which included just the nation’s four largest operators and were conducted over the second half of 2015, again showed Verizon Wireless with the top overall performance across five tested metrics: network reliability, network speed, data performance, call performance and text performance. In terms of “overall performance,” Verizon Wireless garnered a 94.5 score from RootMetrics, followed by a 91.3 score for AT&T Mobility, 86 score for Sprint and 80.9 score for T-Mobile US.
Verizon Wireless also topped RootMetrics’ first half of 2015 results, though in those results was No. 2 to AT&T Mobility in text performance.
Breaking down the latest results in each category, Verizon Wireless scored a 96 in network reliability, followed by AT&T Mobility with a score 93.7, Sprint with a 89.9 and T-Mobile US a distant No. 4 with a score of 81.9. In network speed, Verizon Wireless scored 92, followed by an 86.8 score for AT&T Mobility, 84.7 score for T-Mobile US and a distant 73.1 score for Sprint.
In terms of data performance, RootMetric handed Verizon Wireless a score of 95.9, followed by AT&T Mobility with a score of 93.2, T-Mobile US No. 3 with a score of 87.1 and Sprint bringing up the rear with a score of 83.1. Call performance witnessed a bit of a shakeup as Sprint managed to squeeze by AT&T Mobility for the No. 2 spot, scoring 88.7 to AT&T Mobility’s 88, both of which were well behind the 92.3 scored by Verizon Wireless and well ahead of the 70.9 scored by T-Mobile US.
Text performance showed close results, with Verizon Wireless score of 97 just nipping ahead of AT&T Mobility’s 96.5 and Sprint’s 95.8. T-Mobile US was No. 4 in the category with a score of 92.2.
In further breaking out results, RootMetrics noted on a state-by-state basis, Verizon Wireless scored outright or tied top placings in 272 tests, followed by 110 top scores for AT&T Mobility, 36 top scores for Sprint and 9 top scores for T-Mobile US. All four carriers managed to post a greater number of top placings compared RootMetrics’ previous testing.
As expected, the carriers mentioned had different reactions to the results depending on how they fared.
Verizon Wireless touted its continued strong performance in RootMetrics testing, pointing to the $11.7 billion in capital expense spent on its wireless network in 2015. “Verizon’s continued leadership is no accident – it’s the result of a sustained, ongoing investment in never settling for anything less than the best network for its customers,” the carrier noted.
At the other end of the scale, Sprint and T-Mobile US took different roots in defending their No. 3 and No. 4 positions.
Sprint looked on the bright side, with CTO John Saw claiming a strong No. 2 position from the carrier in terms of call quality and that the carrier is “closing the gap in network performance.”
T-Mobile US CEO John Legere took a different tact in blasting RootMetrics methodology, claiming some of the testing was more than six months old and didn’t take into account the carrier’s most recent network expansion. Legere also pointedly noted RootMetrics disabled voice-over-LTE capabilities when testing T-Mobile US’ calling performance, despite the carrier’s claim of nearly 50% of its voice traffic traveling over its data network.
RootMetrics attempted to pre-empt T-Mobile US claims by stating its latest testing did include T-Mobile US devices supporting the carrier’s 700 MHz spectrum bands and that it did plan on enabling VoLTE services for testing beginning this year.
Earlier this month, OpenSignal released results of its own network testing conducted during the final three months of last year that handed T-Mobile US top placing in three of five total categories, including 3G network latency, 3G download speeds and LTE download speeds. Verizon Wireless raked in a pair of top placings, including LTE coverage and a tie with T-Mobile US in LTE download speeds.
Further clouding the subject, Nielsen Mobile Performance late last month said its network testing showed Sprint’s network posted faster download speeds compared with Verizon Wireless, AT&T Mobility and T-Mobile US. The testing was conducted during the last three months of 2015, with a claimed 75 million download events from devices representing more than 270 million potential customers covered.
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