BROWSING: GWS

A consumer ‘tipping point’ for 5G this year: GWS

This year represents a "tipping point" for consumer 5G adoption and enthusiasm, according to recent research from Global Wireless Solutions. 5G coverage is up, 5G device adoption has jumped markedly in the past year and people with 5G devices (even if they don't have...

Blocking out the negative 5G noise: Why the fifth generation finally started to live up to the hype in 2021 (Reader Forum)

Over the last two years, 5G has dominated discourse throughout the telecom industry. Promises of higher data rates enabling users to download, stream or process content faster, lower latency to facilitate less lag and delay when accessing networks, and improved network capacity have industry...

GWS: Smartphone usage data could help forecast elections

Could smartphone usage data reveal voter insights that political polling might not catch? It's possible, according to GWS. GWS analyzed news consumption on smartphones from an opt-in consumer panel in the lead-up to the 2020 election and immediately after, and found that people in swing...

Testing mmWave 5G networks: A Q&A with GWS

Dr. Paul Carter is CEO of network benchmarking and analysis company GWS. RCR Wireless News recently reached out to GWS to discuss testing millimeter-wave 5G networks. The following Q&A was conducted via email and has been lightly edited.  How is benchmark testing different in mmWave,...

There’s no 5G iPhone. But about half of iPhone users think they already have one.

There's no 5G-capable iPhone available yet (although one is expected to be announced as early as next week). But a recent consumer survey conducted by Global Wireless Solutions found that nearly half—49%—of U.S. consumers with iPhone believe the device in their hands is capable...

Test and Measurement: EXFO to acquire InOpticals

EXFO is in the process of acquiring Taiwan-based InOpticals, which specializes in ultra-high-speed test instruments for the laboratory and manufacturing markets with particular strength in 400G/800G transceivers, active and passive components and integrated test systems. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed, although EXFO...

AT&T tops GWS’ testing for second year running

Carriers' network investments are paying off with higher customer satisfaction Global Wireless Solutions has crowned AT&T the "best network" in its third annual national testing, but all of the three national operators can find good news in GWS' latest network scoring, which couples nationwide drive-testing...

Test and Measurement: People choose smartphones over booze, GWS survey finds

If you could only keep one product or service while staying at home during a pandemic, what would it be? For most American consumers (45%), that one thing is their smartphone, according to a survey of 5,000 people by Global Wireless Solutions. Respondents' second most-popular...

Test and Measurement: Verizon’s network is fast and getting faster, RootMetrics says

Verizon's network has provided it a consistent advantage over its competitors over the years. The differences are narrowing, according to data from RootMetrics, but the carrier still shows "consistent and excellent performance across the board" and has been stepping up its network speeds in...

GWS survey finds ‘lack of understanding’ is influencing UK consumer, business views on 5G

  U.K. consumers and businesses are aware of 5G and looking forward to it, but they're a bit fuzzy on exactly what the newest generation of wireless technology is supposed to do for them and don't yet see upgrading as a top priority. A new survey...

How wireless operators have risen to the COVID-19 challenge (Reader Forum)

  Chief among the many shockwaves stemming from the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. is the country’s rapid transition to remote work. And with this disruption has come a dramatic transformation in the volume of wireless network traffic and in consumer connectivity habits and behavior:...

Test and Measurement: Viavi steps up with O-RAN test support

Viavi Solutions, which is a member of the Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) Alliance, is bolstering the open RAN ecosystem with what it claims is the first comprehensive test suite for O-RAN specifications. The test company will be showcasing its O-RAN test prowess in...

Test and Measurement: GWS puts AT&T’s 5G on top in Super Bowl performance

This year's Super Bowl wasn't just a showcase for the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers—or halftime performers Shakira and Jennifer Lopez. It was also an opportunity for the four national wireless carriers to highlight their 5G network capabilities, and a large-scale test...

Test and Measurement: Rohde & Schwarz lines up partners for ‘6G’ research

Is it too early to think about '6G'? Nah. Higher, further, faster, baby! The Chinese government is already kicking off its 6G research efforts, and test company Rohde & Schwarz said this week that it has partnered with research institutions including the Fraunhofer Institute...

Most consumers don’t use Wi-Fi calling, GWS survey finds

Only about 25% of mobile phone users are frequently taking advantage of Wi-Fi calling, according to a new survey by network benchmarking company Global Wireless Solutions. Wi-Fi calling is a free service that doesn't require a separate application or log-in -- but it does require...

Kagan: AT&T Mobility wins GWS ‘Best Wireless Network’

Congratulations to AT&T Mobility on winning the number one spot in the Global Wireless Solutions “Best Wireless Network” study. This is the second year in a row that AT&T won this number one ranking and that is quite an accomplishment in the constantly changing,...

Test and Measurement: RootMetrics drills down on Dallas, Houston and Phoenix networks

Mobile network benchmarking company RootMetrics this week put the spotlight on its most recent test results from three Southwestern cities: Phoenix, Arizona, and Dallas and Houston, Texas. In Dallas, T-Mobile US gained ground and shared the award for overall performance, which Verizon previously held for four...

Testing Times Square on its busiest night

When the ball dropped on New Year's Eve, three teams from Global Wireless Solutions were testing carrier networks in New York's Times Square. It took hours of waiting in line along to get the teams in place to do their ground-level testing, according to GWS...

GWS ranks AT&T as ‘best network’

GWS says recent U.S. mobile network testing is its most-comprehensive ever AT&T was rated the best mobile network, in what benchmarking company Global Wireless Solutions is calling its most comprehensive U.S. testing program to date. Verizon was ranked second; T-Mobile US came in third; and...

Test and Measurement: Smartphone photography outranks apps, browsing, GWS finds

Surveys in the U.S. and U.K. put snapping pictures just behind voice calls as most popular use of smartphones, GWS finds What do snapping pictures of meals, co-workers and cats have in common? People use their smartphones to do it and rank picture-taking as the...

Stealth competitor at Boston: Carrier aggregation

As Boston Marathon runners coped with bad weather on the course during the recent race, there was an invisible competition going on among wireless carriers -- and one of the (legal!) performance enhancers in use was carrier aggregation. Benchmarking company Global Wireless Solutions reported that...

GWS tests mobile video streaming

AT&T wins out in GWS mobile video tests Global Wireless Solutions put the four national mobile networks through their video streaming paces and the results put AT&T on top. AT&T had the best performance in three out of four categories, with Verizon coming in second,...

OpenSignal: Verizon, AT&T network speeds increasing after absorbing unlimited plan impacts

Verizon and AT&T both saw big dips in network speeds after introducing unlimited plans, according to OpenSignal, but those impacts have largely been mitigated and speeds are improving as the first anniversary of industry-wide adoption of unlimited plans approaches. In February 2017, Verizon finally made...

GWS tests networks with holiday road trips in mind

Network testing showed both performance and availability of advanced LTE features like carrier aggregation If you’re hitting the road this holiday weekend, cellular coverage on the nation’s highways is a good thing to know before you go, with Thanksgiving weekend road travel predicted to be...