BELLEVUE, Wash., June 30, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- T-Mobile has moved up in the mobile performance rankings to share the title of top-performing carrier in the Boston metro area with AT &T according to the latest data from RootMetrics®, the standard for independent mobile performance information.
The RootMetrics 1st Half 2015 Boston RootScore® Report marks the first time T-Mobile has won or shared the Overall RootScore Award—which includes results across data, call, and text testing—in eight rounds of RootMetrics testing in Boston. Verizon, which tied with AT &T for first place in the previous round of testing, came in third in overall performance this time. Sprint finished fourth.
In fact, T-Mobile shared first place or claimed it outright in five out of the six RootMetrics RootScore mobile performance categories for Boston. In the last testing period, T-Mobile won two top awards.
T-Mobile wasn't the only carrier with improved performance. In great news for consumers, all networks showed excellent performance and tied four ways for both the Network Reliability and Call awards. In the last testing period, Verizon won both categories outright.
With more than 335 million mobile subscriber connections in the U.S.1, mobile network performance insights and comparisons are critical elements to a positive consumer experience. RootScore® Reports provide an independent and consumer-focused assessment of mobile network performance in the 125 largest metro areas across the US, the 50 busiest US airports, and major event venues across the country, as well as at state and national levels.
The final RootMetrics Overall Performance RootScore rankings for Boston:
1 – T-Mobile (97.9)
1 – AT &T (97.8)
3 – Verizon (96.9)
4 – Sprint (95.4)
A good Overall RootScore means strong overall performance and a good consumer experience.
Network Reliability and Speed
Reliability and speed are crucial to a quality mobile experience. RootMetrics combines reliability and speed results into its Network Reliability Index, a combination of results from data, call, and text tests, and its Network Speed Index, which examines data and text results.
In the new Boston RootScore Report, all four carriers tied for first place in network reliability with outstanding results. Notably, this was the first time either Sprint or T-Mobile have ranked first in network reliability in Boston. In the previous round of testing, Verizon won this award outright. T-Mobile maintained its lead in speed, however, ranking first in network speed for the third consecutive time.
Looking at the network reliability and speed indices in conjunction with Overall RootScores offers the most comprehensive look at the consumer mobile experience in Boston.
Network Reliability Index rankings:
1 – AT &T (98.9)
1 – T-Mobile (98.9)
1 – Sprint (98.5)
1 – Verizon (98.4)
Network Speed Index rankings:
1 – T-Mobile (94.9)
2 – AT &T (94.4)
3 – Verizon (91.6)
4 – Sprint (84.5)
Data Performance: AT &T Steady at the Top
Data Performance RootScores® factor in each network's reliability and speed when downloading and uploading data, performing email tasks, and downloading files that approximate loading typical webpages or apps. AT &T won the Data RootScore Award for the sixth consecutive time in Boston, closely followed by T-Mobile, which also recorded the fasted median upload speed at 11.1 Mbps.
Data Performance rankings:
1 – AT &T (97.7)
2 – T-Mobile (97.6)
3 – Verizon (96.2)
4 – Sprint (92.4)
"It is fantastic news for consumers in Boston that all four carriers performed so strongly on our reliability index," said Bill Moore, RootMetrics CEO. "Performance was strong across the board, with all reliability scores above 98 and first-place ties among the carriers in multiple categories. As the carriers continue to invest in and improve their networks, Boston consumers are reaping rewards in the form of excellent reliability and speed when it comes to their mobile networks."
Call and Text Performance
Examining other key functions of the consumer mobile experience in Boston, all four carriers tied for the top rank in call performance, while T-Mobile earned the top rank in text performance for the third consecutive report.
To evaluate the mobile experience in Boston, RootMetrics performed 78,749 call, data, and text tests across all hours of the day and night between May 28 and June 3. Using smartphones purchased off the shelf at carrier stores, tests were conducted indoors at 98 locations, outdoors, and while driving 3,363 miles. For details about RootMetrics testing, see the methodology section of the RootMetrics website.
About RootMetrics®
RootMetrics® is an independent mobile analytics firm that offers insights into the consumer mobile experience. RootMetrics provides data on mobile network performance to help people make more informed mobile decisions. RootMetrics offers its RootScore® Report series for metropolitan markets, nations, states, event venues, and airports, as well as its downloadable CoverageMap app. To ensure that RootMetrics testing reflects real-world mobile usage, testing is conducted based on where, when, and how consumers use their smartphones most often.
1 http://www.ctia.org/your-wireless-life/how-wireless-works/annual-wireless-industry-survey