BELLEVUE, Wash., Dec. 8, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After performing nearly 20,000 data, call, and text tests in San Jose, T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT &T are locked in a three-way tie for the title of top-performing overall mobile network in San Jose. This is a milestone for the "Un-carrier" as it marks the first time T-Mobile has won or shared the Overall RootScore Award in San Jose. In fact, T-Mobile and AT &T shared the top spot in every category RootMetrics tested. That's according to independent mobile analytics firm RootMetrics, which measures mobile performance of the four major national carriers with tests designed to replicate real-world consumer behavior.
The Overall performance category includes results across data, call, and text testing; the top-performing network(s) is awarded the Overall RootScore Award. A good Overall RootScore means strong overall coverage and a good consumer experience.
The final RootMetrics Overall Performance RootScore rankings for San Jose:
1 – T-Mobile (98.5)
1 – Verizon (98.3)
1 – AT &T (98.0)
4 – Sprint (93.7)
Network Reliability and Speed
RootMetrics measures network reliability and speed to give consumers a clear and holistic view of each network's performance in these key areas of mobile usage. The Reliability Index is based on a combination of results from data, call, and text tests, while the Speed Index includes data and text results. Looking at the network reliability and speed indices in conjunction with Overall RootScores offers the most comprehensive look at a typical mobile experience in San Jose.
For the #1 position in network reliability, it was again a three-way tie between T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT &T with scores of 99.8, 99.7, and 99.2, respectively. During previous testing in May, AT &T and Verizon both ranked first in network reliability.
AT &T and T-Mobile both ranked first on the network speed index. During the previous two RootMetrics test periods in San Jose, T-Mobile claimed the top spot outright on the Network Speed Index.
Reliability Index rankings:
1 – T-Mobile (99.8)
1 – Verizon (98.7)
1 – AT &T (99.2)
4 – Sprint (97.4)
Speed Index rankings:
1 – AT &T (93.4)
1 – T-Mobile (93.4)
3 – Verizon (93.0)
4 – Sprint (80.8)
"The changes we saw in San Jose since our testing in May are extremely impressive," said Bill Moore, RootMetrics CEO. "AT &T, T-Mobile, and Verizon shared the top-rank in four of our six award categories, and Sprint closed the gap in all six since May. Sprint's improvements in all test categories were particularly impressive. This is all great news for consumers in San Jose."
Data Performance: Significant Improvements for All Four Networks in San Jose
Data Performance RootScores factor in each network's reliability and speed when downloading and uploading data, performing email tasks, and downloading files that approximate using typical webpages or apps. Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT &T shared the RootScore Award for data performance in San Jose, with scores of 97.5, 97.4 and 97.3, respectively, while Sprint ranked fourth at 90.5. AT &T and T-Mobile recorded the fastest median download speeds at 26.7 Mbps and 25.3 Mbps, respectively, while T-Mobile easily had the fastest median upload speed in San Jose, recording a blazing-fast 20.3 Mbps.
Since previous testing in May, there have been significant developments in the data landscape in San Jose.
AT &T's median download speed increased from 11.6 Mbps to 26.7 Mbps since May, and AT &T's median upload speed increased from 8.1 Mbps to 10.3 Mbps.
Sprint recently launched LTE service in the San Jose area, and Sprint's percentage of data tests on LTE increased from approximately 22% in May to approximately 71%. Moreover, Sprint's median download speed increased from 0.8 Mbps to 8.7 Mbps, and Sprint's median upload speed increased from 0.9 Mbps to 3.1 Mbps.
T-Mobile's median download speed increased from 15.1 Mbps to 25.3 Mbps since May, and T-Mobile's median upload speed increased from 14.1 Mbps to 20.3 Mbps.
Verizon deployed its Advanced Wireless System (AWS) spectrum in the area since May testing. Subsequently, Verizon's median download speed increased from 11.2 Mbps to 22.1 Mbps, and Verizon's median upload speed increased from 5.3 Mbps to 10.5 Mbps.
Median download and upload speeds by network
AT &T: 26.66 Mbps download/10.31 upload
T-Mobile: 25.31 Mbps download/20.30 upload
Verizon: 22.09 Mbps download/10.49 upload
Sprint: 8.67 Mbps download/3.11 upload
Data speeds impact how quickly consumers can perform various tasks online. For example, in an ideal situation, uploading medium-sized pictures (1 MB) to Facebook or other online albums typically takes 25 seconds to 45 seconds on average at speeds below 3.0 Mbps. At speeds above 6.0 Mbps, uploading a similar picture generally takes less than 1 second.
Making the call
Making calls in San Jose should be a positive experience on any of the four networks. T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT &T shared the RootScore Award for call performance. Their scores were 100.0 (T-Mobile), 99.6 (Verizon), and 98.9 (AT &T). Sprint ranked fourth, with a score of 96.3.
Text me
AT &T and T-Mobile shared the Text RootScore Award for the third consecutive time. With Text RootScores above 96 for all four networks, texting in San Jose should be a smooth experience.
Nearly 20,000 tests in San Jose
To evaluate the mobile experience in San Jose, RootMetrics conducted 19,212 call, data, and text tests on the networks of AT &T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon during all hours of the day and night from November 8 through November 13, 2014. The tests were conducted using the RootMetrics RootScout app running on Android-based, consumer smartphones purchased off-the-shelf from carrier stores. Tests were performed indoors (at 22 locations), outdoors, and during drive tests (covering 692 miles). For details about RootMetrics testing, see the methodology section of the RootMetrics website. Mobile performance varies depending on where people live, work, or otherwise spend time. Because a variety of factors can influence performance, examples that list what data speeds mean while performing various mobile activities are a general look at data speeds for illustrative purposes and aren't specific to San Jose.
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. The company offers its RootScore Report series for the nation, metropolitan markets, 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 devices most often.