New RootMetrics Report: Verizon and T-Mobile Share Title of Best Carrier in Kansas City; T-Mobile Named Fastest Carrier
Bellevue, Wash. (PRWEB) June 19, 2014 -- Verizon and T-Mobile shared recognition as the top-performing mobile networks in Kansas City. Meanwhile, T-Mobile ranked first in network speed, Verizon and AT&T both ranked first in network reliability, and all four major networks had improved reliability scores compared to previous testing conducted in November 2013. That’s according to independent mobile analytics firm RootMetrics®, which measures mobile performance of the four national carriers with tests designed to replicate real-world consumer behavior.
The RootMetrics 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 Overall Performance RootScore rankings for Kansas City:
1 – Verizon (98.0)
1 – T-Mobile (97.2)
3 – AT&T (95.6)
4 – Sprint (89.7)
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 performance. 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 Kansas City.
Verizon and AT&T tied for the highest rank in network reliability, while T-Mobile won the top rank in network speed.
Reliability Index rankings:
1 – Verizon (99.5)
1 – AT&T (99.3)
3 – T-Mobile (98.5)
4 – Sprint (96.2)
Speed Index rankings:
1 – T-Mobile (93.1)
2 – Verizon (91.9)
3 – AT&T (82.5)
4 – Sprint (66.1)
"In Kansas City, the story we’re seeing develop is centered on the critical importance of reliability,” said Bill Moore, RootMetrics CEO. “We found impressive data speeds in our recent testing, but as most of us have experienced, speed doesn’t mean much if you can’t reliably connect to your network. Verizon and AT&T ranked first on our reliability index, but T-Mobile and Sprint weren’t far behind, and all four networks had higher reliability scores compared to the last time we tested in Kansas City. The fast data speeds and strong reliability results we found in Kansas City are great news for consumers.”
T-Mobile and Verizon Deliver Fastest Data Speeds in Kansas City
Data RootScores factor in each network’s reliability and speed when downloading and uploading data, performing email tasks, and handling files that represent elements of a webpage. T-Mobile and Verizon tied for the Data RootScore Award in Kansas City with scores of 97.4 and 97.3. AT&T came in third with a score of 92.2, while Sprint trailed in fourth at 82.6. T-Mobile and Verizon delivered the fastest median download and upload speeds in Kansas City, with each network recording approximately 16.0 Mbps for download and 8.1 Mbps for upload.
Median download and upload speeds by network
T-Mobile: 16.1 Mbps download/8.2 Mbps upload
Verizon: 16.0 Mbps download/8.1 Mbps upload
AT&T: 7.8 Mbps download/3.1 Mbps upload
Sprint: 2.5 Mbps download/0.9 Mbps upload
Data speeds affect 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 Kansas City should be a smooth experience on any of the four networks. Verizon and AT&T shared the Call RootScore Award with scores of 99.2 and 98.7, respectively, while T-Mobile and Sprint tied for third with scores of 97.0 and 95.8, respectively.
Text me
AT&T and T-Mobile tied for the Text RootScore Award with scores of 96.8 and 96.7, respectively, but with Text RootScores above 94 for all four networks, text performance was strong across the board in Kansas City.
Almost 25,000 tests in Kansas City
To evaluate the mobile experience in Kansas City, RootMetrics conducted 24,961 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 May 16 – May 23, 2014. The tests were conducted using the RootMetrics RootScout app running on Android-based smartphones purchased off-the-shelf from carrier stores. Tests were conducted indoors (at 38 locations) and outdoors during drive tests (covering 1,114 miles). For details about the results, 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 Kansas City.
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.
###
Ann Marie Ricard, Rootmetrics, +1 (206) 683-0552, [email protected]
Share this article