Verizon Earns 7th Consecutive Top Overall Mobile Performance Award in Detroit

BELLEVUE, Wash., May 13, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RootMetrics®, the standard for independent mobile performance information, reveals Verizon is the Overall Performance RootScore Award winner for the seventh consecutive testing period in Detroit. In total, the carrier took first place – outright or shared – in four of the six categories measured, according to the 1st Half 2016 Detroit Metro RootScore Report. This included wins in Network Reliability, Call Performance, and Text Performance.

In the remaining categories, T-Mobile led the way with outright wins in Network Speed and Data Performance, both of which Verizon previously held outright. According to RootMetrics, an IHS (NYSE:IHS) company, AT&T also rose the top, sharing first place in Call Performance with Verizon, as well as Text Performance with Verizon and T-Mobile.

“While Verizon continues its overall mobile performance reign in Detroit, mobile consumers have a number of strong options depending how they use their phones what they consider to be most important,” said Julie Dey, RootMetrics vice president. “T-Mobile took the lead in both Network Speed and Data Performance categories, while Verizon came out on top for Network Reliability which is considered essential to a good mobile experience.”
 
This is the tenth time RootMetrics has tested the mobile networks in Detroit and issued its findings for the metro area. RootScore Reports provide a scientific, independent, consumer-focused assessment of mobile network performance.
 
The RootMetrics Overall Performance RootScore rankings for Detroit:
1 – Verizon (98.4)
2 – T-Mobile (97.3)
3 – AT&T (95.3)
4 – Sprint (93.5)
 
RootScores are on a scale of 0 to 100. A good Overall RootScore means strong all-around performance and a good consumer experience.
 
Mobile Performance You Can Depend on
Reliability and speed are crucial to a consistently good mobile experience. RootMetrics indicates performance in these key areas with its Network Reliability category, a combination of results from data, call, and text tests; and its Network Speed category, which examines results across testing of data transfers, downloading email, and web/app tasks.

Verizon earned first place outright in Network Reliability for the fourth consecutive testing period in Detroit; however, the rankings were extremely close with less than two points separating first and last place. Meanwhile, T-Mobile took the lead in Network Speed, an award Verizon previously held for two consecutive periods.

Network Reliability rankings:
1 – Verizon (99.5)
2 – AT&T (98.4)
2 – T-Mobile (98.2)
2 – Sprint (97.6)
 
Network Speed rankings:
1 – T-Mobile (95.8)
2 – Verizon (95.0)
3 – AT&T (85.0)
4 – Sprint (80.0)
 
Data Performance
Data Performance RootScores reflect how well networks perform in downloading and uploading data, performing email tasks, and downloading files that approximate loading typical webpages or apps.
 
In Data Performance, T-Mobile was the outright winner, while Verizon was close behind. Verizon recorded the fastest median download speed at 31.3 Mbps, meaning it would take about two seconds to download a song. Meanwhile, T-Mobile recorded the fastest median upload speed at 23.1 Mbps; at that speed it would take less than two seconds to upload a picture on the network.
 
Data Performance rankings:
1 – T-Mobile (98.1)
2 – Verizon (98.0)
3 – AT&T (93.2)
4 – Sprint (91.0)
 
Call and Text Performance
In Detroit, Call Performance resulted in a shared win between Verizon and AT&T, an award Verizon previously held on its own. Meanwhile, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon shared first place in the Text Performance category.

Call Performance rankings:
1 – Verizon (98.8)
1 – AT&T (97.8)
3 – Sprint (96.4)
3 – T-Mobile (95.9)
 
Text Performance rankings:
1 – T-Mobile (99.5)
1 – AT&T (99.4)
1 – Verizon (99.1)
4 – Sprint (98.1)
 
Comprehensive Testing
To evaluate the mobile experience in Detroit, RootMetrics performed 40,524 call, data, and text tests across all hours of the day and night from April 13 through April 19. Using smartphones purchased off the shelf at carrier stores, tests were conducted indoors at 63 locations and while driving 2,422 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 nations, states, metro areas, airports, campuses, venues, and transit stations, 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.

About IHS
IHS (NYSE:IHS) is the leading source of insight, analytics and expertise in critical areas that shape today’s business landscape. Businesses and governments in more than 140 countries around the globe rely on the comprehensive content, expert independent analysis and flexible delivery methods of IHS to make high-impact decisions and develop strategies with speed and confidence. IHS has been in business since 1959 and became a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange in 2005. Headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, USA, IHS is committed to sustainable, profitable growth and employs nearly 9,000 people in 33 countries around the world.

Lori Niquette for RootMetrics
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