RootMetrics is a company that regularly evaluates how good wireless carriers in the United States are with their mobile coverage. From time to time, the wireless testing firm examines data coverage in airports across the country, and tries to determine which wireless carrier provides the best data coverage.
RootMetrics normally publishes its report twice a year, and based on its latest findings, it appears that Verizon Wireless, the biggest wireless in the US, is the winner when it comes to providing data coverage in airports. The Big Red is followed by T-Mobile, AT&T, and then Sprint. In conducting its study, RootMetrics looked into 50 of the busiest airports in the US.
Perhaps it is not too surprising that Verizon Wireless ended up being the winner. In RootMetrics’ earlier study on nationwide mobile coverage, Verizon also was found to be the clear winner over the other major wireless carriers. Big credit goes to the carrier’s unflagging focus on maintaining excellent quality in terms of network performance. Sure, Verizon Wireless charges a premium over its rivals, but considering that it always delivers network quality wise, it is justified.
Of the 50 airports that RootMetrics examined, Verizon Wireless managed to nab the RootScore Award (or at least tied for the lead spot) in 29 airports. In the second half of last year, RootMetrics also conducted the same study and found that the Big Red got the RootScore Award in 31 airports. Despite being down a couple of airports this year, Verizon is still miles ahead of the second placer T-Mobile. According to RootMetrics, Verizon’s combination of network reliability and connection speed gave the carrier an edge over its rivals.
As for T-Mobile, while it does have some catching up to do, it managed to add 3 more airports compared to its last outing, for a total of 20 RootScore Awards. What about the other wireless carriers? AT&T added 3 airports for a total of 13 RootScore Awards. Sprint did not get any (in the previous study, it grabbed only one).
Interestingly, in the busiest airport in the US, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, AT&T had the best showing. But this should not be much of a surprise -- AT&T, after all, has its mobility division based there. AT&T also managed to tie Verizon Wireless in Dallas, the city in which AT&T’s headquarters are located.
One would expect that Verizon would dominate in its home cities New York City and New Jersey. In actuality, T-Mobile was best at John F. Kennedy International and Newark Liberty International, while AT&T was king in LaGuardia Airport. Oddly enough, in Seattle-Tacoma International (T-Mobile’s home turf) and Kansas City International (Sprint’s), Verizon Wireless had the best data coverage.
