Based on the latest report released by RootMetrics, the biggest mobile operator in the United States has retained its title of having the best network in the country. Not only that, Verizon Wireless has also managed to set a new record by winning the best network honor for a nine straight times, which no other carrier has accomplished.
As always, RootMetrics’ tests try to evaluate the quality and efficiency of the Big Four wireless service providers in America (namely Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint) in categories that include connection speed, network reliability, data, voice calls, text messaging, and lastly, overall scores. In the newest report, the Big Red has ranked first across five of the six categories outlined above.
Verizon Wireless may be widely considered as the industry leader in the wireless industry, but the past few months have seen the carrier deal with reports that its network has suffered a decline after it had joined in on the unlimited data party. But as pointed out by Mike Haberman, the vice president of network support at the Big Red, RootMetrics’ latest results are proof that those claims of a slowing network are a bit unfounded. Just for the record, RootMetrics did its latest round of tests after Verizon Wireless had introduced its unlimited data offering. The information collected by the network testing firm were from the final two quarters of last year, and the company’s testers completed the study by driving more than 246,000 miles across the country and conducting over 4.6 million tests using unaltered mobile devices acquired from carrier outlets.
In the text messaging performance category, Verizon Wireless had to share a three way tie ranking for first place with two other major US carriers -- AT&T and Sprint. Speaking of AT&T, the mobile operator continues to offer competition to the Big Red, confidently taking the second place ranking in the connection speed, network reliability, data, voice calls, and overall scores categories.
As explained by Haberman, it appears that Verizon Wireless’ continued and consistent investments in network densification in the last half decade or so is producing some good results. And coupled with strategic partnerships struck with dark fiber providers, the number one wireless service provider in the US also continuing to reinforce the backhaul side. Haberman also revealed that around 70 percent of the Big Red’s usage is now video, but the carrier should still be able to hand all that streaming load better than any of its rivals.
