New RootMetrics Report Shows Verizon Winning the Mobile Performance Race in Boston, Sweeping Awards for the Second Consecutive Period

BELLEVUE, Wash., May 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a new report from RootMetrics®, an IHS Markit company and the gold standard for mobile performance benchmarking, Verizon is leading the mobile performance race in the Boston metro area, sweeping the RootScore awards for the second testing period in a row. Notably, the carrier earns outright awards in four of the six testing categories, including wins for network reliability, network speed, and call performance. The 1st Half 2018 Boston Metro RootScore Report also reveals all the carriers make strides in network reliability, with high RootScores ranging from 96.7 to 99.4. 

When it comes to data performance in Boston, Verizon and T-Mobile share the top spot. Meanwhile, AT&T and T-Mobile record the fastest median download speeds at 36.7 Mbps and 37.7 Mbps, respectively. T-Mobile records the fastest median upload speed at 16.3 Mbps, allowing subscribers to upload a photo to social media in about two seconds. 

“The mobile networks are really stepping up to improve reliability and speed for Bostonians,” said Doug King, director of business development at RootMetrics. “While Verizon swept the network performance awards, our latest report shows the carriers are enhancing the overall mobile experience for subscribers in the metro area, making data performance a big priority to support consumers’ increasing reliance on complex mobile tasks.” 

This is the fifteenth time RootMetrics has tested the mobile networks in Boston and issued findings for the metro area. RootScore Reports provide a scientific, independent, consumer-focused assessment of mobile network performance. 

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, and web/app tasks. While all four carriers earn high scores in network reliability, Verizon takes the RootScore Award outright, which the carrier has won or shared for five testing periods in a row. Verizon also takes the award outright in network speed for the second consecutive testing period.

Data Performance

The data performance category reflects how well networks perform in downloading and uploading data, and downloading files that approximate loading typical webpages or apps. Verizon and T-Mobile share the Data Performance RootScore Award, which is an award Verizon previously earned outright, T-Mobile records the fastest median upload speed at 16.3 Mbps, while AT&T and T-Mobile record the fastest median download speeds in Boston at 36.7 Mbps and 37.7 Mbps, respectively, allowing subscribers to download a high-definition TV show in about two minutes. Meanwhile, Sprint increases its median download speed from 6.7 Mbps to 14.2 Mbps and Verizon improves its median upload speed from 8.1 Mbps to 12.5 Mbps.

Call and Text Performance 
Call and text capabilities are fundamental to a strong mobile experience. Call performance testing is based on how reliably each network can place and maintain calls, while text performance measures how reliably and quickly consumers can send and receive text messages. Verizon wins the Call Performance RootScore Award outright for the second consecutive testing period. Meanwhile Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile share the award for text performance for the second time in a row. 

Comprehensive Testing
To evaluate the mobile experience in Boston, RootMetrics conducted tests across all hours of the day and night from April 2 through April 7. Using smartphones purchased off the shelf at carrier stores, tests were conducted indoors at 174 locations and while driving 3,074 miles. For details about RootMetrics testing, see the methodology section of the RootMetrics website.

About RootMetrics®
RootMetrics®, an IHS Markit company, is an independent mobile analytics firm that measures mobile network performance and offers insights into the consumer mobile experience. RootMetrics provides data on mobile network performance to help the networks improve and give consumers an end-to-end look at mobile performance. 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. 
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