BELLEVUE, Wash., Sept. 8, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sprint made a big splash in the Denver metro area in the latest rankings from RootMetrics®, the standard for independent mobile network performance information. Sprint won or shared five out of six RootScore Awards this time vs. just one award in the last round of testing.
Meanwhile, Verizon shared the Overall Performance RootScore Award with Sprint, continuing its unbroken streak of winning or sharing the top spot in the overall category every single time RootMetrics has tested in Denver. Verizon won or shared four out of a possible six awards.
And all networks had stellar results in network reliability, with all four carriers tying for first place in the category. It was Verizon's fifth time in a row of winning or sharing this award.
"Sprint has emerged as a contender in Denver as it works on improving its network," said Julie Dey, RootMetrics vice president. "And it's great news for consumers that all four carriers performed so strongly in reliability. As the carriers continue to invest in their networks, Denver consumers are reaping rewards when it comes to their mobile performance."
This is the ninth time RootMetrics, recently acquired by IHS Inc., has tested the mobile networks in Denver and issued a RootScore Report of its findings for the metro area. RootScore Reports provide a scientific, independent, consumer-focused assessment of mobile network performance.
The final RootMetrics Overall Performance RootScore rankings for Denver:
1 – Verizon (94.7)
1 – Sprint (94.5)
3 – T-Mobile (92.8)
3 – AT &T (92.8)
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 quality 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.
All four networks tied for the Network Reliability RootScore Award with excellent RootScores above 97.0. This was a first-time award for Sprint in Denver, while Verizon has now won outright or shared the award five times in a row. Sprint won the Network Speed RootScore Award outright for the first time. It shared the award with T-Mobile and Verizon last time.
Reliability Index rankings:
1 – Verizon (98.4)
1 – AT &T (97.8)
1 – T-Mobile (97.5)
1 – Sprint (97.2)
Speed Index rankings:
1 – Sprint (86.3)
2 – Verizon (83.5)
3 – T-Mobile (77.8)
4 – AT &T (73.9)
Data Performance: Another First for Sprint
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. Sprint and Verizon shared the Data RootScore Award in Sprint's first win in this category in Denver. It was Verizon's third time in a row winning outright or sharing the award.
Sprint recorded the fastest median download speed in Denver at 12.8 Mbps, while T-Mobile recorded the fastest median upload speed at 8.7 Mbps. At these speeds, you would be able to download a song in slightly less than four seconds and upload a short video in around eight seconds.
Data Performance rankings:
1 – Sprint (93.3)
1 – Verizon (93.2)
3 – T-Mobile (90.3)
4 – AT &T (87.4)
Call and Text Performance
All networks earned RootScores above 95.0 in call performance, which AT &T won outright. All networks tied for the Text RootScore Award with excellent scores above 97.0.
Call Performance rankings:
1 – AT &T (99.6)
2 – Verizon (96.4)
2 – Sprint (95.7)
4 – T-Mobile (95.7)
Text Performance rankings:
1 – AT &T (98.4)
1 – T-Mobile (97.8)
1 – Verizon (97.8)
1 – Sprint (97.7)
Comprehensive Testing
To evaluate the mobile experience in Denver, RootMetrics performed 20,424 call, data and text tests across all hours of the day and night from Aug. 27 through Aug. 30. Using smartphones purchased off the shelf at carrier stores, tests were conducted indoors at 34 locations, outdoors and while driving about 1,065 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 the nation, 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 150 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 about 8,800 people in 32 countries around the world.