AT&T and Verizon Race for the Top in San Jose

BELLEVUE, Wash., Oct. 27, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the latest report from RootMetrics®, the standard for independent mobile performance testing, AT &T and Verizon are on top in San Jose. The two carriers shared the award in overall mobile performance, as well as those in network reliability and call performance. The 2nd Half 2015 San Jose Metro RootScore Report also revealed AT &T won or shared every category tested.

The two top carriers were able to surpass T-Mobile, which had shared the overall award with Verizon and AT &T in the previous round of testing in April. However, in the latest report from RootMetrics, an IHS (NYSE: IHS) company, T-Mobile did share the network speed award with AT &T, and also recorded some of the fastest median download and upload speeds in San Jose.

"AT &T and Verizon are neck-and-neck in San Jose," said Julie Dey, RootMetrics vice president. "While these two carriers battle it out, it's clear that the others are making strides when it comes to overall performance, network reliability, data, call, and text performance. In five of our six mobile performance categories, we saw less than a four-point difference between first and last place, indictating strong mobile network performance across San Jose."

This is the ninth time RootMetrics has tested the mobile networks in San Jose and issued its findings for the metro area. RootScore Reports provide a scientific, consumer-focused, and fiercely independent assessment of mobile network performance.
 
The final RootMetrics Overall Performance RootScore rankings for San Jose:
1 – Verizon (97.8)
1 – AT &T (97.7)
3 – T-Mobile (96.6)
4 – Sprint (95.0)
 
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.

When it came to Network Reliability, Verizon and AT &T shared the top spot, knocking off T-Mobile, which had shared the award with the two winners for the last two testing periods. Notably, there was less than a two-point spread between the four carriers in the category, indicating high reliability across networks. Network Speed, on the other hand, resulted in a tie between AT &T and T-Mobile. Previously T-Mobile won this award outright.

Reliability Index rankings:
1 – Verizon (99.7)
1 – AT &T (99.2)
3 – T-Mobile (98.1)
3 – Sprint (98.0)
 
Speed Index rankings:
1 – AT &T (92.9)
1 – T-Mobile (92.4)
3 – Verizon (91.2)
4 – Sprint (85.6)
 
Data Performance: AT &T Takes the Lead
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 the latest testing from San Jose, AT &T came in first for data performance, knocking Verizon and T-Mobile out of the top spot which they shared in the previous round of testing.
 
However, T-Mobile recorded the fastest median upload speed at 14.3 Mbps, while AT &T and T-Mobile recorded the fastest median download speeds at 17.3 Mbps and 16.2 Mbps, respectively.
 
Data Performance rankings:
1 – AT &T (97.0)
2 – Verizon (96.1)
2 – T-Mobile (96.0)
4 – Sprint (93.4)
 
Call and Text Performance
Verizon and AT &T shared the top spot in call performance, unseating T-Mobile since the last round of testing. Notably, Verizon did not record any blocked or dropped calls, while T-Mobile did not record any dropped calls. When it came to text performance, all four carriers tied for first.

Call Performance rankings:
1 – Verizon (100.0)
1 – AT &T (98.6)
3 – T-Mobile (97.4)
3 – Sprint (96.8)
 
Text Performance rankings:
1 – Sprint (98.4)
1 – Verizon (98.2)
1 – AT &T (98.0)
1 – T-Mobile (97.6)
 
Comprehensive Testing
To evaluate the mobile experience in San Jose, RootMetrics performed 13,417 call, data and text tests across all hours of the day and night from Sept. 25 through Sept. 29. Using smartphones purchased off the shelf at carrier stores, tests were conducted indoors at 27 locations, outdoors and while driving 740 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.