Smart phones and other digital devices will be at the top of many holiday gift lists with Apple, Samsung and other competitors out with multiple new products in recent months.
That presents one set of choices. The decision on which network to choose based on reliability, call performance, speed and other measures can also be challenging.
RootMetrics, which conducts semi-annual tests on networks, gives Verizon the edge over AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile in overall network performance, according to its latest semi-annual report.
The companies received “RootScores” based on independent, consumer-focused tests during thousands of miles of driving and visits to various locations around metro Atlanta. The higher the score, the better the performance.
In RootMetrics’ 2nd half of 2014 report, Verizon led in overall performance with a score of 98.1. Verizon improved its score from the first half of the year, while AT&T, which had tied with Verizon for first place previously, saw its score drop slightly from the last report.
Verizon led outright in overall performance for the first since February 2012. Among RootMetric’s other findings:
* Sprint and Verizon tied for No. 1 in reliability
* T-Mobile and Verizon tied for No. 1 in speed
* Verizon was No. 1 in mobile Internet performance
* Sprint and Verizon tied for No. 1 in call performance
* T-Mobile and AT&T tied for No. 1 in text performance
Both Sprint and T-Mobile gained ground compared with their performances during the first half of the year, when their RootScores left them in third and fourth places.
AT&T led in reliability, text performance and tied with Verizon in call performance in the previous report, which came out in February.
RootMetrics tested the competing networks between July 25 and August 2. Researchers said they covered 4,904 miles, visited 131 locations and conducted a total of 102,300 tests in metro Atlanta to come up with scores.
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