BELLEVUE, Wash., Feb. 11, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a new report released today, T-Mobile and Verizon shared the RootMetrics RootScore Award for overall mobile performance in Portland for the second consecutive time. In fact, the two carriers tied for the top spot in five out of six RootMetrics test categories. That's according to independent mobile analytics firm RootMetrics®, which measures mobile performance of the four major national mobile network operators with tests designed to replicate real-world consumer behavior.
The Overall performance category includes results across data, call, and text testing, and the top-performing network is awarded the Overall RootScore Award. A good Overall RootScore means a good consumer experience.
The final RootMetrics Overall Performance RootScore rankings for Portland:
1 – T-Mobile (98.9)
1 – Verizon (98.6)
3 – AT &T (95.7)
3 – Sprint (94.6)
Network Reliability and Speed
RootMetrics measures network reliability and speed to give consumers a clear and holistic view of each network's performance in these key areas of mobile usage. The Reliability Index is based on a combination of results from data, call, and text tests, while the Speed Index includes data and text results. Looking at the network reliability and speed indices in conjunction with Overall RootScores offers the most comprehensive look at mobile performance in Portland.
T-Mobile and Verizon shared the #1 rank for both network reliability and network speed in Portland. During previous testing in August, Verizon ranked first for network reliability, and T-Mobile took the top spot for network speed. Notably, this marks the fourth consecutive time that Verizon has ranked first in Portland for reliability.
Reliability Index rankings:
1 – T-Mobile (99.8)
1 – Verizon (99.7)
3 – AT &T (98.4)
3 – Sprint (97.8)
Speed Index rankings:
1 – T-Mobile (95.0)
1 – Verizon (94.5)
3 – AT &T (86.2)
4 – Sprint (84.4)
"Increasingly, consumers want a mobile experience that is both reliable and fast. In Portland, results from our testing show strong results in both categories," said Bill Moore, RootMetrics CEO. "This combination of reliability and speed is great news, as consumers in Portland have multiple options for choosing a network that can accommodate their specific needs."
Data Performance: T-Mobile and Verizon share Data RootScore Award in Portland
Data Performance RootScores factor in each network's reliability and speed when downloading and uploading data, performing email tasks, and downloading files that approximate using typical webpages or apps. T-Mobile and Verizon shared the Data RootScore Award in Portland. During RootMetrics previous testing in Portland, T-Mobile won this award outright. Verizon recorded the fastest median download and upload speeds at 27.8 Mbps and 17.2 Mbps, respectively.
Since previous testing in August, there were several notable changes to the data performance landscape in Portland. Verizon's median download speed increased from 15.6 Mbps to 27.8 Mbps, and its median upload speed increased from 9.4 Mbps to 17.2 Mbps. That said, the three other carriers all showed a decrease in median download speeds. AT &T's median download speed decreased from 11.1 Mbps to 8.3 Mbps since August. Sprint's median download speed increased from 4.0 Mbps to 7.7 Mbps, while T-Mobile's median download speed decreased from 30.9 Mbps to 25.6 Mbps.
Median download and upload speeds by network
Verizon: 27.83 Mbps download/17.16 upload
T-Mobile: 25.61 Mbps download/13.17 upload
AT &T: 8.33 Mbps download/3.77 upload
Sprint: 7.72 Mbps download/4.13 upload
Data speeds impact how quickly consumers can perform various tasks online. For example, in an ideal situation, uploading medium-sized pictures (1 MB) to Facebook or other online albums typically takes 25 seconds to 45 seconds on average at speeds below 3.0 Mbps. At speeds above 6.0 Mbps, uploading a similar picture generally takes less than 1 second.
Making the call
Making calls in Portland should be a positive experience on any of the four networks. T-Mobile and Verizon shared the Call RootScore Award, each with scores above 99. In August, Verizon shared the award with AT &T. AT &T followed with a score of 97.9, and Sprint ranked fourth with a score of 95.9.
Text me
Sprint, AT &T, and T-Mobile shared the Text RootScore Award, scoring 98.6, 98.4 and 97.8, respectively. With Text RootScores of 97 or higher for all four networks, texting in Portland should be a smooth experience.
More than 25,000 tests in Portland
To evaluate the mobile experience in Portland, RootMetrics conducted 25,973 call, data, and text tests on the networks of AT &T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon during all hours of the day and night from January 7 through January 13, 2015. The tests were conducted using the RootMetrics RootScout app running on Android-based, consumer smartphones purchased off-the-shelf from mobile network operator stores. Tests were performed indoors (at 33 locations), outdoors, and during drive tests (covering 1,004 miles). For details about RootMetrics testing, see the methodology section of the RootMetrics website. Mobile performance varies depending on where people live, work, or otherwise spend time. Because a variety of factors can influence performance, examples that list what data speeds mean while performing various mobile activities are a general look at data speeds for illustrative purposes and aren't specific to Portland.
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. The company offers its RootScore® Report series for the nation, metropolitan markets, and airports, 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 devices most often.