RootMetrics Ranks Verizon Top Dog In Mobile Network Quality Report, AT&T Close Second

Yes Verizon Wireless, we can hear you now, especially now that you're standing on the shoulders of RootMetrics with a copy of its bi-annual RootScore Report for metro markets in the United States. According to the independent testing conducted by RootMetrics, Verizon's network quality is the best in the country with an overall performance score of 81.6 out of 100. That's enough to edge out AT&T at 79.5, and it's well ahead of both T-Mobile and Sprint, which scored 71.5 and 69.6, respectively.

Verizon nearly swept the competition by taking the top spot in four out of five categories, including Reliability, Speed, Data Performance, and Call Performance. The only category it conceded was Text Performance with a score of 80.4 out of 100, versus AT&T's 81.2 score.

RootMetrics Graph
Source: RootMetrics

These scores are meaningless without some context. The way it works is RootMetrics drives around the country conducting thousands of consumer-focused tests broken up into several categories. For this particular report, RootMetrics drove 234,715 miles, visited 6,499 indoor locations, and conducted 5,636,222 tests. You can read more about the firm's testing methodology here.

While AT&T came in a close second, it was Verizon that impressed the most by winning or notching a tie in 115 of 125 markets, and at 30 major U.S. airports.

Verizon Kiosk

"The availability and the breadth of wireless networks to handle the exponential increase in data use from mobile customers is paramount to providing consumers with a solid network experience," said Bill Moore, CEO and President, RootMetrics. "Our RootScore Reports look at a network’s reliability and speed, as well as data, call and text performance to test how consumers really experience networks. Winning a RootScore Award points to the strength of the Verizon Wireless network."

Launched in 2010, Verizon's 4G LTE network is installed in more than 500 markets, giving access to 97 percent of the U.S. population with more than twice the square miles of any other wireless provider in the country.