Want to Know Which Mobile Network Is the Best? RootMetrics Settles the Score

Independent mobile analytics firm RootMetrics® (http://www.rootmetrics.co.uk) today announced the results of its UK RootScore® Report, a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive report on mobile performance across the UK. Offering an unbiased, transparent characterisation of UK mobile performance from a consumer's perspective, the company found that the major UK networks provide hugely varying levels of service across the UK.

Independent mobile analytics firm RootMetrics® (http://www.rootmetrics.co.uk) today announced the results of its UK RootScore® Report, a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive report on mobile performance across the UK. Offering an unbiased, transparent characterisation of UK mobile performance from a consumer's perspective, the company found that the major UK networks provide hugely varying levels of service across the UK.

During its UK-wide testing, RootMetrics collected more than 840,000 samples, which is approximately one sample for every 100 mobile phone contracts in the UK. Visiting all four UK nations, the company drove more than 23,000 miles - the equivalent of driving from Land's End to John O'Groats 27 times. Focused on representing the consumer experience, RootMetrics used off-the-shelf mobile phones to test outdoors, during driving, and at more than 1,000 indoor locations.

"These results give UK consumers and businesses the most accurate view of mobile performance in the UK that has ever been made available. From nation to neighbourhood, people now have access to data showing them the best network in their area," said RootMetrics CEO and President Bill Moore. "No other study of this size and scale for mobile performance has ever been carried out before in the UK, and it has, for the first time, shown consumers the true services they are receiving from their network provider."

The UK-wide report provides a full breakdown of how each network performed across mobile internet, call, and text testing, as well as a summary view of which network was the fastest and which was the most reliable.

UK Report Findings

EE's early rollout of 4G paid big dividends. EE won every RootScore Award, whilst also finishing first in the RootMetrics Reliability and Speed Indices. Three stood out for its strong, second-place showing in the reliability results, while Vodafone trailed markedly in this category.

Overall Performance

Call

Mobile Internet

Text

Network Reliability

Network Speed

RootMetrics also compared network performance within each of the four UK nations. As at the UK level, EE led the way in the overall nation-by-nation RootScore results. EE and Three again proved to be the most reliable networks, with particularly strong reliability performances in Northern Ireland.

Overall Performance

Network Reliability - England

Network Reliability - Northern Ireland

Network Reliability - Scotland

* Below minimum performance threshold

Network Reliability - Wales

* Below minimum performance threshold

Network Speed - England

Network Speed - Northern Ireland

Network Speed - Scotland

Network Speed - Wales

Summarising the Results

Bringing together results and insights from its UK, UK-Nations, and Metro RootScore Reports, the company also announced its first-ever Mobile Performance Review. In addition to a look at UK-wide performance, the article provides consumers with a summary of nation-by-nation and metro results, with EE again performing strongly.

Connecting the dots across all levels of mobile performance, the new report provides consumers a complete picture of the current mobile landscape. (http://www.rootmetrics.com/state-of-the-mobile-union-2014-uk).

The company also offers consumers an online CoverageMap that combines professional and crowdsourced results down to the street level, and a free app that allows people to test performance for themselves. Taken together, the RootMetrics suite of products lets consumers find the insights that are most relevant to their individualized needs.

About RootMetrics

RootMetrics is an independent company that, via its website and free smartphone application, provides free, unbiased maps and reports on mobile network performance across the UK.

Using professional testers, RootMetrics measures network coverage, mobile internet speeds, and call success and failure rates for all of the major operators across all major cities and towns. A free-to-download mobile phone application allows consumers to view coverage near them and upload their own test results whether they are in an area that has been professionally tested or not. All of this information is put into easy-to-read on-line maps giving mobile phone users all the information they need to make informed decisions about the mobile phone company that's right for them.

Press contacts

Jess Ballinger
+44(0)20-7025-6493 / +44(0)7709-809709 
[email protected]
[email protected]