AT&T Takes the Blame, Even for the iPhone?s Faults
When I set about looking for independent data, however, to confirm the superior performance of Verizon?s network, I was astonished to discover that I had managed to get things exactly wrong. Despite the well-publicized problems in New York and San Francisco, AT&T seems to have the superior network nationwide.
Roger Entner, senior vice president for telecommunications research at Nielsen, said the iPhone?s ?air interface,? the electronics in the phone that connect it to the cell towers, had shortcomings that ?affect both voice and data.?
Global Wireless Solutions, one of the third-party services that run network tests for the major carriers, shared some of its current findings. The results place AT&T?s data network not just on top, but well ahead of everyone else. ?AT&T?s data throughput is 40 to 50 percent higher than the competition, including Verizon,?
More evidence that AT&T?s data network is head-and-shoulders above Verizon?s comes from Root Wireless, a start-up in Bellevue, Wash., that is developing software for consumers to install on their smartphones to do continuous network tests.
This year, Root Wireless ran 4.7 million tests on smartphones for each of the four major carriers, spread across seven metropolitan areas: Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles/Orange County, New York, Seattle/Tacoma, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Washington. In every market, AT&T had faster average download speeds and had signal strength of 75 percent or better more frequently than did Verizon.
New York Times
Roger Entner, senior vice president for telecommunications research at Nielsen, said the iPhone?s ?air interface,? the electronics in the phone that connect it to the cell towers, had shortcomings that ?affect both voice and data.?
Global Wireless Solutions, one of the third-party services that run network tests for the major carriers, shared some of its current findings. The results place AT&T?s data network not just on top, but well ahead of everyone else. ?AT&T?s data throughput is 40 to 50 percent higher than the competition, including Verizon,?
More evidence that AT&T?s data network is head-and-shoulders above Verizon?s comes from Root Wireless, a start-up in Bellevue, Wash., that is developing software for consumers to install on their smartphones to do continuous network tests.
This year, Root Wireless ran 4.7 million tests on smartphones for each of the four major carriers, spread across seven metropolitan areas: Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles/Orange County, New York, Seattle/Tacoma, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Washington. In every market, AT&T had faster average download speeds and had signal strength of 75 percent or better more frequently than did Verizon.
New York Times
Comments
So which is more important?... a snappier connection?... or coverage everywhere?
Personally, I have no problem with my ATT service... I get a signal everywhere I go, and have had maybe 4 dropped calls in the 3+ years I've been using them. But great data throughput is not the only requirement of a good network.
Ars Technica questions the validity of the NY Times article.