A new report from RootMetrics by IHS Markit, the gold standard for mobile performance benchmarking, reveals Verizon delivers the top consumer mobile experience in Baltimore, sweeping the awards for the second consecutive testing period. In the latest 2nd Half 2018 Baltimore Metro RootScore Report, Verizon wins outright awards in five out of six categories, including overall performance, network reliability, network speed, data performance and call performance. Meanwhile, AT&T and T-Mobile heat up the competition in the text performance category, sharing the award with Verizon.
Looking at data performance in the metro area, AT&T records the fastest median download speed at 51.6 Mbps, allowing subscribers to download a high-definition TV show in about two minutes. This is a big increase since the first half of the year, when AT&T recorded a median download speed of 31.7 Mbps. Sprint also makes strides in the data performance category, increasing its median download speed from 17.8 Mbps to 28.8 Mbps.
"Verizon holds a tight reign over the Baltimore metro area, allowing consumers to surf the web reliably and make calls with the same ease on their smartphones," said Doug King, director of business development at RootMetrics. "However, with increasing speeds from AT&T and Sprint in the data performance category and high reliability scores across all the networks, it's clear that Baltimorenatives are in good hands, no matter which carrier they subscribe to."
This is the sixteenth time RootMetrics has tested the mobile networks in Baltimore and issued findings for the metro area. RootScore Reports provide a scientific, independent, consumer-focused assessment of mobile network performance.
Mobile Performance You Can Depend On
All four carriers earn excellent scores above 97.0 in the network reliability category, but Verizon takes the award outright. Verizon also takes the Network Speed RootScore Award outright for the second consecutive report. Reliability and speed are crucial to a consistently good mobile experience. The RootMetrics network reliability category is a combination of results from data, call and text tests, while the network speed category examines results across testing of data transfers, downloading email and web/app tasks.
Data Performance
Verizon takes the Data Performance RootScore Award outright for the second consecutive report. However, AT&T records the fastest median download speed at 51.6 Mbps, while Verizon records the fastest median upload speed at 17.7 Mbps. On Verizon's network, uploading a picture to social media would generally take about two seconds. The data performance category reflects how well networks perform in downloading and uploading data, performing email tasks and downloading files that approximate loading typical webpages or apps.
Call and Text Performance
Verizon takes the award for call performance outright, while AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon share the Text Performance RootScore Award. Call performance testing is based on how reliably each network can place and maintain calls, while text performance measures how reliably and quickly consumers can send and receive text messages.
Comprehensive Testing
To evaluate the mobile experience in Baltimore, RootMetrics conducted tests across all hours of the day and night from November 10 through November 20. Using smartphones purchased off the shelf at carrier stores, tests were conducted indoors at 60 locations and while driving 979 miles. For details about RootMetrics testing, see the methodology section of the RootMetrics website.
About RootMetrics
RootMetrics by IHS Markit is mobile analytics that measure mobile network performance and offers insights into the consumer mobile experience. RootMetrics provides data on mobile network performance to help the networks improve and give consumers an end-to-end look at mobile performance. To ensure that RootMetrics reflects real-world mobile usage, testing is conducted based on where, when and how consumers use their smartphones most often.
