[jonmorris]

Press Release:

THIRD ROOTMETRICS UK NETWORK PERFORMANCE REVIEW RANKS EE TOP FOR OVERALL NETWORK PERFORMANCE

· Three ties for top with EE in Reliability, a close second in all categories
· Gap in performance between highest and lowest ranked networks, but race heating up

February 10, 2015: EE retained its position as top-performing operator in the new RootMetrics® 2nd Half 2014 UK Network Performance Review. Collecting over a million samples during the second half of 2014 - one sample for approximately every 65 people in the country, an increase of almost 100,000 samples from its previous report, and building on the most comprehensive study of its kind - RootMetrics (www.rootmetrics.co.uk) found EE earned the highest Overall RootScore Award (89.4). This was followed by Three (86.2), O2 (79.5), and Vodafone (78.8).

During the second half of 2014, RootMetrics drove over 24,000 miles – covering the distance from London to New York and back nearly four times – while testing across the UK. Tests were conducted around the clock, indoors, outdoors, and whilst driving. The RootMetrics 2nd Half 2014 UK Mobile Network Performance Review provides the industry standard for unbiased, comprehensive, and accurate consumer characterisation of major mobile operators’ network performance for the UK as a whole; each of the four UK nations; as well as the 16 largest metro areas.

RootMetrics 2nd Half 2014 UK Mobile Performance Review Findings

National (UK-wide) Performance

In individual RootScore categories EE was top – either outright, or as a tie - in all six (Overall, Reliability, Speed, Mobile Internet, Call, and Text) Award categories. Three tied for 1st in Reliability and came in 2nd (outright or tie) in all other categories, notably in Speed. Three also jumped from 4th to 2nd in Call performance (tie). O2 edged for 3rd Overall, 2nd in Call (tie), but dropped to 4th in Mobile Internet and Speed. Vodafone, whilst 4th Overall, moved into 3rd in both Mobile Internet and Speed.

“The networks are all getting better, period. We saw improvements across the board in speed, mobile internet performance, and network reliability,” said RootMetrics CEO and President Bill Moore. “Consumers deserve reliable mobile experience wherever they are, whether they’re making a call, downloading a video, or texting friends. That’s why, in this third time we tested the UK, we went even further into cities, rural communities and on the road to provide the most comprehensive, scientifically sound, and fiercely independent view of mobile coverage available anywhere.”

Nation-by-Nation Performance

RootMetrics also compared network performance within each of the four UK-nations: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Across the UK nations, EE earned top honours (outright, or as a tie) in 20 of 24 cases. Three won or tied three out of four Reliability Awards - more than EE – and came in 1st or 2nd in all categories, increasing its total award count to 10. Meanwhile, Vodafone picked up a Call award in Northern Ireland, and O2 was shut out of 1st place RootScore Awards.

UK Metro Performance

In addition to EE’s strong showings for the entire UK and four UK-nations, it also performed well in the 16 largest metro areas. EE ranked 1st outright in 13 out of 16 markets, tied for 1st place with O2 or Three in the other three metros, and won 91 metro RootScore Awards in total (outright wins and ties, combined). O2 showed more improvement in terms of award wins than any other operator at the metro level, going from 15 total metro awards in H1 2014 to 20 metro awards in H2 2014. Three also performed well in metro markets, winning 27 total metro awards – the second most of any operator - tying for 1st twice in Overall network performance, winning 2nd place outright eight times, tying for 2nd place in five markets, and placing 4th in only one market. Vodafone picked up eight awards, including two 1st place (tied) wins in the Speed category.

Summarising the Results

The RootMetrics 2nd Half 2014 UK Mobile Network Performance Review brings together results and insights from its UK, UK-nations, and Metro RootScore Reports providing consumers with a complete picture of the current mobile landscape in the UK.

RootMetrics also offers consumers an online CoverageMap providing information down to the street level, and free apps on iOS and Android that allow people to test performance for themselves. RootMetrics understands how important mobile performance is to daily life, and mobile consumers can rely on the company to provide information that helps them make more informed mobile decisions.

Report in more detail: http://www.rootmetrics.com/uk/blog/s...review-2014-uk

[blueacid]

I've been using the Rootmetrics app on and off to help map the ccoverage particularly turning it on when I'm in more rural areas. The question is, do you think the networks are using the data on the maps to actually decide where to improve things?

[Mr_DB]

I think the networks probably will be using the data out of this kind of survey (and collected from apps) - from RootMetrics and others, yes.

Vodafone keep jumping up and down vocally (probably because they're not scoring too well in some but better in others) and saying that they want some kind of common industry approach / standardisation to such tests because of differences shown in different surveys because of different criteria, locations and devices used.

This is a good thing if you ask me... (Bear with me, I know initially it sounds wrong!)

At the moment, if a network wants to "be the best" then the only real way is to strive to improve the service and hope to top more different surveys / tests (including crowd-sourced apps) than other networks, right?

With a "common industry approach" that uses the same (or similar) "criteria, locations and devices" then the networks will just have a ticklist of things they have to max out for a given location and in a way that works best on a given set of devices for a given set of features. As all the surveys will have a common approach, they'll all produce the same information. The areas being tested will have the best service in the country, at the cost of everywhere else.

At the moment, each survey has its own separate criteria, and when results are published they're measuring slightly different things in different ways. This means that it takes the network some time to digest, but a whole breadth of areas they can and should look at are able to be seen from the various surveys.

I have no doubt that those individual metrics - and possibilities to improve them in various locations - are considered and prioritised (including some of them deemed not to be priority at that present time) - but I think it would be foolish for any network to ignore them. These reports are the kind of "bubbled up metrics" that the board, investors and the open market want to see. It's easily palatable and you can see your standing with the competition. Add to that, you can track your improvements (or stagnation) with each release of the surveys.

By using the information collected from apps, you get to see where your users are having problems, and therefore by improving those you stand a better chance of performing better in the next survey, if that makes sense/

I think they make things more difficult for networks, but I also think they keep them driving forwards in improving the service for customers?

[sethpet]

The networks that pay root metrics will use the data too assist rollout.

Surprisingly they are generally the ones that RM say are the best.

Coincidence???

[jabbamk1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sethpet

The networks that pay root metrics will use the data too assist rollout.

Surprisingly they are generally the ones that RM say are the best.

Coincidence???

Says the guy who claimed giffgaff wasn't an MVNO.

I don't think we can take anything you say seriously.

[d123]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sethpet

The networks that pay root metrics will use the data too assist rollout.

Surprisingly they are generally the ones that RM say are the best.

Coincidence???

You and alanwarwics should club in and share a roll of tinfoil.

[alanwarwic]

http://www.cnbc.com/id/102214299

Award winning, but why did they not separate 3G and 4G so that the consumer has half a clue what they are on about ?

Because their business model is to take consumer data and sell it to interested parties.

[jonmorris]

Splitting 3G and 4G would potentially show some very interesting results. My parents don't have 4G on Three yet, but I can still get almost 28Mbps on 3G (and 4.5Mbps up, which is probably the highest uplink speed on 3G I've ever had anywhere).

Thus, Three could have perhaps nudged ahead of EE in many places (and probably does if you go around the UK looking at the maps manually).

There are of course some issues with this, in that some people running the app may be using a 3G phone that doesn't support DC-HSPA. Likewise a 4G phone that is just category 3 LTE and not cat 4. Going forward, Cat 6 - 9 will also cause discrepancies.

While RM might be capturing the data on what technologies the handset running the app supports, it's going to be quite hard to determine how to convey that in a report such as that released today here, and elsewhere around the world.

[enapace]

Interesting report as always always love to see how networks are improving.

[lost boy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonmorris

Splitting 3G and 4G would potentially show some very interesting results. My parents don't have 4G on Three yet, but I can still get almost 28Mbps on 3G (and 4.5Mbps up, which is probably the highest uplink speed on 3G I've ever had anywhere).

Thus, Three could have perhaps nudged ahead of EE in many places (and probably does if you go around the UK looking at the maps manually).

There are of course some issues with this, in that some people running the app may be using a 3G phone that doesn't support DC-HSPA. Likewise a 4G phone that is just category 3 LTE and not cat 4. Going forward, Cat 6 - 9 will also cause discrepancies.

While RM might be capturing the data on what technologies the handset running the app supports, it's going to be quite hard to determine how to convey that in a report such as that released today here, and elsewhere around the world.

BIB - absolutely, comparing 3G to 4G (as RM are wont to do) is a little like comparing apples to oranges, certainly when it comes to data results. I also agree with everything else you mention.

I'm not going to get dragged into the scrap about RootMetrics impartiality because it's really not worth it (but, IMO, they really don't help themselves openly chasing EE's 4G around the country - have they themselves tested in an area EE don't have 4G yet?), but regardless RM's reports are always at the very least an interesting guide to overall network performance (and usually showing up Vodafone quite a bit) so it's better to have them around than not I'd say.

[The Lord Lucan]

As it's usually EE that activates 4G in an area first then I don't see what the issue is. There has been only a handful of places O2/Voda green lit before EE. It is also not EE or RM's fault than on the whole where there is no 4G O2 & Vodas 3G network is dire...

[Aye Up]

I had a rather interesting experience going back to the North East on Friday. The coverage and service levels offered by EE are pretty much in line with that report, Three oddly wasn't able to cover most of my journey where as EE, Vodafone and O2 did. Although admittedly the latter networks dropped back to 2G when 3G/4G coverage was non-existant.

On Friday and Today (since returning) A rather odd thing happened, all of the phones in the car on the various networks lost signal and no service found. This was around A1/A19 turn off towards Teesside (A168). It stayed like that for around 2 miles, then out of nowhere I had 4G on Three and EE, where as the other two networks plodded on with 2G. I wasn't able to manage a speed test for Three but it left me wondering where are they upgrading infrastructure close to an arterial route and not villages and towns? I could understand EE upgrading as they have been fairly consistent and aggressive. But Three continues to baffle me, their 4G is rather sporadic.

The other thing I came to conclude is life outside of a major urban conurbation for those on O2 and Vodafone is pretty shit technology wise, they both have consistent 2G which is great. However O2 was the only one which maintained consistent data connections albeit at EDGE speeds. What has been annoying me of late is an inability to use data on Vodafone 2G it just struggles quite frankly, where as O2 is passable (allowing facebook and WhatsApp).

I would always question the methodology that puts Three second, however EE is spot on, credit to them their investment is paying off.