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"O2 rejects RootMetrics’ network testing as irrelevant to customers"
The Lord Lucan
03-09-2015
Oh dear... dummy has been spat out.

"O2 has slammed network performance measurement company RootMetrics, claiming its methods are irrelevant.

In results for the first half 2015, RootMetrics placed O2 bottom for network reliability, network speed, mobile internet and text message performance."

http://www.mobilenewscwp.co.uk/2015/...-to-customers/
enapace
04-09-2015
How can O2 say that with a straight face than again they had to be pulled kicking and screaming into the data age.
Gigabit
04-09-2015
O2's just pissed because their coverage on the moon claim was proved to be a lie...
Aye Up
04-09-2015
I have to agree to some extent. Previously when EE was (and still is) ahead, RM was very quick to label EE as the best network in the country. TBH save for us technophiles these tests are bull shit which doesn't bother the average user who posts on twitter or instagram.

I am glad they are becoming irrelevant, it moves focus to network quality and cruciallt coverage, something which RM often fails to paint accurately.
k4te89
04-09-2015
When we were on the Norfolk coast, mo other half couldn't get any coverage (even in the bigger towns) When we went into o2 in Kings Lynn and she enquired, their answer was "Our coverage on the coast isn't great, sorry!"

As you can imagine, she was furious.
Thine Wonk
04-09-2015
O2, wake up and SMELL THE COFFEE! you have the least smartphone customers of any network by a wide margin.
daveyfs
04-09-2015
Maybe they've put Wavejock in charge of media relations...
alanwarwic
04-09-2015
'The tests that RootMetrics performs are not a true representation of what customers do. For example, customers make a lot of mobile-to-mobile calls, but RootMetrics doesn’t measure that.
“Despite asking RootMetrics on a number of occasions, they won’t allow us to see how they conduct their testing. The latest results are disappointing but I’m not sure they are that relevant.”'

RM claim they are transparent whilst seemingly hiding from O2 and Vodafone. No doubt we are only getting part details from all parties.
moox
04-09-2015
Would mobile to mobile calls really matter though? Surely the ability to get a call in or out isn't too dependent on its origin or destination - e.g. if it's cell site congestion? (assuming there is adequate capacity between the mobile network and other companies).

Are O2 saying that you can't call landlines on their network but calling other O2 phones should be fine? Do they really want RM to make more calls that are even less likely to go through and will probably sound like excrement (using O2's patented "tenth rate" codec for minimum intelligibility)
alanwarwic
04-09-2015
Is EE now the very worst or 3G?
If so, should anyone still not using 3G abandon EE?

Advancement does pose interesting dilemmas for existing customers.
Perversely, 4G is fine and dandy, but if it is at the expense of calls, is it worh having.
WiFi calling of course is a crutch to cover inadequacy in the system

There, Three is best for rail commuters but it appears no one is paying them to name EE as the dropped call king.
http://www.gwsolutions.com/PR20141014.php
Thine Wonk
04-09-2015
Originally Posted by alanwarwic:
“'The tests that RootMetrics performs are not a true representation of what customers do. For example, customers make a lot of mobile-to-mobile calls, but RootMetrics doesn’t measure that.”

Clutching at straws as many customers surely call service providers and landlines, you're testing the ability to make and receive calls and whether the network blocks them if the cell towers are busy.

RM publish exactly how they conduct the tests on their website in the 'methodology' section.

The proof is surely the poor smartphone penetration figures, which back up the fact that traditionally O2 has had a poor data network. We know from other tests and articles that they have had issues with call quality and reliability as well, especially the half codec quality issues which they have been singled out for before by other organisations.
alanwarwic
04-09-2015
So in their latest blog they think the consumer never uses 3G data.
The customer is always right, that customer of course being EE.
http://www.rootmetrics.com/uk/blog/s...1h-national-uk
mrgs12
04-09-2015
Originally Posted by alanwarwic:
“So in their latest blog they think the consumer never uses 3G data.
The customer is always right, that customer of course being EE.
http://www.rootmetrics.com/uk/blog/s...1h-national-uk”

Perhaps a breakdown of counties would be good so you can see which networks perform the best for said area, it's all well saying ee are the best which I'm sure they are but not everywhere.
Thine Wonk
04-09-2015
Originally Posted by mrgs12:
“Perhaps a breakdown of counties would be good so you can see which networks perform the best for said area, it's all well saying ee are the best which I'm sure they are but not everywhere.”

More localised reports are available on the website
jonmorris
06-09-2015
Originally Posted by Aye Up:
“I have to agree to some extent. Previously when EE was (and still is) ahead, RM was very quick to label EE as the best network in the country. TBH save for us technophiles these tests are bull shit which doesn't bother the average user who posts on twitter or instagram.

I am glad they are becoming irrelevant, it moves focus to network quality and cruciallt coverage, something which RM often fails to paint accurately.”

I think the way data is recorded and displayed now means I am finding it more useful, but clearly it's only as good as the tests done - and EE (especially with tests being free) does mean you've got a lot more data points, and thus chances to get some higher peak speeds - even if the average might drop a bit.

Vodafone has its own speed test app, which is also free to use, but I guess there's no way to view the results on a map and it's for Vodafone's own internal measuring.

Meanwhile, Speedtest.net/Ookla provides data to networks like Three that get all the figures from the tests that people like me do quite often!

Ultimately, O2 really can't complain as it's not as if ordinary people haven't been saying how bad the network was.. but I'll be the first to say that in London and the surrounds, it's massively improved in the last year - and both 2G and 3G has been 'fixed' where 4G has arrived.

O2 has to be careful because once it has started to fix more of its network, and speeds and reliability improve nationally, it will want to use this data (when it's more positive) to endorse its network. That will be made harder if it's ridiculed and dismissed the measuring before.

At the end of the day, all joking aside about backhanders, I'd say that EE is clearly way out in front with network quality and speeds right now. It will have overtaken Three, which has neither the high speeds that EE can offer, and what I assume have been congestion issues that have dogged the network around me for a lot of the summer and even earlier.
mrgs12
07-09-2015
Originally Posted by Thine Wonk:
“More localised reports are available on the website”

Took a look at coverage map not really enough info on it to surmise the best performer in my area of the Cotswolds clearly not driven along some A roads here! One network 3 showed up on A46 and it was all shown as bad!
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