The 2008 J.D. Power and Associates Wireless Call Quality Performance Study had a list of winners from their respective regions, but At&t and T-mobile failed to make the grade. It was the power of CDMA networks that helped Verizon Wireless, U.S. Cellular, Sprint Nextel and Alltel all finish with the highest marks in wireless call quality in their respective regions. While GSM networks account for more than 70% of all wireless subscribers worldwide, the US GSM carriers still remain behind CDMA voice networks.
The semi-annual study measures wireless call quality based on seven problem areas that impact overall carrier performance: dropped calls; static/interference; failed connection on the first try; voice distortion; echoes; no immediate voice mail notification; and no immediate text message notification. Call quality issues are measured as problems per 100 (PP100) calls, where a lower score reflects fewer problems and higher quality. Here are the winners:
Northeast Region: Verizon Wireless
Mid-Atlantic Region: Verizon Wireless
North Cental Region: US Cellular and Alltel
Southwest Region: Sprint Nextel and Verizon Wireless
West Region: Verizon Wireless
For the most part we are not surprised by the study’s findings since Verizon Wireless has always been at the top of the reception charts nearly anywhere we’ve traveled. What did surprise us is that the study found that nearly 14% of wireless subscribers said they’d ‘definitely change carriers in the next 12 months’. Clearly GSM networks have a long road ahead in this game of reception catch up, but honestly we’ll settle for reception at home with the iPhone 3G.
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