Testing shows AT&T's 3G network outperforms Verizon's

Start-up mobile network performance monitoring company Root Wireless said it has mapped out the networks of AT&T and Verizon in seven major markets where both companies offer 3G service and found that AT&T's HSPA network beat out Verizon's EV-DO network in a variety of metrics, including download speeds and signal strength.

Verizon Wireless has been hammering AT&T with its 3G coverage ads featuring maps that tout its 3G coverage as being five times greater than AT&T's. AT&T in turn markets itself as America's fastest 3G network. Meanwhile, iPhone users continue to complain about the quality of AT&T's 3G network.

Root Wireless CTO Ron Dicklin said AT&T is getting a bad rap because of Verizon's aggressive ad campaigns and the high expectations of iPhone customers. "AT&T has a much more stable higher-speed average than Verizon," Dicklin told Telephony. "In general you're going to get a much more balanced experience with AT&T than you would with Verizon in areas where they both have 3G."

Root examined AT&T's and Verizon's networks in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles-Orange County, New York, San Francisco, Seattle-Tacoma and Washington, D.C. Its data found that AT&T's average download speed ranged from 246 kb/s to 428 kb/s across the seven markets, while Verizon's average speeds ranged from 195 kb/s to 259 kb/s.

This past summer, PC World tested network performance in 13 major cities with testing partner Navarum. The test concluded that mobile broadband networks from Sprint and Verizon performed better than AT&T's in terms of reliability.

For more:
- check out this Telephony article

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