Smartphone Study: Overall Call Quality Performance Declines as Frequency of Dropped Calls Increases

As the number of smartphone users continued to grow during the past six months, call quality performance declined during that same period of time, according to the most recent J.D. Power and Associates 2010 wireless call quality performance study.

 

The semiannual study measures wireless call quality, based on seven problem areas that impact overall carrier performance: dropped calls; static/interference; failed call connection on the first try; voice distortion; echoes; no immediate voicemail 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. Call quality performance is examined in six regions: Northeast; Mid-Atlantic; Southeast; North Central; Southwest; and West.

 

The study finds that, after several consecutive six-month reporting periods of steadily decreasing numbers of connectivity and audio problems due to network upgrades, reported call quality problems have increased considerably in 2010, to 13 PP100 from 11 PP100 six months ago. In particular, the number of reported dropped calls has increased to 6 PP100, compared with just 4 PP100 six months ago.

 

On average, smartphone customers experience problems at a rate that is 6 PP100 greater than problems experienced by traditional handset customers. In addition, smartphone customers are nearly three times more likely to experience dropped calls than are traditional mobile phone customers.

 

In fact, the overall PP100 rate is six times higher among customers who report they “definitely will switch” providers in the next year, compared with those who report they “definitely will not switch” (42 PP100 vs. 8 PP100).

 

Regional rankings are as follows:

 

For an 11th consecutive reporting period, Verizon Wireless ranks highest in both the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Verizon Wireless achieves fewer customer-reported problems with dropped calls, initial connections and echoes, compared with the regional averages. Verizon Wireless also ranks highest in the Southeast, Southwest and West regions.

 

In the North Central region, U.S. Cellular (News - Alert) ranks highest for a ninth consecutive reporting period. Compared with the regional average, U.S. Cellular has fewer customer-reported problems with dropped calls, failed initial connections, static, and echoes.

 

Wireless usage patterns continue to evolve, as fewer calls are made or received and customers use their devices more often for text messaging, which increasingly is the preferred method for communication. The study finds that wireless customers receive 136 text message notifications per month -- 21 percent more text message notifications than reported six months ago.

 

In the first reporting period of 2010, 46 percent of calling occurs outside the home or in a vehicle. When customers make calls in an outside setting, the problem rate increases by 4 PP100, compared with calls that are made at home, at work or inside another structure.

 

The 2010 wireless call quality performance study—volume 1 is based on responses from 24,345 wireless customers. The study was fielded between July and December 2009.

 

For more information on customer satisfaction with wireless service, wireless retail sales, cell phone handsets, customer care, prepaid wireless service and business wireless service, please visit JDPower.com.

 

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors. The company’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

 

 

 

 

http://next-generation-communications.tmcnet.com/topics/nextgen-voice/articles/77784-abi-research-predicts-stiff-competition-between-lte-wimax.htm

 

ABI Research Predicts Stiff Competition between LTE (News - Alert) and WiMAX Deployment

 

Research firm ABI Research has stated that it expects both LTE and WiMAX deployments go head-to head as the fight for 4G supremacy begins. LTE networks have been commercially launched in Singapore with TeliaSonera. The commercial launch of several LTE networks, including large operators such as Verizon Wireless in the United States and NTT (News - Alert) DoCoMo in Japan will be available soon. LTE is the project name of a new high performance air interface for cellular mobile communication systems. It is the last step toward the 4th generation of radio technologies designed to increase the capacity and speed of mobile telephone networks. Most major mobile carriers in the U.S. and several worldwide carriers announced plans to convert their networks to LTE beginning in 2009. The world’s first publicly available LTE-service was opened by TeliaSonera in the two Scandinavian capitals Stockholm and Oslo on the 14th of December 2009. LTE is a set of enhancements to the universal mobile telecommunications system which will be introduced in 3rd generation partnership project release 8. WiMAX is a telecommunications technology that provides wireless transmission of data using a variety of transmission modes, from point-to-multipoint links to portable and fully mobile internet access. The technology provides up to 10 Mbps broadband speed without the need for cables. Bhavya Khanna, ABI Research (News - Alert) firm has said that as LTE deployments begin to pick up pace, WiMAX continues its steady progress. While LTE does promise data speeds greater than 50Mbps, they have yet to be achieved by live or trial networks, whereas mobile WiMAX is now a tried and tested standard. Several operators, including Sprint (News - Alert) in the United States, have chosen to go with WiMAX as their 4G network of choice. ABI Research reports 164 mobile WiMAX networks in trial or commercial operation at the end of 2009, compared to just over 100 LTE trials. ABI Forums, the sister company of ABI Research is slated to conduct a conference in Hong Kong termed “4G Networks: LTE & WiMAX,” that will explore the coexistence of LTE and WiMAX. The conference will feature an outstanding roster of expert industry speakers as well as key ABI Research analysts.