J.D. Power and Associates 2010 U.S. Wireless Call Quality
Performance Study--Volume 2 released today shows how dropped calls are related to customer decisions to switching carriers. The study also rates call quality for regional areas.
Regional rankings are as follows:
For a 12th 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 interference, compared with the regional averages.
Verizon Wireless also ranks highest in the West and ranks highest
in the Southeast region in a tie with Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile.
In the North Central region, U.S. Cellular ranks highest for a 10th
consecutive reporting period. Compared with the regional average, U.S.
Cellular has fewer customer-reported problems with dropped calls, failed
initial connections, interference and echoes.
In the Southwest region, T-Mobile ranks highest, due mainly to lower
reported PP100 ratings in voice-centric dimensions such as interference,
echoes and voice distortion, compared with the regional averages.
The 2010 Wireless Call Quality Performance Study--Volume 2 is based on
responses from 26,595 wireless customers. The study was fielded between
January and June 2010.
- 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 144 text message
notifications per month--29 percent more text message notifications than
reported one year ago. - PP100 scores continue to be higher among smartphone customers than
among traditional handset customers--13PP100 vs. 9PP100. However, both
rates are lower than those reported six months ago. - Among the top 27 U.S. markets, the PP100 score is lowest among
wireless customers in the Tampa, FL area (5 PP100), and highest among
wireless customers in Charlotte, N.C. (19 PP100).
The study showed that amongst wireless customers who
are most likely to switch providers, problem rates related to dropped
calls have increased notably from six months ago.
The study finds that 14 percent of customers say they "definitely
will" or "probably will" switch wireless providers in the next 12 months
and that these customers experience a particularly high rate of
call-related problems. The rate of call quality problems among customers
who say they "definitely will" switch their current wireless provider
is more than four times higher than problem rates among customers who
say they "definitely will not" switch in the next 12 months (29 PP100
vs. 7 PP100, respectively).
Specifically, dropped calls are primarily driving the high switching
rate, compared with other call quality issues. For example, problem
rates average 20 PP100 among customers who say they "definitely will"
switch carriers within the next year and also say they had at least one
dropped call. Furthermore, the rate of dropped call problems among
customers who say they "definitely will" switch has increased by 33
percent from six months ago. In comparison, among those wireless
customers who experience calls that are not connected on the first try,
the average problem rate is 11 PP100, up slightly from 10 PP100 six
months ago.
"With an increasingly competitive environment and the complexity of
services often used in conjunction with cell phones steadily on the
rise, carriers that offer superior network quality may improve their
likelihood of attracting new customers and increasing customer
retention," said Kirk Parsons, senior director of wireless services at J.D.
Power and Associates. "In fact, improving network quality and, in turn,
retaining the customers most likely to switch are beneficial financial
incentives for wireless carriers, as customers who are more likely to
switch tend to spend an average of $82 per month and make or receive 127
calls per month, while those who aren't considering switching spend $78
and make or receive 104 calls per month, on average."
The semi-annual 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 call quality. Call quality performance is examined
in six regions: Northeast; Mid-Atlantic; Southeast; North Central;
Southwest; and West.