T-Mobile and AT&T Fail to Top Any Regional Call Quality Reports

Alltel, Sprint Nextel, U.S. Cellular and Verizon Wireless each rank highest in wireless call quality in their respective regions, according to the latest issue of the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Wireless Call Quality Performance Study. 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.

Study results by region are:

Northeast Region: Verizon Wireless ranks highest for an eighth consecutive time, with fewer customer-reported problems in dropped calls, initial connections and static/interference compared with the regional average.

Mid-Atlantic Region: Verizon Wireless ranks highest for an eighth consecutive time, with fewer customer-reported problems regarding initial connections compared with the regional average.

Southeast Region: Alltel ranks highest in the region for a third consecutive time, with customers reporting fewer problems than the regional average in dropped calls and voice distortion.

North Central Region: U.S. Cellular and Alltel rank highest in a tie. Customers for U.S. Cellular - which ranks highest in the region for a sixth consecutive time - report fewer problems in dropped calls; static/interference; echoes; voice distortion; and late voice-message notifications. Alltel customers experience fewer problems with dropped calls; initial connections; static/interference; and voice distortion compared with the regional average.

Southwest Region: Sprint Nextel and Verizon Wireless tie to rank highest in the region. Sprint Nextel customers report fewer problems regarding initial connections. Verizon Wireless customers experience fewer problems with dropped calls; static/interference; voice distortion; and failed voice-message notifications compared with the regional average.

West Region: Verizon Wireless ranks highest in the region, with customers reporting fewer problems with dropped calls; initial connections; static/interference; echoes; and voice distortion than the regional average.

The study also finds that while only 14 percent of customers say they “definitely/probably will” switch wireless providers in the next 12 months, these customers have a particularly high rate of call-related problems. In fact, the rate of call quality problems among customers who say they “definitely will” switch has increased by 16 percent over the past year.

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