EE Fastest and Top Overall Operator, Three Most Reliable in Latest RootMetrics UK National Rankings

PRESS RELEASE

February 11, 2016: EE won awards for Overall Performance and Network Speed at the UK-wide level in the RootMetrics® 2^nd Half 2015 UK RootScore® Report, while Three won the Network Reliability RootScore Award outright for the first time. Looking at performance across all the ways we use our mobile phones, including calls, texts, and mobile internet, EE retained its position as top-performing operator in the UK, earning the highest Overall RootScore (88.1 out of 100), followed by Three (84.5), Vodafone (78.6), and O2 (76.6).

The bi-annual report is the industry standard for unbiased, comprehensive, and accurate mobile performance information for the UK as a whole and in each of the four nations. UK-wide highlights from the fifth report of its kind include:

• EE EARNED FIVE OUT OF SIX UK ROOTSCORE AWARDS: This included wins for Overall Performance, Network Speed, Mobile Internet, Call and Text. 

• THREE SHINED IN RELIABILITY, TRAILED FOR SPEED: Three narrowly pulled ahead of EE to rank first outright in Network Reliability for the first time. Three’s reliable mobile internet and strong call and text performances helped the network retain its second place position for Overall Performance, despite finishing in last place for Network Speed. 

• O2 IMPROVED PERFORMANCE ACROSS CALLS, TEXTS, AND SPEED: O2 moved into third place for Speed and second place for Text, both at the expense of Three. O2 also tied for second place with Three for Call Performance. However, this was not enough to lift the network from the bottom of the Overall Performance rankings.

• VODAFONE CLAIMED SECOND PLACE FOR NETWORK SPEED FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE TIME: The operator earned the hotly contested second-place position for Network Speed and ranked third for Overall Performance.

“EE continues to provide the best mobile performance across the UK, but we’re seeing some of the other operators making good improvements across all the different ways we use our mobile phones,” said Scott Stonham, RootMetrics General Manager of Europe. “Choosing the mobile operator that’s right for you is not one-size-fits-all. While some people care most about fast mobile internet so they can watch videos or download music without delay, others just want to know that they can reliably make a call or send a text. Consumers can use this report to make informed decisions based on where they live and how they tend to use their phone.”

Nation-by-Nation Performance

RootMetrics also compared network performance within each of the four UK nations: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Highlights include: 

• EE WINS OVERALL PERFORMANCE AWARDS IN ENGLAND, NORTHERN IRELAND, AND SCOTLAND, WHILE TYING WITH THREE IN WALES: In three of the four UK nations, EE won the Overall Performance RootScore Award outright; EE shared the title with Three in Wales. EE also stood out for its strong Network Speed performance at a nation-by-nation level, claiming the top spot outright in this category across all four UK nations.

• THREE’S RELIABILITY REACHES ACROSS BORDERS: Three emerged as the most reliable network in England, Scotland, and Wales, and shared the top spot with EE for Reliability in Northern Ireland.

• O2 AND VODAFONE SHARE ROOTSCORE AWARDS WITH EE FOR CALL AND TEXT: Vodafone tied with EE for Call Performance in Scotland and Northern Ireland, while O2 tied with EE for Text Performance in England.

UK Metro Performance

In addition to EE’s strong showings across the entire UK and within each of the four UK-nations, EE also performed well in the 16 mostpopulous Larger Urban Zones, earning the Overall RootScore Award in all 16 markets, including four ties. RootMetrics also saw all four operators expand their 4G networks within metro areas, which is great news for consumers. UK Metro results for 2^nd half 2015 can be viewed at: http://www.rootmetrics.com/uk/rsr/map/2015-2H

Most comprehensive view of UK mobile performance

The RootMetrics 2^nd Half 2015 Mobile Network Performance in the UK report provides consumers with a complete picture of the current mobile landscape in the UK. To compile the most comprehensive scientific study of its kind, RootMetrics collected 874,586 samples during the second half of 2015 and drove 23,881 miles – the equivalent to driving from London to Edinburgh more than 57 times. Tests were conducted around the clock whilst driving, at stationary outdoor locations, and at 1,426 indoor locations.

UK-Wide Performance Rankings and RootScores

Overall Performance

Network Reliability

Network Speed

Mobile Internet Performance

Call Performance

Text Performance

Nation-by-Nation Performance

Performance across the UK nations: First-place wins (outright and ties)

About RootMetrics

RootMetrics® is an independent mobile analytics firm that measures mobile network performance and offers insights into the consumer mobile experience. RootMetrics provides data on mobile network performance to help the networks improve and give consumers an end-to-end look at mobile performance. RootMetrics offers its series of RootScore® Reports that show how the networks perform across all the spaces of a consumer’s mobile life, as well as its downloadable CoverageMap app. To ensure that RootMetrics testing reflects real-world mobile usage, testing is conducted based on where, when and how consumers use their smartphones most often.

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