EE cleans up in RootMetrics testing once more

For the fifth year in a row EE has come top of the RootMetrics assessment of UK mobile networks.

RootMetrics is owned by market intelligence giant HIS Markit and claims to offer ‘the most scientific and comprehensive survey of mobile network performance’. The 1H 2018 report marks the tenth times in succession EE has been the overall winner in the RootMetrics UK tests.

“EE’s reputation for delivering strong speed and performance is maintained in our testing; whilst Three’s consistent reliability places itself as another leading carrier across the UK,” said Kevin Hasley, Head of Product at RootMetrics and Executive Director of Performance Benchmark at IHS Markit.

“The first movers in 5G are going to have an advantage as consumers will see a big step change in performance of their devices across critical functions like live streaming video. EE’s high performance in 4G testing can lead to a seamless service transition to 5G; however it will be a brand new playing field once the technology is live. 5G will give all networks an opportunity to be a leader in performance and service provision.”

“However, 5G is most likely to impact urban area performance as it will be deployed in centres of high population density. Operators will still need to prove and maintain 4G and even 3G performance across wider geographies as that’s how we use our phones. We accept that when on the move and in more rural locations that performance will be lower, but we still have expectations about minimum performance.”

“We have relentlessly invested in improving our customers’ experience of our network,” said EE CEO Marc Allera. “We’re connecting customers in more places than ever before, more reliably than ever before, and with the fastest data speeds in the UK. We’ve been driving forward the UK’s mobile infrastructure for five years, and we’ll keep going – with 5G launching next year to raise the bar yet again.”

Here are the findings by category.