Think the cell networks in the US are getting worse? JD Power agrees. Quoting from the Verge.
A new study measuring mobile network performance in the US indicates an increase in network problems, with slow performance or the inability to load content cited as the most common complaints. JD Power conducted the study from January to June 2022 and ranked each mobile carrier based on the number of problems per 100 connections. The results consistently show Verizon as the carrier with the least number of issues, with AT&T only beating Verizon in the Southwest and tying with the company in the Northeast. Meanwhile, T-Mobile trailed behind the two carriers across every region in the US. Issues apparently decreased in areas where 5G is available, which tracks with a previous study conducted by JD Power from July to December 2021 that found a wider rollout of 5G helped mitigate network problems.
Why do we care?
After all the promise of changing our lives with 5G, the rollout continues to be lackluster at best. Don’t believe the hype. Transformational technology? Sure, it could be – if the providers got their act together. Markets with only three players are shown explicitly to underperform. There shouldn’t be surprised at the giant sucking sound of the carriers.
Technologists should be upset that they’re blocking the rest of us.