(Updated With T-Mobile Statement) Verizon Posts 4G Speedtest Showdown, Guess Who Wins? It Begins With A “V.”
I just caught wind of Verizon’s “4G Throw Down” through a Fierce Wireless report and immediately thought “…who is Verizon kidding?” I mean come on, are we honestly expected to believe any other carrier stood a shot in a Verizon sponsored and operated test? This is a truly scientific experiment here Verizon, thank you so much for downloading the speedest.net app for the completely unsuspecting “non-actors” you stopped on the street. Sure, you have a bubbly girl directing the show but we’ve got Carly.
Verizon’s cross-country tour compares their LTE smartphones to those of other carriers using “next-generation networks.” As you would expect, the video shows Verizon devices consistently beating other carrier’s in speed tests as the customers discuss their want to immediately switch to Verizon’s network before the Mayan Calendar ends.
AT&T had this to say: “This is not exactly a rigorous speed test,” AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel told FierceWireless. “It is worth noting that when Verizon customers go outside an LTE coverage area, they fall back to 3G and experience a jarring drop in data speeds. With AT&T, when you leave a 4G LTE coverage area, you go onto 4G HSPA+. HSPA+ delivers speeds up to four times faster than 3G, which means our customers will have a much better experience on the nation’s largest 4G network.”
Sprint’s comment: “We look forward to seeing the next ad where the spokeswoman gets her bill with all the overage charges for downloading too much data during her ‘network tests,'” Sprint spokeswoman Kelly Schlageter told FierceWireless. “With Sprint’s unlimited data plans that wouldn’t be an issue.”
T-Mobile just dropped their own statement on the matter:
T-Mobile’s 4G HSPA+ network delivers a competitive 4G experience vs. current LTE networks at a much more affordable price. They should have compared their 4G data bills!
In testing, our HSPA+ 42 smartphones, the HTC Amaze 4G and Samsung Galaxy S II, have shown average download speeds approaching 8 Mbps with peak speeds around 20 Mbps. T-Mobile has seen average download speeds approaching 10 Mbps with peak speeds of 27 Mbps on the T-Mobile Rocket 3.0 laptop stick- the company’s first HSPA+ 42 device.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that only 5% of Verizon’s customer base is on LTE.
I’ve pinged T-Mobile for their own response and hope to hear back soon. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy your comments as they hopefully pick apart Verizon’s attempt at patting themselves on the back in the face of a “realistic 4G speed throw down.”