Overall, the networks scored 72 out of 100 (a C- grade) on the Event-O-Meter (the Event-O-Meter takes into account voice, data, video, coverage, speed and reliability metrics); while this is an average score, what stood out was the network reliability at the event. This was the largest Pokémon GO Fest to date and the networks successfully completed nearly all of the data-related tasks at 99.9% (tasks like sending and receiving app-related data or uploading posts to social media). Not bad considering the influx of network data traffic concentrated in Grant Park every day for four days.

We also noticed that the mobile operators had bolstered their networks with advanced features such as 256QAM, 2×2 and 4×4 MIMO, 2, 3, 4 and even 5 channel carrier aggregation; in particular, AT&T and Verizon had 5 channel carrier aggregation active as well as LAA (license assisted access).  As we move around the country conducting our Event-O-Meters, we are noticing that these sorts of features are becoming more prevalent.

In addition to measuring network performance, our network testing specialists observed the following:

• Pokémon GO is a global game for all ages — GWS met an enthusiastic group of octogenarians (80 year olds) from the United Kingdom as well as an energetic family that traveled all the way from Tokyo, Japan to play.
• Some trainers just can’t get enough — GWS observed numerous trainers playing with more than one device, sometimes up to five on one person. In fact, one participant was observed with an iPad and four iPhones attached to each corner of the iPad.
• What’s a few raindrops — Rainy weather on Saturday did not deter trainers; they played on in their raincoats, used umbrellas and secured their devices in zip lock bags. They were not happy when local authorities asked them to leave the park because of an approaching storm; they would rather stay and continue their search for Pokémon.

To see the full report, click here.

The post GWS Event-O-Meter: Networks Keep It Together at Pokémon GO Fest appeared first on GWS.

Dulles, VA, June 18, 2019 – Global Wireless Solutions (GWS) evaluated mobile network performance in Chicago’s Grant Park while walking amongst thousands of Pokémon GO players (“trainers”). Using their smartphones and tablets, trainers moved around Grant Park while actively engaged in the app’s social gameplay activities including online interactions with each other. During this popular four day event, GWS network testing specialists measured how well the mobile networks managed the surge in connectivity and social media traffic while thousands of trainers were online in the park in search of Pokémon (an estimated 60,000 participants attended along with curious spectators).

In terms of overall performance during the Pokémon GO Fest, mobile networks posted a OneScore of 72 out of 100 – the equivalent of an C-; an average score particularly when compared to other large events tested so far this year.  Earlier this year, GWS Event-O-Meter recorded OneScores of 38 at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, 76 at the Boston Marathon, 87 and 70 at MLB’s Opening Day in Nationals Park and Yankee Stadium respectively, 66 during Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and 77 for New Year’s Eve in Times Square.

“Thousands of Pokémon GO Fest participants gathered together over four days at Grant Park, diligently playing and constantly connected regardless of whether it was sunny, rainy or chilly – that’s an impressive outing with large demands on the mobile networks.  Fortunately the networks held up and provided participants what they needed the most – reliability.” said Dr. Paul Carter, CEO and founder of Global Wireless Solutions, Inc. (GWS).  “With the networks achieving data task success rates of nearly 100%, participants were able to play unimpeded and spectators were able to post to their favorite social media sites without problems; the net result was four days of fun and entertainment, and an event that was well done with a solid performance by the network operators.”

This report marks the sixth GWS Event-o-Meter for 2019, a measure of network performance at popular events nationwide and a barometer for how American consumers experience wireless connectivity when networks are trying to accommodate heavy traffic. The GWS Event-o-Meter is based on the company’s OneScore evaluation process, a measurement of overall performance that takes into account voice, data, video, coverage, and reliability metrics based on customer experience.

Event-O-Meter Key Findings at Pokémon GO Fest 2019 in Chicago:

GWS performed four days of testing throughout Grant Park where Pokémon GO Fest was held including all areas where participants played (i.e., areas where trainers captured, traded, trained and battled Pokémon). This included the Buckingham Fountain, Spooky Woods, Winter Forest, Fairy Garden, Sandy Desert, Team Lounges, and Battle Arena.  The mobile networks scored a 72 out of 100 for overall performance at this popular event.

GWS results also revealed the following while testing:

• 100 percent of voice calls were completed successfully.
• Almost 100 percent (99.9) of data-related tasks, like web browsing, sending and receiving app-related data, and uploading posts to social media were completed successfully (this is notable considering that players were constantly online while playing the game).
• Video uploads took 9 seconds, and photos and selfie uploads took 5 seconds (not too slow but not as fast as other major events tested by GWS).

All network operators deployed some level of advanced features such as two, three, and four channel carrier aggregation as well as 256QAM (a higher order advanced modulation technique). In some instances, AT&T and Verizon had five channel carrier aggregation active as well as LAA (license assisted access). In addition, GWS observed that voice over LTE (VoLTE) was nearly 100% available (99.6% and above) on all networks.

These features are becoming more commonplace in networks across the U.S. as GWS also saw active usage of LTE multiplexing techniques (i.e., 2×2 and 4×4 multiple-input and multiple-output) particularly with 2×2 MIMO. For example, networks used 2×2 MIMO at least one third of the time during testing; in fact, 2×2 MIMO usage on Sprint’s network was observed 88% of the time during testing.

In addition to measuring mobile network performance, GWS network testing specialists observed the following while testing at Pokémon GO Fest:

• Trainers of all ages traveled from all over the world to participate — GWS met an enthusiastic group of octogenarians (80 year olds) from the United Kingdom as well as an energetic family that traveled all the way from Tokyo, Japan to play.
• Sometimes one device is just not enough — GWS observed numerous trainers playing with more than one device, sometimes up to five on one person. In fact, one participant was observed with an iPad and four iPhones attached to each corner of the iPad.
• Rain or shine it’s Pokémon time — Rainy weather on Saturday did not deter trainers; they played on in their raincoats, used umbrellas and secured their devices in zip lock bags. They were not happy when local authorities asked them to leave the park because of an approaching storm; they would rather stay and continue their search for Pokémon.

Methodology

From June 13^th to the 16^th 2019, GWS network testing specialists collected throughout Grant Park (site of Pokémon GO Fest 2019 in Chicago) including designated Pokémon GO Fest areas (the Sandy Desert, Fairy Garden, Winter Forest, Spooky Woods, Buckingham Fountain, Team Lounges, and Battle Arenas). SwissQual QualiPoc on Samsung Galaxy S9 collection devices were used to measure the performance of the Tier 1 mobile networks. Just over 15,000 voice and data samples were collected and compiled into a single OneScore, resulting in a combined overall event experience measurement on a scale from 0-100.

About Global Wireless Solutions, Inc.

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, Global Wireless Solutions has set the industry standard for network benchmarking, analysis and testing. Its proprietary OneScore network ranking combines high-level network testing data with real-world network usage scenarios to make the results of testing relatable and easy to understand. Working with some of the world’s largest wireless network providers, GWS offers high-quality network data and engineering analysis through a suite of benchmarking products, services and OneMeasure diagnostic apps that include drive, venue and in-building testing. At last count, GWS has driven 12 million data collection miles for its customers. For more information, visit gwsolutions.com and follow us on Twitter at @gwsolutionsinc.

Media Contact:

Global Wireless Solutions, Inc.

[email protected]

703-661-7000

The post Reliable Mobile Networks Keep Players Connected at Pokémon GO Fest 2019 in Chicago appeared first on GWS.

The post Here’s how the US carrier networks perform among the crowds of Coachella or Times Square appeared first on GWS.

So far in 2019, we’ve been to six major events and measured their mobile network performance using the Event-O-Meter.  Here are the results:

• Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival: 38 (F) yeah it was bad
• Boston Marathon: 76 (C)
• American League Opening Day at Yankee Stadium: 70 (C-)
• National League Opening Day at Nationals Park: 87 (B+) best performance so far this year
• Mardi Gras in New Orleans: 66 (D)
• New Year’s Eve at Times Square, NYC: 77 (C+)

Click below if you want more insight on a particular event – they’re interesting reads!  And be sure to check back to see where GWS network testing specialists will go next!

Mobile Network Performance Discourages Social Media Activity at Coachella

Mobile Networks Finish the Boston Marathon with a Reasonable Performance

In Terms of Mobile Connectivity, the National League ‘Hit It out of the Park’ on MLB Opening Day

Mardi Gras Beads Abound But Reliable Mobile Network Performance Nowhere To Be Found

Mixed Results For Mobile Network Performance in Times Square On New Years Eve

The post GWS Event-O-Meter Measures Mobile Network Performance at Major Events appeared first on GWS.

Dulles, VA, April 23, 2019 – Global Wireless Solutions (GWS) evaluated mobile network performance while rocking out at the fifth largest music festival in the world, Coachella. In particular, GWS network test specialists measured how well the mobile networks managed the surge in connectivity and social media traffic from the 750,000 estimated music fans that attended this popular event in Indio, California.

In terms of overall performance during the festival, mobile networks posted a OneScore of 38 – the equivalent of an F; which is also the lowest scoring performance for large events tested so far this year.  GWS Event-O-Meter also recently recorded OneScores of 76 at last week’s Boston Marathon, 87 and 70 at MLB’s Opening Day at Nationals Park and Yankee Stadium respectively, 66 for last month’s Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and 77 for New Year’s Eve in Times Square.

“It appears that operators did not deploy enough temporary equipment to manage the enormous increase in data traffic during the festival; as a result, attendees probably spent more time simply watching and listening to their favorite artists rather than posting about it on social media,” said Dr. Paul Carter, CEO and founder of Global Wireless Solutions, Inc. (GWS).  “There are many considerations that network operators likely contemplate before investing in this once-a-year event.  While there are massive crowds, they do quickly disappear from the polo grounds once the grand finale is over on Sunday night. Striking the right balance between available capacity, temporary vs. permanent infrastructure costs, and happy customers can be extremely challenging at these types of events. While this event received a very low mobile performance score because social media activities were constrained, the networks did ensure that essential services, voice calling and texting, were generally available. ”

This report marks the fifth GWS Event-o-Meter for 2019, a measure of network performance at popular events nationwide and a barometer for how American consumers experience wireless connectivity when networks are trying to accommodate heavy traffic. The GWS Event-o-Meter is based on the company’s OneScore evaluation process, a measurement of overall performance that takes into account voice, data, video, coverage, and reliability metrics based on customer experience.

Event-O-Meter Key Findings at 2019 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival:

GWS performed three days of testing throughout the Empire Polo Club where Coachella was held including all areas where artists performed, as well as art installation locations, VIP lounges, main entrance and Ferris wheel area, and food, beverage and market areas.  The mobile networks scored a 38 out of 100 for overall performance at this popular event.

GWS results also revealed the following while testing:

• 93 percent of voice calls were completed successfully.
• Data-related tasks, like web browsing and uploading posts to social media, saw success rates of 88 percent (to put this into perspective, GWS testing specialists normally see reliability rates at large events above 95% for both voice and data related activities).
• Video uploads took a grueling 48 seconds (over 4 times slower than what revelers experienced in Times Square on New Year’s Eve).
• Photos and selfie uploads took an equally painful 23 seconds (not much fun if you’re trying to watch your favorite band on Coachella’s main stage and make sure your Instagram uploaded).

The volume of network traffic appears to have overwhelmed the available resources at Coachella; however, GWS did see that all network operators deployed some level of advanced features such as two, three, and four channel carrier aggregation as well as 256QAM (a higher order advanced modulation technique).  These features are becoming the norm in networks across the U.S. as GWS also saw a reasonably high rate of voice over LTE (VoLTE) calling (96% and above) and some usage of LTE multiplexing techniques (i.e., 2×2 and 4×4 multiple-input and multiple-output) particularly with 2×2 MIMO. Perhaps most notable amongst the operators was Verizon’s high usage of 3 and 4 channel CA and Sprint’s high usage of 2×2 MIMO.

Methodology

From April 19^th to the 21^st 2019, GWS network testing specialists collected throughout the Empire Polo Club (site of Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival) including areas around stages (during artist performances), art installation and theatre areas, Indio Central Market, VIP locations, food and beverage gardens, and the main entrance and Ferris wheel area. SwissQual QualiPoc on Samsung Galaxy S9 collection devices were used to measure the performance of the Tier 1 mobile networks. Nearly 14,000 voice and data samples were collected and compiled into a single OneScore, resulting in a combined overall event experience measurement on a scale from 0-100.

About Global Wireless Solutions, Inc.

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, Global Wireless Solutions has set the industry standard for network benchmarking, analysis and testing. Its proprietary OneScore network ranking combines high-level network testing data with real-world network usage scenarios to make the results of testing relatable and easy to understand. Working with some of the world’s largest wireless network providers, GWS offers high-quality network data and engineering analysis through a suite of benchmarking products, services and OneMeasure diagnostic apps that include drive, venue and in-building testing. At last count, GWS has driven 12 million data collection miles for its customers. For more information, visit gwsolutions.com and follow us on Twitter at @gwsolutionsinc.

Media Contact:

Global Wireless Solutions, Inc.

[email protected]

703-661-7000

The post Mobile Network Performance Discourages Social Media Activity at Coachella appeared first on GWS.

This is the case with many closely-watched live happenings around the world, from awards shows to music festivals. If you’ve ever tried tweeting a photo or uploading a Facebook video during a concert, you probably know the pain of a slowed-down connection.

These marquee events are a great reminder that our mobile networks are not always equipped to handle large data usage in a specific area. Take for example Monday’s Boston Marathon, which attracted about 500,000 people to the annual running event, and no doubt put tremendous pressure on the city’s mobile towers.

According to Global Wireless Solutions Event-O-Meter, which sets out to measure mobile network performance at national events, the service at the Boston Marathon was just “reasonable.” The firm tests the consumer connectivity experience when mobile networks are trying to accommodate heavy traffic at places like Times Square during New Year’s Eve and New Orleans during Mardi Gras, which tend to take a beating when attendants rush to upload their latest Insta Stories.

In Boston, mobile network providers had a OneScore of 76 on Monday, or “a C in terms of network performance,” the firm announced, which makes it an average performance for an event of its size, “although not as high as last year’s Boston Marathon score of 86.” The report did find that 100 percent of phone calls were made successfully, though video uploads took a slower-than-average 12 seconds and selfies needed about six seconds to reach followers, slower than other major events recently tested by GWS.

And while the networks “were able to hold their own” fairly well during the running event, the sheer amount of social media usage throughout the day is a sign there’s still much needed improvement in mobile network technology.

The good news is that the onslaught of faster, 5G networks popping up nationwide will likely bump that C grade higher in the coming years.

“It’s clear that the network operators are strongly competing in their own head-to-head race to 5G deployment; we can see the improvements and additions in advanced features in Boston over last year’s marathon—edging the networks closer and closer to the 5G finish line,” explained Dr. Paul Carter, CEO and founder of Global Wireless Solutions.

And technology is expected to go beyond 5G to provide mobile customers with a robust live event experience.

“It’s more than just meeting expectations, it’s about the future of digital experiences,” Greg Dorai, Cisco’s vice president of wireless product management for enterprise networking, told Observer. “Sports fans are voracious consumers of content and passionate in sharing that in the digital space. While venues may meet expectations now, there is often frustration and limited bandwidth.”

This is where upcoming technology like 5G and Wi-Fi 6 can help, Dorai explained, allowing for an almost unlimited sharing of photos, videos and other content.

“Imagine being at the New York City Marathon but having a virtual reality view of the finish line on your phone at the same time,” Dorai said. This is just one of many digital experience possibilities that faster networks can help provide large event attendees, as well as those watching at home.

The post What Mobile Networks’ Performance at the Boston Marathon Can Tell Us About 5G appeared first on GWS.

Dulles, VA, April 16, 2019 – Weathering a mixture of sun, wind, rain, and large crowds along the 2019 Boston Marathon race route, Global Wireless Solutions (GWS) completed their own marathon of mobile network performance testing during the prestigious race.  Of particular interest was measuring how well the mobile networks managed the surge in connectivity and social media traffic from the half million spectators that were expected to attend this popular event.

Overall, the mobile networks finished the race with a OneScore of 76 – a C in terms of network performance. An average performance, although not as high as last year’s Boston Marathon score of 86.  GWS Event-O-Meter also recently recorded OneScores of 87 and 70 at MLB’s Opening Day at Nationals Park and Yankee Stadium respectively, 66 for last month’s Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and 77 for New Year’s Eve in Times Square.

“The networks were able to hold their own during the marathon even with thousands and thousands of fans actively engaged in social media throughout the race,” said Dr. Paul Carter, CEO and founder of Global Wireless Solutions, Inc. (GWS).  “It’s clear that the network operators are strongly competing in their own head-to-head race to 5G deployment; we can see the improvements and additions in advanced features in Boston over last year’s marathon – edging the networks closer and closer to the 5G finish line.”

This report marks the fourth GWS Event-O-Meter for 2019, a measure of network performance at popular events nationwide and a barometer for how American consumers experience wireless connectivity when networks are trying to accommodate heavy traffic. The GWS Event-o-Meter is based on the company’s OneScore evaluation process, a measurement of overall performance that takes into account voice, data, video, coverage, and reliability metrics based on customer experience.

Event-O-Meter Key Findings at 2019 Boston Marathon:

GWS performed testing along the marathon route including each mile marker and the area around the finish line as well as the Boston Marathon’s Fan Fest.  The mobile networks scored a 76 out of 100 for overall performance at this popular event.

GWS results also revealed the following while testing:

• Nearly 100 percent of calls were completed successfully
• Data-related tasks, like web browsing and uploading posts to social media, also saw success rates of nearly 100 percent.
• Video uploads took about 12 seconds (not as fast as other major events recently tested by GWS).
• Photos and selfie uploads took about 6 seconds (similar to video uploads, not as fast as other major events recently tested by GWS).

GWS testing also revealed that all network operators deployed advanced features such as two, three, and four channel carrier aggregation as well as 256QAM (a higher order advanced modulation technique).  In addition, GWS saw a high rate of voice over LTE (VoLTE) calling and significant usage of LTE multiplexing techniques (i.e., 2×2 and 4×4 multiple-input and multiple-output) particularly with 2×2 MIMO. In fact, on average, carrier aggregation was used over 80% of the time by operators during GWS network stress tests; similarly 2×2 MIMO was used two thirds of the time by operators.  The net result was that these improvements enabled operators to reach reasonably high throughputs during the network stress tests; for example,  AT&T and T-Mobile throughputs both averaged 51 Mbps while Verizon averaged 35 Mbps and Sprint 34 Mbps (for Sprint this represented a 46% increase in speed and AT&T 33% over last year).

Methodology

GWS network testing specialists collected along the entire Boston Marathon route and conducted testing at each mile marker as well as the finish line area, and also at the Boston Marathon Fan Fest at Copley Square.  SwissQual QualiPoc on Samsung Galaxy S9 collection devices were used to measure the performance of the Tier 1 mobile networks. Just over 13,000 voice and data samples were collected and compiled into a single OneScore, resulting in a combined overall event experience measurement on a scale from 0-100.

About Global Wireless Solutions, Inc.

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, Global Wireless Solutions has set the industry standard for network benchmarking, analysis and testing. Its proprietary OneScore network ranking combines high-level network testing data with real-world network usage scenarios to make the results of testing relatable and easy to understand. Working with some of the world’s largest wireless network providers, GWS offers high-quality network data and engineering analysis through a suite of benchmarking products, services and OneMeasure diagnostic apps that include drive, venue and in-building testing. At last count, GWS has driven 12 million data collection miles for its customers. For more information, visit gwsolutions.com and follow us on Twitter at @gwsolutionsinc.

Media Contact:

Global Wireless Solutions, Inc.

[email protected]

703-661-7000

The post Mobile Networks Finish the Boston Marathon with a Reasonable Performance appeared first on GWS.

DULLES, Va. — March 28, 2019 — All 30 Major League Baseball (MLB) teams played today for Opening Day 2019, and Global Wireless Solutions (GWS) network testing specialists were on the ground at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., where the Mets played the Nationals, and at Yankee Stadium in New York City, where the Orioles played the Yankees, to see how well the mobile networks responded to the hundreds of thousands of social uploads and calls made during the games.

The National League set a high bar for Opening Day in terms of network connectivity: the OneScore at Nationals Park was 87, earning the National League a “B+” in the classroom of mobile network performance, and Yankee Stadium scored 70, earning the American League a “C-.”

The National League OneScore at Nationals Park also broke the record with the highest GWS Event-o-Meter score of all events tested by GWS thus far. By comparison, the OneScore for the Boston Marathon 2018 was 86; New Year’s Eve 2018 in Times Square was 77; Donald Trump’s 2017 presidential inauguration scored 75; and New Orleans Mardi Gras 2019 scored 66.

“The networks really hit it out of the park, especially at Nationals Park,” said Dr. Paul Carter, CEO and founder of Global Wireless Solutions. “Providers took extra steps to deliver to baseball fans the wireless connectivity they needed to document the day. It’s clear that very few experienced delays connecting with friends or uploading social posts.”

This report marks the third GWS Event-o-Meter for 2019, a measure of network performance at popular events nationwide and a barometer for how American consumers experience wireless connectivity when networks are trying to accommodate heavy traffic. The GWS Event-o-Meter is based on the company’s OneScore evaluation process, a measurement of overall performance that takes into account voice, data, video, coverage, and reliability metrics based on customer experience.

Event-o-Meter MLB Opening Day 2019: Findings

GWS performed testing at both American League’s Yankee Stadium in New York City and at the National League’s Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., on MLB Opening Day, March 28, 2019. The National League triumphed with a score of 87 over the American League’s score of 70.

GWS testing specialists experienced the following on Opening Day in New York City and Washington, D.C.:

• 100 percent of calls made at both Yankee Stadium and Nationals Park were completed successfully
• Data-related tasks, like web browsing and uploading posts to social media, saw success rates of 98 percent in New York and a perfect 100 percent in Washington, D.C.
• Video uploads took about 6 seconds in Washington, DC and a whopping 33 seconds in New York
• Photos and selfie uploads took about 4 seconds in D.C. and 14 seconds in New York

Network carriers deployed advanced features to improve performance including carrier aggregation, higher-order modulation like 256QAM, voice over LTE (VoLTE) calls, as well as increased use of LTE multiplexing techniques (i.e., multiple-input and multiple-output) like 2×2 and 4×4 MIMO. This was particularly evident at Nationals Park where AT&T and Verizon’s use of advanced features resulted in their ability to achieve throughputs far greater than the other operators (23% and higher) during GWS’ network stress tests.

Methodology

GWS had a total of two data collection teams at Yankee Stadium in New York City and at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., on March 28. Each team used SwissQual QualiPoc on Samsung Galaxy S9 collection devices to measure the performance of the Tier 1 mobile networks. Nearly 2,200 voice and data samples were collected and compiled into a single OneScore, resulting in a combined overall event experience measurement on a scale from 0-100.

About Global Wireless Solutions, Inc.

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, Global Wireless Solutions has set the industry standard for network benchmarking, analysis and testing. Its proprietary OneScore network ranking combines high-level network testing data with real-world network usage scenarios to make the results of testing relatable and easy to understand. Working with some of the world’s largest wireless network providers, GWS offers high-quality network data and engineering analysis through a suite of benchmarking products, services and OneMeasure diagnostic apps that include drive, venue and in-building testing. At last count, GWS has driven 12 million data collection miles for its customers. For more information, visit gwsolutions.com and follow us on Twitter at @gwsolutionsinc.

Media Contact:

Global Wireless Solutions, Inc.

[email protected]

703-661-7000

The post GWS Report: In Terms of Mobile Connectivity, the National League ‘Hit It out of the Park’ on MLB Opening Day appeared first on GWS.

The post WMGT (NBC) Macon, GA: GWS Mardi Gras Event-o-Meter appeared first on GWS.

I realized this the other day when I read about mobile network testing by Global Wireless Solutions, a Virginia-based network benchmarking company. GWS sent data collection teams to New Orleans during Mardi Gras (nice work if you can get it) to run thousands of network performance tests. They rated the overall experience a 66 out of 100, or a D.

How did NOLA earn that D? Here are the numbers: Uploading video took 34 seconds along a parade route, compared to the national average of 13 seconds. It was almost as bad in the French Quarter at 27 seconds. GWS thinks networks weren’t as congested in the Quarter because people were packed so tightly on Bourbon Street they couldn’t reach their phones.

Video uploading averaged 30 seconds during the 4 days of Mardi Gras testing. Uploading photos averaged 14 seconds. Even in Times Square on New Year’s Eve photo uploading took only 6 seconds, the company says.

“We expected there to be poor performance during Mardi Gras but not as bad as we experienced this year,” one reveler told GWS. This failure of the networks causes frustration and dampens the fun.

What can we do about it, other than look at the calendar and wait for 5G to arrive? Networks are stepping up, but not enough. GWS noticed that multi-carrier aggregation increased substantially this year, but it still couldn’t keep up with demand.

“When consumers are faced with network performance issues, restarting their phones may stop any process that is creating issues and will also allow the device to re-establish a potentially better connection to the network,” Paul Carter, CEO of GWS told me. “Consumers can also seek out a location with a strong Wi-Fi signal, such as a coffee shop or hotel lobby.”

If that doesn’t work, consider changing carriers or getting a newer phone, he advised. Newer tech can access newer frequency bands. The real burden, of course, is on the carriers: They need to increase temporary cell sites durng large events.

“The cost, time, and effort of adding additional equipment and network resources—even temporarily—can be substantial, so there is a trade-off,” Carter added.

The post Slow Video Uploads Put a Damper on Mardi Gras and Other Events appeared first on GWS.

The post KION (CBS) Monterey, CA: GWS Mardi Gras Event-o-Meter appeared first on GWS.

DULLES, Va. — March 5, 2019 — With crowds estimated at around 1.4 million, the city of New Orleans has been filled with throngs of people this year celebrating Mardi Gras, and Global Wireless Solutions (GWS) network testing specialists were in the midst of it all to see how well – or in this case, how poorly – the mobile networks responded to the overwhelming demand at one of the biggest multi-day parties in the country.

According to the GWS Event-O-Meter, Mardi Gras 2019 received a OneScore of 66 out of 100, earning the event a “D” in the classroom of mobile network performance. That OneScore is notably lower than Donald Trump’s 2017 presidential inauguration (75), the 2018 New Year’s Eve celebration in New York’s Times Square (77), and the 2018 Boston Marathon (86).

The Mardi Gras 2019 findings of the GWS Event-o-Meter provide a true measure of network performance at popular events nationwide and a barometer for how American consumers experience network performance at times of heavy traffic. The GWS Event-o-Meter is based on the company’s OneScore evaluation process, a measurement of overall performance that takes into account voice, data, video, coverage, and reliability metrics, as well as customer experience.

In today’s mobile society, reliable cellular networks are a given – a requirement for daily life. So, what happens when you attend a major event like Mardi Gras and you want to post one of the coolest videos you’ve ever taken?  According to GWS testing and testimony on the streets of New Orleans, waiting the 30 seconds to post your video puts a damper on revelry.

“Four straight days of poor performance must have been frustrating for those attending this large and very popular event. The networks were simply overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of people trying to connect,” said Dr. Paul Carter, CEO and founder of Global Wireless Solutions. “We did notice that the operators added more advanced features since we last tested in New Orleans six months ago. For example, multiple carrier aggregation has increased substantially, doubling the capacity. But it simply wasn’t enough.”

Event-o-Meter Mardi Gras in New Orleans 2019: Findings

GWS performed testing from March 2 through Fat Tuesday, March 5, 2019, at Mardi Gras events including parades, festivals, and celebrations in the French Quarter and across the city. The official OneScore for Mardi Gras in New Orleans was 66 out of 100, a near-failing grade for overall network performance.

Mardi Gras revelers also dealt with:

• Video uploads that took about 30 seconds on average during Mardi Gras, compared to 13 seconds based on national averages.
• Photos and selfie uploads took almost 14 seconds, an eternity compared to the six-second average for the same tasks measured on New Year’s Eve in Times Square.
• Video uploads took noticeably longer across NOLA parade routes (34 seconds) as compared to the French Quarter (27 seconds), suggesting that the performance was better in the Quarter. This is somewhat ironic, because people were packed in so tightly on Bourbon Street that they couldn’t even reach their phones, lowering network usage in the French Quarter overall.

• Poor performance for data-related tasks, such as web browsing and uploading posts to social media, was noted particularly along parade routes, scoring a 94 percent for Task Success Rate (TSR) – one of the lowest scores ever recorded by GWS.

The lackluster performance was validated by people on the streets of New Orleans. “We expected there to be poor performance during Mardi Gras but not as bad as we experienced this year,” said one Mardi Gras participant. This sentiment was shared across the city.

Despite reports of poor performance, network carriers offered advanced features to improve performance, including LTE 4CA (carrier aggregation of four channels for the fastest 4G available), higher-order modulation like 256QAM, voice over LTE (VoLTE) calls, and increased use of LTE multiplexing techniques (multiple-input and multiple-output) like 2×2 and 4×4 MIMO.

“Americans count on wireless performance when and where they need it, especially at major celebrations like Mardi Gras,” added Dr. Carter. “Consumers want to share their experiences by posting photos, uploading videos and calling friends and family. Overall, the networks failed to accommodate the incredibly high traffic at one of the craziest times and busiest places in the country.”

Methodology

GWS had two data collection teams in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Each team used SwissQual QualiPoc on Samsung Galaxy S9 collection devices to measure the performance of the Tier 1 mobile networks. Nearly 11,000 voice and data samples were collected and compiled into a single OneScore, resulting in a combined overall event experience measurement on a scale from 0-100. Consumer feedback was collected on site during the festivities. Mardi Gras data collection started on Saturday, March 2, 2019, at 4 p.m. CT and concluded on Tuesday, March 5, 2019, at 1 a.m. CT.

About Global Wireless Solutions, Inc.

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, Global Wireless Solutions has set the industry standard for network benchmarking, analysis and testing. Its proprietary OneScore network ranking combines high-level network testing data with real-world network usage scenarios to make the results of testing relatable and easy to understand. Working with some of the world’s largest wireless network providers, GWS offers high-quality network data and engineering analysis through a suite of benchmarking products, services and OneMeasure diagnostic apps that include drive, venue and in-building testing. At last count, GWS has driven 12 million data collection miles for its customers. For more information, visit gwsolutions.com and follow us on Twitter at @gwsolutionsinc.

Media Contact:

Global Wireless Solutions, Inc.

[email protected]

703-661-7000

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It took hours of waiting in line along to get the teams in place to do their ground-level testing, according to GWS CEO Paul Carter.  The New Year’s Eve testing is the first of a new series of public benchmarking efforts that GWS has planned, centered around evaluating carrier networks’ performance during specific events.

“We’ve put a lot of focus on OneScore and our customer-centric ranking methodologies, and ranked AT&T the best overall network nationwide. We thought we would do something a bit more fun, let’s say, but also relevant — and try and come up with an event-scoring methodology that people could understand very quickly,” Carter said. “This is the first of what we want to do with many events throughout the country this year.” GWS has dubbed the new event-centered metric its Event-O-Meter, calling it “a barometer for how American consumers experience wireless connectivity when networks are trying to accommodate heavy traffic.”

Carter said that the team’s data from New Year’s Eve generated a picture of how things changed over the course of the day and night in Times Square. Some metrics held relatively steady, and others rose and plunged along with the ball. Overall, GWS gave mobile network performance during the event a score of 77 out of 100 — about a C-level score, Carter explained. Compared to other events that GWS has tested in the past, according to the company, the 2018 Mobile World Congress in Los Angeles had a OneScore of 89, President Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration ranked at 75 and the 2018 Boston Marathon scored 86.

Carter noted that in the lead-up to the ball drop, there are hours of musical entertainment and time during which the crowd gathers. The GWS teams began testing from about 5 p.m. in the afternoon.

“There’s not necessarily one big rush, as it were,” during that time period, he said, comparing the environment to a sports game where there is an extended period of high crowds and high traffic with breaks in the action. But in Times Square, Carter added, there are many people (an estimated 1 million) packed into a relatively small area, all very close together — a much different case than in a stadium, where traffic might be concentrated around the field but people are also moving through the rest of the building.

But then, he said, “things got pretty hairy around the midnight hour,” when people in the crowd ramped up their social media sharing of the event. Uploading a test video file went from taking about 10 seconds to taking about 16, while photo upload time increased from about 5 seconds up to 9 seconds, he said. After 1 a.m., when the throng had largely cleared out, those numbers fell back to as good or better as they were earlier in the day, Carter added. Interestingly, he pointed out, download speeds held quite steady over the course of the night — it was on the upload side where the network impacts of the spikes in traffic were seen.

Among the other data results:

• Nearly 100% of voice calls made in Times Square were completed successfully.
• Data-related tasks had normal success rates (in the high 90 percent range), even if they took longer to complete
• “Overall reliability of the network was solid and unchanged throughout testing,” GWS said.

GWS’ testing also revealed some of the network features at work to support the boom in traffic. He said that all four national carriers had two-component and three-component carrier aggregation at work, and a couple of them had four-component CA. There was a “fair amount” of 256 QAM modulation, and several carriers had a small amount of 4×4 multiple-input multiple-output at work alongside 2×2 MIMO, Carter noted.

GWS said its three test teams used Rohde & Schwarz’s SwissQual QualiPoc on Samsung Galaxy S9 collection devices to measure the performance of the four Tier 1 mobile networks. GWS collected nearly 13,000 voice and data samples on which it based the event’s score; data collected began at 5 p.m. on December 31 and ended at 2 a.m. on January 1.

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That’s especially true in busy urban environments and during large gatherings.

To offer a reminder of that, Global Wireless Solutions put mobile networks to the test. It visited Times Square on New Year’s Eve with the GWS Event-o-Meter to see how well mobile networks stood up to heavy traffic demands. And the GWS Event-o-Meter delivered a score of 77 out of 100.

GWS CEO and founder Dr. Paul Carter explained the results. “Networks were working hard to handle all the traffic, kind of like getting through the Holland Tunnel at rush hour,” he said. “Even though providers took extra steps, people most likely experienced some delay in connecting with friends and family when the clock struck midnight.”

The Event-o-Meter was based on the Global Wireless Solutions OneScore evaluation process. That measures overall performance, accounting for customer experience and coverage, data, reliability, video, and voice metrics.

The company used the OneScore-powered Event-o-Meter before, during, and after the ball dropped. Three GWS data collection teams employed SwissQual QualiPoc on Samsung Galaxy S9 devices to measure tier 1 mobile network performance. They collected nearly 13,000 voice and data samples, which were then aggregated to create the 77 OneScore rating.

To put the score into perspective, GWS said that 2018 Mobile World Congress in Los Angeles received a OneScore of 89. The 2018 Boston Marathon came in at 86. And Donald Trump’s inauguration got a 75 OneScore.

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 DULLES, Va. — January 2, 2019 — As the wet throngs packed into Times Square to join the New Year’s Eve festivities Monday night, Global Wireless Solutions (GWS) network testing specialists were on the ground and in the action to see how well the mobile networks responded to the millions of social uploads and calls made around midnight to ring in the new year.

The verdict: “Networks were working hard to handle all the traffic, kind of like getting through the Holland Tunnel at rush hour,” said Dr. Paul Carter, CEO and founder of Global Wireless Solutions. “Even though providers took extra steps, people most likely experienced some delay in connecting with friends and family when the clock struck midnight.”

This report marks the debut of the GWS “Event-o-Meter,” a measure of network performance at historic and national events and a barometer for how American consumers experience wireless connectivity when networks are trying to accommodate heavy traffic. GWS Event-o-Meter is based on the company’s OneScore evaluation process, a measurement of overall performance that takes into account voice, data, video, coverage and reliability metrics as well as customer experience.

Delivering on consumer expectations for mobile communications is what drives the wireless industry. “The challenge for operators is to provide sufficient network capacity to meet increasing data demand, regardless of the venue or user activity,” said Bill Ho, principal analyst at 556 Ventures. “GWS’ technically rigorous testing methodology enables them to evaluate network performance at any location or event as it relates to how real consumers use their network.”

Event-o-Meter NYE at Times Square 2019: Findings

The OneScore for New Year’s Eve in Times Square from 5 p.m. ET to 2am was 77 out of 100.

By way of comparison, the 2018 Mobile World Congress in Los Angeles had a OneScore of 89, Donald Trump’s 2017 presidential inauguration ranked at 75 and the 2018 Boston Marathon scored 86.

GWS testing specialists experienced the following before, during and after the ball dropped:

• Nearly 100 percent of calls made on New Year’s Eve in Times Square were completed successfully
• Data-related tasks, like web browsing and uploading posts to social media, had normal success rates (in the high 90 percent range) even if they took longer to complete
• Video uploads took about 10 seconds earlier in the evening but slowed to 16 seconds by midnight
• Photos and selfie uploads took about five seconds leading up to midnight but nine seconds when the ball dropped
• Overall reliability of the network was solid and unchanged throughout testing
• Network performance was back to normal by 1 a.m. ET

Network carriers deployed advanced features to improve performance, including LTE 4CA (carrier aggregation of four channels for the fastest 4G available), higher-order modulation like 256QAM, voice over LTE (VoLTE) calls, and increased use of LTE multiplexing techniques (i.e., multiple-input and multiple-output) like 2×2 and 4×4 MIMO.

“We took our new GWS Event-o-Meter to the streets in Times Square this New Year’s Eve to see how the network stacks up in this ‘acid test’ for performance,” added Dr. Carter. “Americans count on wireless performance when and where they need it, and New Year’s Eve is no exception. We must be able to post photos, download videos and place phone calls. Overall, the networks made a good effort to accomodate the incredibly high traffic at one of the busiest times and spots in the country.”

Methodology

GWS had a total of three data collection teams in New York City on New Year’s Eve. Each team used SwissQual QualiPoc on Samsung Galaxy S9 collection devices to measure the performance of the Tier 1 mobile networks. Nearly 13,000 voice and data samples were collected and compiled into a single OneScore, resulting in a combined overall event experience measurement on a scale from 0-100. New Year’s Eve data collection started at Monday, December 31, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. ET and concluded on Tuesday, January 1, 2019 at 2 a.m.

About Global Wireless Solutions, Inc.

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, Global Wireless Solutions has set the industry standard for network benchmarking, analysis and testing. Its proprietary OneScore network ranking combines high-level network testing data with real-world network usage scenarios to make the results of testing relatable and easy to understand. Working with some of the world’s largest wireless network providers, GWS offers high-quality network data and engineering analysis through a suite of benchmarking products, services and OneMeasure diagnostic apps that include drive, venue and in-building testing. At last count, GWS has driven 12 million data collection miles for its customers. For more information, visit gwsolutions.com and follow us on Twitter at @gwsolutionsinc.

Media Contact:

Global Wireless Solutions, Inc.

[email protected]

703-661-7000

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