AN independent mobile analytics firm has crunched the data on 5G coverage across the country and these two providers come out above the rest in Bradford.
RootMetrics an Ookla company offers scientific insights into how users experience networks under real-world conditions and has analysed test samples from on-the-ground locations to create a map showing coverage for the UK's four main providers.
This is: EE, O2, Three and Vodafone.
The map is split into small hexagons, with each shape coloured-coded depending on the type of connection you can get from that spot - untested (white), 2G/3G (red), 3G+ (orange), LTE or 4G (light blue), 5G (dark blue).
This then gives an overall idea of the coverage for each of the four networks, with larger clumps of dark blue hexagons indicating an area has strong 5G coverage under that provider, for example.
O2 and Three came out on top in Bradford for 5G coverage.
Both networks together cover most of Bradford city centre, spreading out into surrounding areas, such as: Wibsey, Clayton, Allerton, Shipley, Undercliffe, Idle, Greengates, Barkerend and Laisterdyke.
But as you move into the wider suburbs (such as Wilsden, Cullingworth, Calverley and Apperley Bridge), it is a sea of orange hexagons, interspersed with the odd spattering of light blue shapes – indicating a mix of 3G+ and LTE (4G) coverage.
Conversely, EE and Vodafone cover these areas more consistently with LTE (4G) connections.
Both providers very rarely drop below LTE (4G) coverage at all in Bradford, with little in the way of orange hexagons across the map.
Vodafone has a strand of 3G+ coverage in the Cullingworth and Haworth areas, whereas EE’s orange hexagons only ever appear in small clumps of three or four, dotted across the map.
Both Vodafone and EE have a clump of dark blue hexagons in the middle of Bradford city centre, but their strongest 5G coverage is over in neighbouring Leeds.
RootMetrics an Ookla company uses off-the-shelf mobiles phones purchased from mobile network operator stores, when conducting its tests, which are not altered.
The smartphones used are updated for testing twice a year, but not during the middle of a testing period.
The company’s website states: “To accurately reflect a typical consumer’s mobile experience, we use only off-the-shelf mobile phones purchased from mobile network operator stores.
“We never alter the phones with external antennas or any other non-standard equipment, and we never ‘root’, jailbreak, or modify the phone’s software in any way.
“To reflect how consumers use their mobile phones, we also measure data, call, and text performance with the same device rather than testing each category with a separate device.
“We select leading Android-based mobile phones for each network during our device selection process.
“During the device selection process, RootMetrics benchmarks device models to determine the best commercially available phone model from each operator in order to capture the best possible user experience for data, call, and text usage on each particular operator's network.
“Benchmarking models before testing also helps remove limitations that can be caused by specific model/network interactions.”
During testing, the firm measures network reliability, accessibility, and speed performance across the activities that consumers use their mobiles for on a daily basis.
This includes, browsing webpages, using apps, making calls, and sending texts.
RootMetrics an Ookla company also assesses coverage in various areas across the UK.
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