J.D. Power survey: Wireless call quality improving

Wireless call quality continues to improve, with customers seeing a reduction in initial disconnects in particular, according to the most recent J.D. Power and Associates report on call quality.
The study, which was based on responses from more than 25,000 wireless users earlier this year, found that reports of problems were at their lowest level in the survey’s five-year history. Customers reported 15 problems per 100 calls, which was down almost 30% from the same reporting period last year.
J.D. Power reported that initial disconnects were down by 40% year-over-year and reports of dropped calls were down by 33%.
Kirk Parsons, senior director of wireless services for J.D. Power, said that wireless providers “have clearly made great strides in improving call quality.”
Verizon Wireless won out over other carriers in call quality in most of the six U.S. regions, ranking first in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Western areas and tying for first with Alltel Wireless in the Southeast. AT&T Mobility and U.S. Cellular Corp. each ranked first in one region, with AT&T Mobility taking the Southeast and U.S. Cellular winning the North Central region.
However, the survey did find that customers who used hands-free devices were more likely to report having problems-18 problems per 100 calls on average, compared to 14 problems per 100 calls among customers who did not use hands-free accessories. Parson said one reason for the difference is that “owners of hands-free devices tend to make calls more often than do those who don’t use these devices, and high-volume callers are more likely to experience call quality problems in general.”
He added that “as more wireless subscribers begin using hands-free devices for convenience, the rate of call quality problems may increase as the probability rises for quality interference between the headset and cellphone.”