Sprint subscribers like HTC smartphones, AT&T Mobility customers lean toward Samsung
A new J.D. Power survey found Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile US customers express the most satisfaction with Apple smartphones while Sprint customers prefer HTC and AT&T Mobility customers are most satisfied with Samsung smartphones.
This is the ninth installment of J.D. Power’s annual “Wireless Smartphone Satisfaction Study.” The research asks customers to rate four metrics: smartphone performance, features, physical design and ease of operation.
According to the results, Apple ranked highest in overall satisfaction among T-Mobile US customers with a score of 844 on a 1,000-point scale. HTC ranked highest among Sprint customers with 841 points; AT&T Mobility customers prefer Samsung with 854 points.
AT&T Mobility customers have the most overall satisfaction with their smartphones followed by Sprint, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile US customers.
“Satisfaction with performance differs by smartphone brand across carriers,” Kirk Parsons, senior director and practice leader of telecommunications at J.D. Power, said in a statement. “When launching a new smartphone device, carriers should be mindful how they position the device features and services. This can influence model selection and a customer’s experience with the device. When customers are satisfied with their smartphone model selection, the OEM and carrier can benefit through customer loyalty and repurchase intent.”
The study found that a brand’s ranking is most closely related to satisfaction with smartphone performance. The study also found that customer who are satisfied with their smartphones spend an average of $6 more each month with their respective carrier.
Comparing the most recent results with previous studies, J.D. Power found that customers’ value of smartphone features has decreased.
The study was based on reports from 12,803 smartphone customers and was conducted between September 2014 and February 2015.
