Ref: 06/01
Date: 17 January 2001

The latest results of surveys of successful call rates for the four mobile networks have been published today by the operators and Oftel.

All four mobile network operators successfully connected and completed in excess of 95% of calls over the six-month survey period.

The surveys were carried out by the four mobile network operators BT Cellnet, One2One, Orange and Vodafone according to agreed criteria, and in consultation with Oftel and consumer groups.

The surveys tested calls to and from digital mobile phones by each of the mobile phone network operators cover the whole of the UK and were carried out between 1 April 2000 and 30 September 2000. The full results and details of the survey can be found on Oftel’s website at www.oftel.gov.uk/research/2001/mble0101.htm.

Welcoming the publication, David Edmonds, Director General of Telecommunications, said today:

"I am delighted that over 95% of all calls were successfully completed over the four networks at a national level, especially as the number of mobile phone users is increasing so rapidly.

"Reliability is just as important a factor as price, and as more and more people use mobile phones as an essential communication channel, confidence in network performance will become increasingly important.

"I look forward to the publication of further surveys later this year which will include data for individual operators."

Notes to Editors

1. The mobile network operators undertook their own drive round surveys, each making approximately 17,000 test calls between 1 April 2000 and 30 September 2000. Seventy towns and cities plus major ‘A’ roads and motorways were surveyed throughout the UK. One2One and Orange did not survey Northern Ireland, One2One because it had no commercially available network in the region at the time, and Orange for technical reasons.

Measurements were made using an agreed set of roads, although the same roads were not necessarily driven in the towns and cities. The roads were driven Monday to Friday between the hours of 8 am and 8 pm, excluding Bank Holidays. All the calls were made using automated call generating equipment. The drivers of the vehicles did not make calls.

2. The UK has been divided into nine areas: London, South East England, South West England, East Anglia, Midlands, Northern England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, with a total of 70 different towns and cities surveyed.

3. Individual operator results for this group of surveys have not been published as the results were not fully comparable and could be misleading to consumers. The operators, consumer groups and Oftel are currently working to improve the methodology and comparability of the survey approach used. This will allow comparable individual operator results to be published for the benefit of consumers in the near future.

4. Consumers’ own experience may differ from the reported level of service depending on factors such as the handset and equipment being used, geographic location and time of day. Consumers should note that the survey results are limited by a number of factors, including the nature and location of the tests employed.

5. When making a purchase decision, consumers should take into account other factors including price of handset, connection charge, call tariffs, claimed coverage, service features, terms and conditions and indeed any other factors which individuals consider relevant to their needs.

6. The mobile network operators, together with Oftel and consumer groups (Consumer Communications for England (CCE), Telecommunications Managers Association (TMA), Telecommunications Users Association (TUA) and Consumers' Association (CA)), are currently working to further improve the methodology, comparability and accuracy of the survey approach used.

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