Globe Handyphone is tops in latest GSM call quality study

United Kingdom-based software and consultancy firm Metapath Software International (MSI) recently conducted a second study on call quality among the Philippines (Global System for Mobile communications) operators to get an update on which Philippine provider offers the best call service. The study was conducted from Nov. 3, 1999 to Dec. 10, 1999.

This latest MSI study, which was verified by Don Bosco Technical College and the EE/ECE Department of the University of San Carlos in Cebu City, revealed that the current overall call service of Globe Telecom's cellular phone service Globe Handyphone is significantly better than that of its nearest GSM competitors.

Previously, during the period of April to June 1999, MSI conducted an earlier call quality study in the Philippines, which also showed Globe Handyphone leading in terms of call quality over the two other Philippine GSM operators, Smart and Islacom.

MSI's data in its latest study supports the conclusion that Globe Handyphone offers the highest call service quality based on key relevant category measures. These include: 1) percentage of completed calls, 2) coverage areas of operators, and, 3) the number of signal bars reflected on the cellular handset.

During its study, MSI sent out teams nationwide to cover various areas in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Areas covered in Luzon included 12 major routes in Metro Manila, north highways leading to Baguio, Subic and San Jose; as well as south highways leading to Batangas and Lucena. Visayas areas encompassed four major routes in Cebu and Cebu province. Davao was tested for Mindanao.

MSI used identical cellular phones handsets for their nationwide study and was able to amass over 35,088 test calls across all its testing areas. Attesting to the independent conditions of the study, effectiveness of the methods used and accuracy of results were independent body representatives from Don Bosco Technical College and University of San Carlos' EE/ECE Department.

The results of the new MSI study were as follows:

In terms of call completion, the study revealed that Globe Handyphone's 82.5-percent ranking led over its nearest competitor's 70.3 percent score. This leads to the conclusion that Globe Handyphone has the most number of successfully completed calls nationwide among all GSM operators.

Call completion pertained to the degree in which calls could be successfully made or connected using a particular cellular phone service. MSI's considerations in judging call successes also included how effectively the calls were set up and took into account observable factors such as "block" and "dropped' transmissions.

Globe Handyphone emerged as the GSM operator with the most comprehension coverage according to the MSI study. Globe was observed to have coverage in 87 percent of the areas tested; while its nearest competitor had at the most 75.7 percent coverage.