Sprint leads, AT&T lags in cellphone service ranks
updated 11:55 am EDT, Tue May 17, 2011
Sprint, Motorola top customer satisfaction scores
The latest quarterly report on customer satisfaction from the American Customer Satisfaction Index found that AT&T and T-Mobile's scores have dropped while Sprint is now at the top. The overall customer satisfaction score with wireless telephone services has dropped by 1.4 percent to a score of 71 but is stronger than it was before 2010. Sprint showed the best increase over the course of three years, from trailing the second worst provider by 15 points to the top of the pack.
Sprint is tied with Verizon at 72, with Verizon falling by one percent for a second year in a row. Sprint, on the other hand, rose by three percent on double-digit gains. Smaller providers like TracFone and US Cellular rose on average to an ACSI score of 77.
AT&T and T-Mobile fell the most, with both dropping by four percent. AT&T's score of 66 is its worst since 2006, while T-Mobile's 70 matches a five-year low. ACSI notes drops in customer satisfaction are common after mergers bur rare ahead of one, such as the deal in progress.
Overall cell phone device satisfaction, meanwhile, fell by 1.3 percent to 75, with Motorola at the top on a one percent rise to a score of 77, while Nokia is in last place at 73 after falling by four percent. The study unusually excluded major phone makers like Apple and RIM.
