Verizon grabs #1 spot in J.D. Power mobile satisfaction rating

Tue Aug 19, 2008 12:54PM EDT

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For the first time in four years, T-Mobile is not at the top of J.D. Power's survey on wireless carrier customer service satisfaction. The bragging rights for 2008 now go to Verizon.

The rankings concern how well and how quickly carriers resolve customer service calls, not the quality of phone service. (So all those complaints about dropped calls and poor coverage don't apply here.)

J.D. Power's ranking system this year gives Verizon 103 points, mini-major Alltel a 102 score, and T-Mobile close behind with 100. AT&T earned a 97 rating and perennial laggard Sprint Nextel got a 79. (The minimum score you can get is a 70.)

Putting aside Sprint's sad, last-place finish, what's going on here? Is Verizon getting better, T-Mobile getting worse, or everyone simply getting better at dealing with customer service issues? It's probably not the latter: J.D. Power notes that due to the increasing complexity of wireless handsets, the average customer now spends longer on the phone making support calls than ever before. Longer calls mean longer waits for help: The average customer will spend 4.4 minutes on hold with his wireless carrier each year, up a third since 2003, and about half of all customers will have to call for help at some point.

If there's overall good news on the service front, it involves the number of calls it takes to resolve issues: Last year the average was 1.91 calls required to take care of a customer problem, but this year that number has plummeted to 1.76 calls per issue. Keeping customers from having to call you for help at all may be best, but keeping them from having to call back is pretty good, too.

LINK: Verizon Wireless seizes top spot from T-Mobile in J. D. Power rankings

Comments on Verizon grabs #1 spot in J.D. Power mobile satisfaction rating

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  • 46 Posted by marcaguilaryah on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:05PM EDT Report Abuse

    why are you so scared to mention cricket is it because it starting to take over the cell phone industry and there able to give the same service as any other carrier at more than half the price

  • 47 Posted by glorfndl on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    Verizon is the best. I've had Sprint . . . and HATED it. They charged me roaming EVERY call I made--in my home zip, right next to Washington, DC--for 4 months straight. I called about it each month to get it straightened out because the problem hadn't been there before (I'd had it over 1 1/2 years by then) and the rep said "Well, a cloud probably just went over the satellite. We can't control the clouds, you know." I was stunned that such an idiot was allowed to be called "customer service." Viva la Verizon!

  • 48 Posted by ana_honey on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:53PM EDT Report Abuse

    VERIZON SUCKS!!!!!! There phones suck and sooooooo does there service!!!! Cingular is soooooooo much better.

  • 49 Posted by woody_diva on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    I think at one time or another I have had all of them...Nextel/Sprint is the worst for customer service and T-Moblie has the best rate plans...Verizon has good customer service however the coverage blows! We travel all over the country and even Sprint/Nextel had better coverage then Verizon.

  • 50 Posted by dcdugan3575 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:39PM EDT Report Abuse

    Its nice to see other people think that US Cellular is the best as well. I couldn't stand Verizon when I was with them and T-Mobile was even worse.

  • 51 Posted by redphotog2 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:34PM EDT Report Abuse

    I live in Mount Pleasant North Carolina and My only remark about Verizon is they should pay me to use their service. Im forever getting cutoff and the call sounds more like a long distance radio transmission not a phone call and If im lucky I will be able to say goodbye before it cuts me off again. In a word LOUSY!

  • 52 Posted by bearcatroger on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:04PM EDT Report Abuse

    Our company fired Verizon. The service itself was good, but the human side of customer support was terrible. Caught them in a big lie and higher up in the food chain, the we were told the problem was fixed. Turned out that guy was lying also. Fired them on the spot. Will never use them again.

  • 53 Posted by kjmy1953 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:52PM EDT Report Abuse

    I will admit that Verizon's customer service is 100% better then T-MOBILE. T-MOBILE SUCKS

  • 54 Posted by victoriavescovo on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:34PM EDT Report Abuse

    I was a victim of Sprint, Cingular(ATT&T) and now, finally...Verizon has rescued me. Trust it, people. Ask your geek friends. Verizon is the best wireless carrier. I have been happier to pay just a little more for their unfailing serivce for three years.

  • 55 Posted by cccchamill on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:20PM EDT Report Abuse

    I am glad to hear that Sprint/Nextel score is consistant with my experiance. Their billing is terrible and the customer service that you get is makes you wish you could get a heavy accent from India, atleast they have a reason not understanding them. I was the longest 2 year contract that you can imagine.

  • 56 Posted by jayhova715 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:29PM EDT Report Abuse

    I have both AT&T and Verizon and feel there both preaty equal one line for bussiness and the other for personal honestly there both preaty close to coverage but AT&T to me has better service one month i was almost out of minutes and called c/s and they gave me 200 rollover minutes for being a loyal customer. At&t has my vote.

  • 57 Posted by dboy1215 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:39PM EDT Report Abuse

    I have had Sprint for over 3 years, and I have never had as lousy a service, sorry support, and all I can say is that Sprint is the worst company I have ever dealt with. Their wireless internet is absolutely horrible. I have had dial-up with better service. They have a support staff that you can hardly ever understand, besides being totally ignorant. What can I say to sum it all up- Sprint Sux.

  • 58 Posted by terminal.echoes on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:01PM EDT Report Abuse

    I've not had Verizon for three years. Three years ago, their customer service was horrible. I've had TMobile ever since, and they've constantly bent over backwards to make me happy.

  • 59 Posted by carranza_roxana07@verizon.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:18PM EDT Report Abuse

    well I love my Verizon network from cell,residential phone service to internet.I'm waiting on the Fios service on my area.

  • 60 Posted by fferna0106 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:59PM EDT Report Abuse

    I agree with sprint being the worst in customer service. They make you wait for a really REALLy long time on the phone and sometimes cant help you However, their reception and call service , in my opinion, is the best!!!

  • 61 Posted by oblivion_twister on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:43PM EDT Report Abuse

    oh how misguided and wrong, VERIZON is a rip off artist as a company. I had 3 Samsung Aliases in my firt 3 months with verizon. Finally seemed to get one that lasted almost a year. Now, even with a new battery it won't hold a charge more than 3 hours. After some phone tag and arguing VERIZON rep said he'd send me a brand new phone without re upping for another 2 years. New phone comes in yesterday, I take it in to get it activated and get told I'm also re upping for 2 years. Now that same VERIZON rep in Albuquerque NM won't answer. If this is the chicken crap way you practice business how did you manage to dupe everyone into thinking you're any good. After 11 years I'm saying goodbye to VERIZON.

  • 62 Posted by chickens_go_cluck on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:23PM EDT Report Abuse

    Verizon is the best! They have awesome phones, good coverage and aren't too pricey. We used to have Sprint and they had horrible sevrice.

  • 63 Posted by mypersonalchefus on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:31PM EDT Report Abuse

    Anybody but Sprint. What a useless excuse for a phone company! Have you ever tried to speak to a person on the phone when you have a problem?...Be afraid, very afraid!

  • 64 Posted by suz422 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:50PM EDT Report Abuse

    I had Verizon before and their coverage was fine... I switched to Cingular because I thought I could save some $$$ but their $40/month plan always winds up costing me $80/month! I was thinking about T-mobile next, because of their allowance plan, but after reading this blog, I think I'll just go back to Verizon!

  • 65 Posted by aflamb1 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:46PM EDT Report Abuse

    I agree with mrsmith33... Cingular is the best. My roommate and I have the Family plan and just added his mom several months ago... The total bill each month for all three of us is just $126.00 and we always have additional rollover minutes of approx. 2500 each month available after our normal usage. I think the plan is too good for what we actually need, but now that AT&T has taken over Cingular, this good thing will probably come to an end soon.

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