Verizon tops in wireless survey, Sprint falls behind

Wed May 21, 2008 3:35PM EDT

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Chatters are growing happier with their overall wireless service, according to a new survey, with Verizon Wireless taking top honors and Sprint slipping into last place among the four big carriers. That said, overall scores for customer satisfaction fell somewhat short of the stratosphere.

The results come courtesy of the American Customer Satisfaction Index, which rates various industries and companies on a scale of 1 to 100 based on national phone surveys.

The scores? Overall wireless service garnered a 68, the highest score in the four years that the index has been tracking wireless satisfaction—not bad, but not exactly what I'd call an A+.

Verizon Wireless scored a 72 in the survey, giving it top marks among the four big wireless carriers. AT&T and T-Mobile both tied at 71, with AT&T gaining the most ground thanks to its four-percent spike since 2007 (thanks, in part, to the iPhone, according to ACSI researchers).

Meanwhile, Sprint's ACSI rating fell to just 56, an 8 percent drop from last year. What happened? Well, the struggling carrier's decision to slash 5,000 jobs last year—with another 4,000 to come—could have something to do with it, ACSI researchers said.

Just for comparison's sake, the spiraling airline industry got an ACSI score of 62 (tumbling almost 14 percent from 1994), the U.S. Postal Service got a 74 (up from a score of 61 in 1994), FedEx scored an 85, and both McDonald's and Microsoft made do with a middling 69.

How's your carrier been treating you lately? Care to grade 'em on your own scale of 1 to 100? Fire away!

Related:
ACSI news 2008

 

Comments on Verizon tops in wireless survey, Sprint falls behind

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  • 66 Posted by lynjy20 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:01PM EDT Report Abuse

    Sprint has the nicest customer service.mistakes are also coming from us because we don't keep on track on our usage and on our bill.after which after a year or more than a year.we called in yelling,shouting and complaining to those customer specialists who are willing to assist us but here we are insulting and saying all those profanities to them.sprint has a good a service.best customer service.there are some flaws though but nothing is perfect,right !..

  • 67 Posted by clx15 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:27PM EDT Report Abuse

    I had and still have nextel.It was great until Sprint got their hands on it.Nextel was not Sprints biggest mistake ,their mistake was not knowing what to do with a good product.If they would smarten up and push and develop the push to talk network they could climb back out of the gutters.

  • 68 Posted by hanoi38 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:16PM EDT Report Abuse

    SPRINT, SPRINT, SPRINT AND SPRINT IS THE WORST PRODUCT AND SERVICES THAT I HAVEN'T HAD EXPERIENCED FROM ANY WIRELESS PROVIDERS. THAT'S ALL I CAN GIVE YOU MY NIGHTMARE EXPERIENCE TO EVERYONE. GOOD LUCK SPRINT.

  • 69 Posted by tjco333 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:12PM EDT Report Abuse

    i work for sprint but have a verizon phone. nuff said!

  • 70 Posted by di28889 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:42PM EDT Report Abuse

    I have had AT&T/Cingular for 2 years and have not had any problems at all with the service. Only thing that I had happen is my SIM card in my HTC 8525 was corrupted but drove to a AT&T Store and It was back up and Running in less then 15 minuets. I would give them an 85. Jclark3362 if you would have asked an intelligent question you may have received the response that you were looking for and/or answered the question they asked you.

  • 71 Posted by bhooley_a on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:06PM EDT Report Abuse

    We have had Sprint for over 5 years. Once I understood more about my phone we have had very little problems with Sprint. In the area we live Verizon doesn't work very well so all this bad talking about Sprint probably depends on where you reside. We have 3 phones with Sprint and alot of extras on our plan and always have been treated fair. We were even late a few times and it was no big deal. We travel some and have only had problems in the moutains but so did our other family and they had Verizon and one had another.I really don't think there is a perfect service for everyone and that is a good thing!!!

  • 72 Posted by jk.allred on Sat May 24, 2008 4:18AM EDT Report Abuse

    I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, t-mobile. Never had a dead area in my remote state, or any metropolis. I have unlimited online usage and way too much phone-time for under $60. Anytime I have EVER had any issue I call into customer service and within 60 seconds a 'real human being,' answers the phone, and, "yes," they understand English, fluently. They always call back with a customer service call to see how the tech helped out, etc... If I weren%

  • 73 Posted by thkid18 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:07PM EDT Report Abuse

    I have been with sprint for a little over 2 years now and i have never had a problem with my service or bills. I have also never had an issues with any of my phones. I have had sprint even call me and just add more mins to my plan at no charge for no reason. People that complain about coverage guess what no company is perfect. I know that I live in south florida and i have never had any coverage issues any where in south florida. Even going through the everglades on my way to tampa I never lost signal and was able to watch live tv the whole trip. I also goto orlando, boston, and new york and never had any problems. Cant say anything about any other carrier because i have only been with sprint.

  • 74 Posted by ifritejr on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:22PM EDT Report Abuse

    whoever say GSM is the future is dumbest person I have ever heard, I work in cell phone industry, do you even know what CDMA stands for, it's Code Digital Mutli Access, also we have EVDO for data, why do you think that's no GSM in Korea and Japan, cause GSM is pure garbage, why don't you use your edge network and try to read all the post, 3GSM even more garbage, can't even switch from 1x to 3G correctly, also, have heard of 4G and clearwire, that will put your 3GSM in shame, Sprint and Verizon are actually almost the same in coverage wise, Verizon just know how to brainwash everyone

  • 75 Posted by gtatransam on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:14PM EDT Report Abuse

    T Mobile ? T for TERRIBLE ! I gave them the boot... (They deserved the whole leg).

  • 76 Posted by davelevek on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:37PM EDT Report Abuse

    I've been w/T-mobile for 5 yrs and very happy.Customer service means alot to me,and theirs is top-notch,plus their coverage is getting much better.

  • 77 Posted by mfpsr005 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:17PM EDT Report Abuse

    My Sprint has weak coverage areas, far too many ones. Also, their Nextel users are rude in hospitals, restaurants, etc. Nextels should be for outside use only.

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

    Well, I would think part of sprints problem is that they also are killing off nextel, now, give me a bit od credit here, but nextel's where the phone company to have back when sprint bought them, Sadly enough that service I here has fallowed the spring network, right now the toilet. I am with verizon, and We was going to look at other palns soon, but after reading this, I think I will just stick with what works. After all, our plans work, so does our phones. We caneven add accounts with free-up (pre-pay) Verizon is decent, much better then the company I just bashed, then again, I am not a crappy comapny killing good products, and laying off good people, giving crappy support. lol, makes you wonder.

  • 79 Posted by gtatransam on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:14PM EDT Report Abuse

    ATT customer service has come a long way. Their C/S for U-verse has been the best. Mom has a lot of problems with her ATT wireless, but I think it is mostly from her Lemon Razr phone.

  • 80 Posted by tskilove on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:23PM EDT Report Abuse

    My Sprint service works GREAT here in Los Angeles. Very few dropped calls. And free nighttime minutes starting at 7pm and the ability to add extra minutes now and then are two very cool deals. We had Verizon - good service, but too expensive and inflexible on their plans. Maybe Sprint has probs in other areas but we love it here in L.A. I call my college buddy in Wisconsin (also on Sprint) all the time for free!!

  • 81 Posted by tess8apples on Sat May 24, 2008 4:25AM EDT Report Abuse

    I use to use verizon until about 4 years ago until they changed my plan on me after so many years using them. I went to T mobil and have been happy with them.

  • 82 Posted by bexgardenia on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:06PM EDT Report Abuse

    At least there is one highly rated cell phone company. I have had it with T-Mobile,they have charged me for soemthing I never wanted not used and would not budge to give a satisfactory answer or credit due me. I give T- Mobile a negative vote big time!!!!!! ,they are a lousy place for fairness and honesty as far as I have been dealt with by them. Thanks for aq place for me to give my voice about them.DLB

  • 83 Posted by glenn6159@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    Verizon screwed me. I work in Malibu, CA where there is no reception. Verizon refuses to refund any of the $185 a month I spend and I still have a year on my contract with phones that are useless.

  • 84 Posted by brodowicz0362 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:13PM EDT Report Abuse

    im with charlotte, when it was Cingular they used to drop my calls LITERLLY every 10-15 minutes. but since they changed to AT&T ive only dealt with 3 dropped callss. says a lot considering how much time i spend calling every day. but ya gotta love the wide range of phones AT&T provide. Also since they switched to AT&T, the customer service is much better. i give AT&T a 86/100

  • 85 Posted by iwantthatone4me on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:26PM EDT Report Abuse

    I have been with Nextel (now Sprint/Nextel) for over 8 years mainly because of the unlimited walkie-talkie. Never had a dropped call. International calls have great reception. Customer service is always willing to get me the best plan. I have no complaints.

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