All phones are not created equal

Test reveals no handset can perform across all environments

by Barnaby Mollett

It's not operators' fault when text messages fail, it's the handsets

A leading European test lab has found that voice call performance varies greatly between smart phone handsets.

Mobile operators are being wrongly blamed for the failures of text messaging. New tests reveal that handsets could be casing problems.

Broadband-Testing investigated whether it's your network that cuts off your communications, or your handset, finding suspicions over lost texts may be misplaced. The tests replicated different conditions users will encounter daily, such as moving in a vehicle, to find no handset delivered optimal performance in all environments, with many struggling to perform at all. The test also found benefit in updating firmware; an upgraded version 2.2 Apple iPhone 3G outperformed the base 2.0 model.

Dean Bubley, mobile analyst, sees it crucial to develop a system that allows "end users to discriminate between phones" with a "broad set of justifications." With smart phone sales increasing despite the recession, Broadband-Testing believes such tests for call reliability, and also data and video performance, will be vital in preventing mobile users getting tied into long-term contracts with a badly performing handset.