Loud!
Verizon's vaunted network is handling the onslaught of new iPhones very well, according to a report published by web application performance firm Compuware Gomez. The report states that Verizon's mobile data performance seems untouched by the addition of hundreds of thousands of data-hungry iPhones to the network. There was virtually no change -- about four-tenths of one percent slower -- in the performance of the Verizon network in terms of browsing and page load times.
The firm made measurements of data performance on the Verizon network on the first four official days of iPhone availability -- February 10 - 13. Based on estimates from Wall Street analysts, upwards of 500,000 Verizon iPhones may have been purchased during pre-sales, with another 70,000 - 100,000 users switching from AT&T to Verizon. Compuware Gomez believes that between 500,000 and 700,000 new iPhone users are now using the Verizon network.
While that could be construed as causing additional demand for bandwidth on the Verizon network, many of the 500,000 Verizon iPhone pre-sales may have been to existing customers, therefore offsetting any expected increase in data usage. Compuware Gomez performs their tests by capturing data from a few thousand actual users spread across the U.S., so the numbers essentially mirror what real customers will see in the field.
Sure, this study was done only four days into the life of the iPhone on a new U.S. carrier's network, but it's good to see that the huge number of iPhones did not immediately cause the VZW network to take a dirt nap. It will be fascinating to see if that trend stays steady as adoption of the iPhone by Verizon customers continues.
