HILLIARD, Ohio, Sept. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless today announced it has been ranked highest among wireless carriers in the North Central Region, which includes Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin, according to results issued today in J.D. Power's 2014 Wireless Network Quality Study^(SM), Volume 2. The results, which are based on customer responses to a survey about their experiences with wireless voice, text messaging and data usage, demonstrates Verizon's network leadership among its competitors.   

The J.D. Power study measured network quality among U.S. wireless service providers. More than 26,000 wireless subscribers were surveyed by J.D. Power between January and June 2014 about their experiences with calls dropped or disconnected, calls not connected on the first try, calls with audio problems, failed/late voicemail notifications, voicemail with failed calls, text message transmission failures, late/failed received text messages, Web connection errors/failures to load, slow mobile Web, and email connection errors. Verizon Wireless ranked highest not only in the North Central Region, but also in four other regions – the Northeast, Southeast, Southwest and West.

"Verizon has consistently been recognized for offering a great wireless experience by customers who rely on our 4G LTE network to stay connected in both their personal and professional lives," said Mark Frazier, Ohio/Pennsylvania West Virginia Region President for Verizon Wireless. "We are committed to maintaining our lead position by surpassing our customers' expectations and always looking ahead to the next innovation. Deployments like our XLTE network give us a clear competitive advantage by allowing us to stay well ahead of increasing demand."

Verizon Wireless has the nation's largest 4G LTE network.  First launched in December 2010, Verizon's 4G LTE network is available in more than 500 markets to 98 percent of the population and covers nearly 308 million people in the U.S., including those in areas served by the company's LTE in Rural America partners.

As part of the company's ongoing commitment to enhance network reliability and superiority, this year Verizon also introduced its XLTE network, which utilizes the company's AWS (Advanced Wireless Services) spectrum to deliver significantly increased capacity to offer consumers a consistent experience even during peak usage times. At a minimum, XLTE doubles capacity over Verizon's high-speed 4G LTE network, enabling more customers to access the network at the same time to send photos, download or stream music or videos, and access the Internet and social media via their smartphones, tablets and other devices. The extra bandwidth delivered by XLTE is available in more than 350 markets across the country, including Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland-Akron, Columbus, Dayton, Findlay, Lima, Mansfield, Marion, Portsmouth and Toledo in Ohio.

Verizon consistently earns top rankings from independent consumer reporting and testing institutions for network quality and performance. RootMetrics®, an independent, third-party mobile analytics firm that tests the four national wireless network providers, this month also announced Verizon is the #1 performing overall network in the United States.* The analytics company's Midyear Mobile Network Performance Report, published in August, which summarized the national report stated, "Sweeping overall performance, network reliability, and network speed, Verizon was the top carrier in the categories that point toward the entirety of your mobile experience." The RootMetrics Ohio State report also named Verizon as top overall network in the state.

(*Rankings based on RootMetrics® State and National RootScore® Reports covering January-July 2014 for network performance test results of 4 mobile networks as an average across all available network types. The RootMetrics® awards are not an endorsement of Verizon. Your results may vary. Visit www.rootmetrics.com details. RootMetrics Midyear Mobile Network Performance Report, August 2014. http://www.rootmetrics.com/us/special-report-2014-1h-us.)

 To learn more about Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network, visit our VZW News Center. To schedule an interview with a network expert or cell site tour, contact Erica Sevilla at 847-727-9727.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's largest and most reliable 4G LTE network.  As the largest wireless company in the U.S., Verizon Wireless serves 104.6 million retail customers, including 98.6 million retail postpaid customers.  Verizon Wireless is wholly owned by Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ).  For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com.  For the latest news and updates about Verizon Wireless, visit our News Center at http://www.verizonwireless.com/news or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/VZWNews. 

SOURCE Verizon Wireless