RootMetrics

RootMetrics
Name	RootMetrics
Type	Private
Industry	Telecommunications
Founded	2010
Founders	Sam Colley
Headquarters	United States
Products	Mobile network testing, benchmarking, analytics
Parent	IHS Markit (2018–2021), Independent (post-2021)

RootMetrics RootMetrics is a mobile network performance measurement company that produced consumer-facing reports, datasets, and analytics on wireless carriers in the United States and internationally. It conducted drive tests, crowdsourced measurements, and lab analyses to evaluate mobile network reliability, speed, call quality, and data performance across markets and carriers. Its work intersected with telecommunications firms, regulators, standards bodies, consumer advocates, and academic researchers.

Overview

RootMetrics performed empirical assessments of wireless service providers including AT&T, Verizon Communications, T-Mobile US, and regional operators, offering market reports such as national, state, and metro rankings. Its published metrics were cited by media outlets like The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg L.P., The New York Times, Forbes, and The Verge and used by investors at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and J.P. Morgan Chase. Analysts from Gartner and IDC referenced its datasets alongside regulator data from the Federal Communications Commission and international agencies such as Ofcom and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

History

Founded in 2010 by Sam Colley with early funding and staff drawn from the wireless testing community, the company expanded during a period of rapid 4G LTE deployment by operators including Sprint Corporation and legacy firms. It partnered with measurement vendors and platforms like Ookla rivals and academic projects at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and University of California, Berkeley. RootMetrics was acquired by IHS Markit in 2018, integrated into analytics suites used by customers including BT Group, Deutsche Telekom, and Vodafone Group. After corporate reorganizations following the merger of IHS Markit with S&P Global, RootMetrics’ assets and teams saw changes in 2020–2021, with subsequent independence efforts involving executives formerly of Nielsen Holdings and Comscore.

Methodology and Testing Procedures

RootMetrics combined active testing (drive tests) and passive, crowdsourced measurements using instrumented devices from manufacturers such as Apple Inc., Samsung Electronics, Google (company), and modems from Qualcomm. Test routes were designed with reference geographies like New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Washington, D.C.; methodologies mirrored practices discussed at standards venues including the 3GPP and meetings of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Testing protocols included throughput tests, latency measurements, call setup success rates, and handover tracking; data collection tools integrated GPS mapping from Garmin and mapping layers comparable to OpenStreetMap and Esri. Quality assurance and auditing referenced statistical practices from American Statistical Association and reporting expectations by regulators such as the European Commission telecom unit.

Coverage and Performance Metrics

RootMetrics reported metrics including Network Reliability, Network Reach, Network Speed, Data Performance, and Call Performance across coverage geographies like states, metros, rural counties, and international markets including United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Australia, and Japan. It published "RootScore" results aggregating component scores into composite evaluations used by carriers including Sprint Corporation during marketing campaigns, and by businesses like Comcast exploring wireless partnerships. The datasets facilitated benchmarking against public sources such as the Federal Communications Commission Measuring Broadband America reports and private datasets from firms like Opensignal.

Findings and Impact

RootMetrics’ public reports influenced carrier network investment decisions at firms like AT&T, Verizon Communications, and T-Mobile US, and shaped debate in legislative contexts before committees such as the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Its state and metro rankings were cited in local press in jurisdictions including California, Texas, Florida, and New York (state), affecting consumer perceptions and competitive advertising. Academic studies in journals from publishers like IEEE and Springer Nature used RootMetrics data to analyze urban wireless performance, spectrum policy impacts involving auctions by Federal Communications Commission, and the effects of infrastructure sharing models employed by companies including Cellnex Telecom.

Criticisms and Limitations

Critics from industry analysts at Analysys Mason and consumer groups such as Public Knowledge questioned sampling biases inherent in drive-test and crowdsourced methods, and compared RootMetrics outcomes with other measurement platforms like Ookla Speedtest and OpenSignal. Methodological debates engaged researchers from institutions including University of Michigan and Carnegie Mellon University over device diversity, geographic sampling density, and daytime versus nighttime testing windows. Regulators and policymakers including officials from the Federal Communications Commission and Ofcom highlighted limitations when extrapolating measured performance to rural broadband policy or universal service program design.

Corporate Structure and Ownership

Initially privately held, the company’s ownership evolved through acquisition by IHS Markit in 2018, corporate alignment with S&P Global entities after later mergers, and subsequent organizational changes involving executives with backgrounds at Nielsen Holdings, Comscore, and telecommunications consultancies like Deloitte and Accenture. Commercial clients included carriers (Verizon Communications, AT&T), network equipment vendors such as Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei, and enterprise customers including Microsoft and Amazon Web Services. Industry partnerships and data licensing agreements placed RootMetrics among peers like Ookla, OpenSignal, and Trevor-related measurement initiatives used by regulators and private-sector stakeholders.

Category:Telecommunications