Imagine if Verizon’s Testman was actually the admiral of a fleet of Chevy Tahoes, all devoted to the point of testing and comparing networks and asking if others can hear them now over one million times per annum. The famous Testman himself is barely an actor, after all, but Verizon’s self-proclaimed “test cars” are something of reality; as a matter of fact, the fleet numbers a groovy hundred nationwide. We had the chance to take a fast peek inside the sort of cars, each of which drive an endless selection of miles to measure the performance of not just Big Red’s network, but its competition besides.
You would not recognize any of those unmarked cars in the event that they drove past you at streetlevel unless you were trained to seem for the outdoors clues: at the roof lies a GPS module in concert with several black nubs, each acting as its own phone antenna. In case you look close enough on the back windows, you’ll be ready to make out the multitudes of USB data sticks taped to them. All of those elements are crucial for Verizon so that it will collect real-time data on how its network stacks up against the likes of AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint, let alone regional carriers similar to Cricket and MetroPCS. Thus, each test car is supplied with phones that work on almost every network and take a look at each out thousands of times a year. The company’s goal? Making sure that it maintains a normal of excellence in its network performance for both its voice and information quality. So how does this all happen? Read on past the break to determine what’s contained in the car.
First, let’s list off some essential statistics. Together, this nationwide fleet of 100 vehicles travel over 1,000,000 miles per year. Vehicles in Southern California, specifically, drive 7400 miles and make 29,000 voice calls and 142,000 data calls per quarter — that translates into 3.5 million voice call attempts and greater than 19 million data tests around the country. No phone is left unturned, either — each car uses a good selection of handsets and knowledge devices (using everything from 2G to 4G, including LTE) to accomplish these tests, each using a dedicated antenna at the top of the roof or at the window. After we asked how Verizon gets its competitors’ devices, we learned that every one is purchased at full retail cost with an obligatory data plan. Naturally, the quantity of information each smartphone and internet stick use is quite hefty; considering several carriers use tiered plans, we will only imagine the type of bills that occur in Dan Mead’s mailbox.
There tend to be anywhere between eight and twelve devices making calls simultaneously, each set to last for a particular duration of time. Verizon measures both inbound and outbound calls, with each piece of correspondence together with automated voices yapping from side to side at one another (sadly, “are you able to hear me now?” wasn’t used in any respect). Every time, location is tracked, data speeds from every network and radio band imaginable are measured, and dropped calls are closely monitored using a sequence of laptops both inside the car and at the other end of the road (a distinct landline also operated by Big Red that collects information). This knowledge, once collected, gives the carrier a transparent idea of which areas in their coverage need one of the most help, and where it would be focusing its investment and growth.
We were only capable of take a limited variety of pictures of the operating equipment, as most of it’s miles completely proprietary. We managed, however, to snap a couple of nice images — present in the above gallery — nonetheless that showcase the array of things these test men (and ladies) use each day to maintain a detailed eye on their network. 1000000 miles per year guzzles a heckuva lot of gas, but there’s a minimum of 90 million people on the market that reap the advantages .
Zachary Lutz and Myriam Joire contributed to this hands-on.
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