Verizon tops 'best quality' report from J.D. Power and Associates

Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

Twice a year, J.D. Power and Associates tests wireless network performance in six regions across the U.S. Once again, Verizon tops the charts.

Released today, J.D. Power's study found that Verizon's network exhibited the fewest dropped calls, audio issues, texting and voice mail failures, connection errors, and slow downloads compared with other major carriers. Big Red bested the competition for the 16th consecutive time in the Northwest region, but also experienced the best network performance in four of the five remaining regions.

Verizon once again tops J.D. Power and Associates' network quality findings for the Northeast region.

/ J.D. Power and Associates

For the 14th consecutive report, U.S. Cellular remained sovereign over the North Central region.

J.D. Power and Associates is one of several companies that tests cellular network performance across the U.S. You can see exactly how another body, RootMetrics, conducts its tests here.

Read findings from "J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance StudySM -- Volume 2."