Global Wireless Solutions (GWS) has launched a new benchmark testing app in the UK. Currently available for Android devices only, the app is targeted at mobile operators, device manufacturers, regulators and network engineers who need reliable, repeatable measurements of wireless performance.
The app is positioned as one of the most comprehensive tools in its category, built to systematically capture real-time network performance across multiple dimensions. It measures cellular and Wi‑Fi performance and tracks key metrics such as throughput, call stability, latency (including packet loss and jitter) and session drops. The goal is to provide objective, field-level insight into how networks perform under real conditions.
Designed with flexibility in mind, the app supports both single-test and multi-test scenarios and includes project management features so teams can configure and run structured test campaigns. This makes it suitable for short diagnostics, extended field surveys and repeatable benchmarking programs across regions and device types.
“Our benchmarking app is designed to provide accurate testing of mobile network performance,” said Paul Carter, GWS CEO and president. “With major networks currently making significant improvements to their infrastructures, we’re constantly seeing the evolution of mobile at work. It’s time for network benchmarking to follow suit, and to keep pace.”
The company notes that certain advanced testing capabilities are limited by platform restrictions. At launch the Android version offers the full feature set; GWS says an iOS edition is under consideration and may be introduced later in the year, pending changes to Apple’s platform policies and APIs that would enable equivalent functionality.
GWS enters a market already served by other benchmarking services. RootMetrics, for example, recently published crowdsourced results showing EE leading across call performance, text reliability, network speed, coverage and mobile internet in their survey. RootMetrics’ CoverageMap is a notable feature that allows Android and iOS users to download the app, run tests and contribute results to a public coverage database.
Unlike crowdsource-only models, GWS emphasizes structured testing and project-based workflows to support operators and regulators that require validated, repeatable datasets. This approach is useful when comparing infrastructure upgrades, validating rollout outcomes, or troubleshooting performance issues across specific sites and routes.
Key use cases for the GWS app include:
- Operator benchmarking to compare performance across carriers and geographic areas.
- Device manufacturer testing to measure how handsets behave on live networks.
- Regulatory verification to confirm operators meet coverage and quality obligations.
- Field engineering and acceptance testing during network deployments and upgrades.
By focusing on real-time measurement and a comprehensive set of metrics, the app aims to help stakeholders make data-driven decisions about network performance and investments. Its project-oriented design supports repeatable methodologies and traceable results, reducing variability common with ad hoc crowdtesting.
GWS stresses accuracy and repeatability rather than relying solely on aggregated crowd data. That said, both approaches—crowdsourced maps and structured benchmarking—can be complementary: crowdsourced data provides broad, continuous coverage while controlled benchmarks deliver defensible, high-fidelity measurements for specific test plans.
The Android-only launch reflects current platform capabilities; GWS intends to expand availability as ecosystems evolve. For now, organizations seeking a robust, project-driven benchmarking tool on Android will find the app tailored to professional testing workflows.
Picture credit: Global Wireless Solutions
What’s your view on benchmark testing? Do you prefer crowdsourced coverage maps or structured, project-based benchmarking for measuring network performance?