With most cell phone contracts lasting two years, many consumers do a good deal of research to figure out which carrier delivers the best quality for the lowest price.

Some consumers are looking  to Bellvue, Wash.-based company RootMetrics to answer that question. Founded by CEO Bill Moore, Rootmetrics measures and monitors mobile phone service according to speed and connection quality right down to the square block.

RootMetrics says it uses only store-bought, unmodified phones for its tests. The company measures phone performance indoors, outside and while driving to test how devices function for their main uses.

"We put software on it that helps automate tests. And the tests we run are calls, a download data test and texting," explained Moore.

Employees travel around that nation recording the data and transferring it to free maps that users can access. However, that general information may specifically apply to how you use your phone.

"For some people, all they want that phone for is calling," said Moore. "Other people care about data service and -- if I'm a teenager -- all I probably care about is texting."

To make it much more useful, there's a free RootMetrics app for Apple and Android devices. The app allows consumers to immediately check signal strength and speed right where they are. They can compare other carriers coverage and even report dead spots. The more people use it, the more data is available to make the app more accurate.

"What the crowd and consumer provides here is a much more real-time level of information in many more places and all the time," said Moore.

That's because many factors affect call and data quality. Those factors include the number of cell towers the carrier has, the type of wireless frequencies they use, the topography of the land and the weather at any given time.

Even in the season can have an impact. For example, in the fall and winter, phone signals have fewer leaves to penetrate and the whole system actually works better.

But even the telephone you have can make a big difference.

"We're seeing a difference of 10 percent and 20 percent in terms of performance," said Moore in regard to devices.

RootMetrics says it retests each area every six months to keep up with ever changing scenarios. Consumers can contribute every day, which keeps their maps right up to date.

To learn more about RootMetrics and the company's app, visit their website.