Epitiro Publishes UK Mobile Broadband Research
Study Reveals UK Gets 24% of Advertised Speeds
Cardiff, UK – Research by Epitiro, the broadband communications authority, reveals that speeds delivered to UK mobile broadband users are significantly less than those advertised, in a ground-breaking report thought to be the first of its kind.
The report ‘UK Mobile Broadband Performance Analysis – Initial Findings 2009’ is based on nationwide research from an ongoing project that monitors the performance of leading mobile operators in terms of actual customer experience. Epitiro’s broadband monitoring software was downloaded at random by over 1,300 UK mobile broadband users and reported over 1.4 million test results from December 2008 until May 2009.
The research covered popular broadband activities such as web surfing, downloading music and movies, VoIP telephone calling, internet gaming and watching streaming video. Leading mobile broadband operators 3, O2, Orange, T-Mobile, Virgin Media and Vodafone were measured and Epitiro’s analysis revealed the following;
- UK mobile broadband users receive on average 24% of advertised download speeds
- The average download speed achieved with mobile broadband is just under 1 Mbps
- The average mobile broadband ping time (150 msec) exceeds the recommended ceiling (100 msec) for acceptable web-based game playing. Ping times are 3 times slower than equivalent fixed line broadband services which are less than 50 msec, on average.
- Web browsing is 34% slower than speeds achieved on equivalent ADSL broadband services
- Trends in mobile broadband indicate TCP download speeds improving at a rate of 11% over the test period
- Average mobile broadband speeds double to 1.8 Mbps at 3.a.m on weekdays indicating that contention at the cell may be a limiting factor
- From the 750,000 TCP download speeds recorded throughout the 5 month period, several tests managed to exceed 3 Mbps indicating that higher speeds are possible
“This exhaustive study confirms the general consensus that mobile broadband services are functional and, while currently slower in practice than their fixed line competition, continually improving.” said Gavin Johns, CEO, Epitiro. “That we recorded a few measurements at relatively higher speeds is confirmation that mobile broadband technology is capable of much more.”
Due to the wide range in test results measured amongst the 1,300 users in the study and the general variance in performance amongst all ISPs, Epitiro recommends that consumers fully monitor the actual broadband service they receive. Epitiro offers a freely downloadable application from www.isposure.com to help subscribers of both mobile and fixed line broadband monitor their actual service levels. The software is also available as part of the TBB meter application from www.thinkbroadband.com.
“Given the growing interest in mobile broadband and its potential to address ‘not spots’ there will be increasing demand on operators to provide solutions that meet consumer expectations and further improve performance.” continued Johns. “Epitiro will continue to monitor mobile broadband performance and track service levels during this exciting period of development.”
Register for the full report here >>
About Epitiro
Epitiro is the global leader in comparative broadband benchmarking providing customer experience insight to ISPs, cellular and fixed line operators, media providers, multi-national corporations and government regulators.
Clients such as Vodafone, Orange, Telefonica O2, Mobily, Virgin Media, Telecom New Zealand, BT, IP.access, Ofcom, IDA Singapore, Tiscali, CTM China, KPN and many others benefit from Epitiro’s coverage of fixed and wireless broadband performance.
Founded in 2000, Epitiro is based in Cardiff, Wales, UK.
Editors
PR contact
Iain Wood
iwood@epitiro.com
02920 488 226
