The new P3 Mobile Benchmark UK shows a clear ranking of UK network operators, giving EE (the merged Orange UK and T-Mobile UK) as the winner, thanks to the best national data performance and a good voice service. Three ranked second overall with the best voice performance in the test, while O2 and Vodafone followed almost head-to-head, with a slightly better score for O2.
Aachen, Germany and London, UK — The P3 Mobile Benchmark UK is the first in an annual series of reports and concludes a series of similar tests across several countries. The new benchmark has revealed some high performing services and some well served areas at all four operators, but it also shows plenty of potential for improvement in each UK network.
Launched by the international consulting, engineering and testing services company P3 communications, the benchmark claims to be unprecedented in its scope and detail. The results are based on several weeks of intensive testing. Two specially equipped measurement cars took tens of thousands of test samples while travelling up and down the United Kingdom, covering major metropolitan areas, smaller cities and connecting routes to provide representative data. The selected areas for the tests accounted for roughly 13 million people or 20% of the UK population.
The test cases were designed to push the limits of the most advanced mobile network technology currently in service, and were reportedly based on proven P3 measurement methodologies. Test metrics include voice call quality, success rates, file upload and download speeds, website access, SD and HD mobile video performance and more.
P3 communications cars equipped for drive testing cross London’s Tower Bridge
As the results show, the UK networks provide much better services in larger metropolitan areas than in smaller cities and on connecting routes. When compared with other leading operators in Europe and worldwide, all UK networks have significant potential to improve their service quality and performance.
Peter Seidenberg, managing director of P3 communications, said: “Comparing the UK results with other P3 mobile benchmarks in Europe and Australia makes it clear that much better performances are achievable. But the good news for all UK mobile customers is that the newest technology potentially provides for much more capability than is currently implemented. We expect to see significant improvements by the time the next testing cycle begins.”
The mobile industry in the UK moves very quickly and is trialling and deploying some of the newest LTE technologies, such as VoLTE and LTE-Advanced. Right now, each of the operators has a number of major initiatives under development to boost their networks in different ways.
EE achieved the “best in test” seal thanks to a dominant data performance combined with a reliable and well-managed voice network. But there is potential for improvement in web browsing and data performance outside urban areas. Extra attention to voice services could give EE a valuable score boost for next year when defending its number one position.
Three finished in second place, with the best voice performance in the test. Had it not trailed the field in data, it could have put more pressure on EE. Once its data challenges are solved, we can expect much more from Three, said P3.
O2 delivered well in data with the second best result, but has a lot of ground to make up for voice. However, it was not far behind EE on data, and, with some improvements to success rates and throughput, the data story next year could be different. Higher voice success rates and better speech quality could further strengthen O2’s position.
Vodafone ended up in third place for both voice and data. But O2 pulled ahead in the total scoring via a slight advantage in data performance; it is a small gap to close for Vodafone to draw level with O2, and a little more ground to cover to threaten Three. With good data results and increased voice stability, P3 expects Vodafone to catch up in next year’s Mobile Benchmark UK.
P3 has been running similar annual public benchmarks in Germany since 2002 and in Austria and Switzerland since 2009. This year, it also launched an Australian benchmark and next year additional countries in Europe and the Americas are scheduled. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the benchmark is said to be widely accepted as an objective and thorough test of network performance, drawing on hundreds of thousands of voice and data measurements. P3 communications has almost two decades of experience in network testing of this type. In 2013 alone, P3 compiled about 40,000 measurement hours in 42 countries across five continents, with its test vehicles covering more than 500,000 miles.
P3 communications is an international consulting, engineering and testing services company. Part of the P3 Group, it has over 2,500 employees worldwide and posted a turnover of more than €270 million in 2013. The company provides a broad portfolio of independent technical and management consulting services including network planning, engineering, end-to-end optimisation, security, QoS and QoE testing, international benchmarking, device testing and acceptance services.
EE is ‘best in test’ in the new P3 Mobile Benchmark UK
