European Carrier Mobile Broadband Network Performance

ARCchart, March 2011, Pages: 115

Analysing and comparing the data speed, latency, network quality and smartphone penetration for 94 mobile carriers in 28 European countries

Carriers are using mobile broadband as their weapon of choice in the fight against the commoditization of voice and falling ARPU. It is therefore imperative that carriers have networks which can consistently and reliably deliver good data performance to their customers.

This study is based on the data speed and latency measurements collected for 94 wireless carriers operating within 28 European countries using a smartphone app. This approach has facilitated the collection of millions of individual test readings from tens of thousands of users who have conducted tests for virtually every mobile carrier in virtually every country in the world. Using these readings, ARCchart has been able to estimate averages for download speed, upload speed, latency and overall network quality, along with a measure of smartphone penetration.

This report shows there is wide variation in the network performance between carriers and there is a genuine risk that carriers which develop a reputation for inferior performance will suffer high churn and an overall loss of subscribers.

Topics of coverage include:
- Research methodology
- The importance of mobile broadband to carriers
- Theoretical versus real-world data speeds
- Analysis and comparison of the performance of country data networks
- Analysis and comparison of the performance of carriers' data networks
- Carrier data throughput profiles
- The factors influencing a carrier's 3G data speed
- Measuring the ‘quality' of a network
- The problem of unreliable networks
- iPhone and Android carrier market share
- Country smartphone penetration

Answers and opinions are provided with respect to the following essential questions:
- What are the applications and services driving demand for mobile broadband?
- Which carriers are big supporters of Android devices?
- Why should carriers be concerned about their network's data performance?
- What is the average data speeds observed in each European country?
- Which country has the best performing networks?
- How does HSPA+ impact data throughput?
- What is the average download, upload and latency supported by each carriers' networks?
- Which are the carriers with Europe's best performing broadband network?
- Which smartphone shows better performance – the iPhone or Android?
- Is there a correlation between network maturity and achievable download data speed?
- Which carriers are still reliant on GPRS and EDGE infrastructure?

* Enterprisewide price includes Excel file *

A METHODOLOGY
A 1 Data Source – the App
Motivation for Using the App
Location
Data Collection Period and Sample Size
A 2 Limitations of the App
Technology Profiling
The Limitation
The Solution
Carrier Identification
The Limitation
Solution
Network Reliability
The Limitation
Handset Performance Variation
The Limitation
The Solution
Handsets versus Dongles and Connected Devices
A 3 The Results
A 4 Availability of the Raw Data
B INTRODUCTION
B 1 Real World Network Limitations
Factors Affecting Network Performance
Cell density
Distance
Loading
Backhaul
Environment
Spectrum
Latency
Real World Handset Limitations
B 2 Report Overview
The Average Performance
Cellular Standards and Protocols Deployed
Using Test Readings to Determine Technology
Technology Observations
Determining ‘Mobile Broadband Quality'
Measuring Network Quality from the Test Data
Determining Network Reliability
C COUNTRY ANALYSIS
C 1 Download Performance
C 2 Mobile Broadband Network Quality
C 3 Smartphone Popularity
iPhone Popularity
Android Popularity
Overall Smartphone Popularity
D CARRIER ANALYSIS
D 1 Overall Performance Carrier Ranking
Charts and Diagrams Explained
Data Speed Chart
Summary Table
Download Distribution Profile
Device Market Share
D 2 Austria
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 1 Belgium
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 1 Bulgaria
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 1 Czech Republic
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 1 Denmark
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 1 Finland
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 2 France
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 1 Germany
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 1 Greece
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 1 Hungary
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 1 Ireland
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 2 Italy
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 1 Netherlands
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 1 Norway
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 1 Poland
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 2 Portugal
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 1 Romania
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 2 Slovakia
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 1 Spain
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 2 Sweden
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 3 Switzerland
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
D 1 UK
Country View
Carrier Analysis
Device Analysis
E DISCUSSION & FINDINGS
E 1 Status of HSDPA and HSPA+
Correlation between HSPA+ and Data Throughput
E 2 Legacy Infrastructure Still Prevalent
E 3 Factors Affecting Performance
Size Matters
Population Size
E 4 Android Challenging iPhone
E 5 Smartphone Penetration
E 6 iPhone Exclusives Retain Advantage
E 7 Android Handsets Outperform iPhone

List of Tables
Table 1 - List of countries and cities covered in this research
Table 2 - HSDPA and HSUPA support by the four iPhone models
Table 3 - HSDPA user equipment categories
Table 4 - Country download average league table
Table 5: Country mobile broadband network quality ratings
Table 6 - Summary of network performance for Austrian carriers
Table 7 - Summary of network performance for Austria Belgian
Table 8 - Summary of network performance for Bulgarian carriers
Table 9 - Summary of network performance for Czech carriers
Table 10 - Summary of network performance for Danish carriers
Table 11 - Summary of network performance for Finnish carriers
Table 12 - Summary of network performance for French carriers
Table 13 - Summary of network performance for German carriers
Table 14 - Summary of network performance for Greek carriers
Table 15 - Summary of network performance for Hungarian carriers
Table 16 - Summary of network performance for Irish carriers
Table 17 - Summary of network performance for Italian carriers
Table 18 - Summary of network performance for Dutch carriers
Table 19 - Summary of network performance for Norwegian carriers
Table 20 - Summary of network performance for Polish carriers
Table 21 - Summary of network performance for Portuguese carriers
Table 22 - Summary of network performance for Romanian carriers
Table 23 - Summary of network performance for Slovak carriers
Table 24 - Summary of network performance for Spanish carriers
Table 25 - Summary of network performance for Swedish carriers
Table 26 - Summary of network performance for Swiss carriers
Table 27 - Summary of network performance for British carriers

List of Figures
Figure 1 - Approximate downlink speeds for various cellular air interfaces and protocols
Figure 2 - Download distribution profiles for Finnish carriers
Figure 3 – iPhone and Android popularity by country
Figure 4 – Smartphone popularity by country
Figure 5 - Carrier league table, ranked by overall performance rating
Figure 6 - Download distribution profiles for Finnish carriers
Figure 7 - Average download and upload performance for Austrian carriers
Figure 8 - Download distribution profiles for Austrian carriers
Figure 9 – Austrian carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 10 - Average download and upload performance for Belgian carriers
Figure 11 - Download distribution profiles for Belgian carriers
Figure 12 – Belgian carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 13 - Average download and upload performance for Bulgarian carriers
Figure 14 - Download distribution profiles for Bulgarian carriers
Figure 15 – Bulgarian carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 16 - Average download and upload performance for Czech carriers
Figure 17 - Download distribution profiles for Czech carriers
Figure 18 – Czech carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 19 - Average download and upload performance for Danish carriers
Figure 20 - Download distribution profiles for Danish carriers
Figure 21 – Danish carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 22 - Average download and upload performance for Finnish carriers
Figure 23 - Download distribution profiles for Finnish carriers
Figure 24 – Finnish carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 25 - Average download and upload performance for French carriers
Figure 26 - Download distribution profiles for French carriers
Figure 27 – French carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 28 - Average download and upload performance for German carriers
Figure 29 - Download distribution profiles for German carriers
Figure 30 – German carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 31 - Average download and upload performance for Greek carriers
Figure 32 - Download distribution profiles for Greek carriers
Figure 33 – Greek carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 34 - Average download and upload performance for Hungarian carriers
Figure 35 - Download distribution profiles for Hungarian carriers
Figure 36 – Hungarian carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 37 - Average download and upload performance for Irish carriers
Figure 38 - Download distribution profiles for Irish carriers
Figure 39 – Irish carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 40 - Average download and upload performance for Italian carriers
Figure 41 - Download distribution profiles for Italian carriers
Figure 42 – Italian carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 43 - Average download and upload performance for Dutch carriers
Figure 44 - Download distribution profiles for Dutch carriers
Figure 45 – Dutch carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 46 - Average download and upload performance for Norwegian carriers
Figure 47 - Download distribution profiles for Norwegian carriers
Figure 48 – Norwegian carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 49 - Average download and upload performance for Polish carriers
Figure 50 - Download distribution profiles for Polish carriers
Figure 51 – Polish carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 52 - Average download and upload performance for Portuguese carriers
Figure 53 - Download distribution profiles for Portuguese carriers
Figure 54 – Portuguese carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 55 - Average download and upload performance for Romanian carriers
Figure 56 - Download distribution profiles for Romanian carriers
Figure 57 – Romanian carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 58 - Average download and upload performance for Slovak carriers
Figure 59 - Download distribution profiles for Slovak carriers
Figure 60 – Slovak carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 61 - Average download and upload performance for Spanish carriers
Figure 62 - Download distribution profiles for Spanish carriers
Figure 63 – Spanish carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 64 - Average download and upload performance for Swedish carriers
Figure 65 - Download distribution profiles for Swedish carriers
Figure 66 – Swedish carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 67 - Average download and upload performance for Swiss carriers
Figure 68 - Download distribution profiles for Swiss carriers
Figure 69 – Swiss carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 70 - Average download and upload performance for British carriers
Figure 71 - Download distribution profiles for British carriers
Figure 72 – British carrier market share estimate for iPhone and Android devices
Figure 73 - Carrier Top 20, ranked by download average
Figure 74 - Carrier Bottom 20, ranked by download average

- Avea Turkey
- BASE Belgium
- Belgacom Mobile Belgium
- Bite GSM Latvia
- Bite GSM Lithuania
- Bouygues France
- Cosmote Greece
- Cosmote Romania
- DNA Finland
- Elia Finland
- Elisa Estonia
- EMT Estonia
- E-Plus Germany
- GloBul Bulgaria
- Hutchison Austria
- Hutchison Denmark
- Hutchison Ireland
- Hutchison Italy
- Hutchison Sweden
- Hutchison UK
- KPN Mobile Netherlands
- LMT Latvia
- Meteor Ireland
- MobiFon Romania
- Mobilkom Austria
- Mobistar Belgium
- MobiTel Bulgaria
- NetCom Norway
- Network Norway
- O2 Czech Republic
- O2 Germany
- O2 Ireland
- O2 Slovakia
- O2 UK
- Omnitel Lithuania
- Optimus Portugal
- Orange Austria
- Orange France
- Orange Romania
- Orange Slovakia
- Orange Spain
- Orange Switzerland
- Orange UK
- P4 Poland
- Panafon Greece
- Pannon Hungary
- Polkomtel Poland
- PTC Poland
- PTK-Centertel Poland
- RDS Romania
- SFR France
- Sonofon Denmark
- Sunrise Switzerland
- Swisscom Mobile Switzerland
- TDC Mobile Denmark
- Tele2 Estonia
- Tele2 Latvia
- Tele2 Lithuania
- Tele2 Sweden
- Telecom Italia
- Telefonica Spain
- Telekom Serbia
- Telenor Mobil Norway
- Telenor Mobil Serbia
- Telenor Mobil Sweden
- TeliaSonera Denmark
- TeliaSonera Finland
- TeliaSonera Sweden
- TIM Hellas Greece
- TMN Portugal
- T-Mobile Austria
- T-Mobile Croatia
- T-Mobile Czech Republic
- T-Mobile Germany
- T-Mobile Hungary
- T-Mobile Netherlands
- T-Mobile Slovakia
- T-Mobile UK
- Turkcell Turkey
- VIP Mobile Serbia
- VIPnet Croatia
- Vivacom Bulgaria
- Vodafone Czech Republic
- Vodafone Germany
- Vodafone Hungary
- Vodafone Ireland
- Vodafone Italy
- Vodafone Netherlands
- Vodafone Portugal
- Vodafone Spain
- Vodafone Turkey
- Vodafone UK
- WIND Italy
- Yoigo Spain

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