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Mobile broadband speed test results revealed by Ofcom
Friday 27th May 2011, by Daniel King
Telecoms regulator Ofcom has published research into the performance of mobile broadband networks across the UK, revealing some of the winners and losers as well as which companies are providing the best service.
Nationally, around 17 per cent of households make use of mobile broadband to access online services, and for seven per cent it is their only means of internet access.
The average download speed experienced by consumers was found to be 1.5Mbit/s, compared with the average fixed broadband speed of 6.2Mbit/s, although some areas enjoyed average mobile broadband speeds of up to 2.1Mbit/s.
Additionally, the broadband speed test revealed that some providers outshine others by a considerable degree, with O2 delivering web pages faster than Vodafone, 3, T-Mobile and Orange, as well as having more responsive connections.
On a regional basis, urban areas unsurprisingly fared better than rural parts of the UK due to wider availability of 3G services, although performance was still highly variable even within urban areas.
"This research gives consumers a clearer picture of the performance of mobile broadband dongle and datacards as consumers use these services to complement fixed-line services or sometimes as their principal means of accessing online services," said Ed Richards, chief executive of Ofcom.
The regulator concluded that mobile broadband performance is likely to be overshadowed by its fixed-line counterpart at least until the roll-out of additional spectrum for mobile services in 2013.
Mr Richards went on to say: "The research is another important step in Ofcom's efforts to ensure that consumers have the information they need to exercise their choice effectively and to make the most of competition in the market."
In related news, Cornwall will be the first UK county to undergo a consumer trial of Long Term Evolution, the fourth-generation mobile broadband technology that is expected to offer considerably higher speeds.
