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EE and Vodafone Named Best UK Mobile Networks for Calls and Data

Monday, Nov 7th, 2016 (8:36 am) - Score 2,864

A new study of Mobile Network Operator performance in the United Kingdom by P3 communications has named EE and Vodafone as joint winners after both tied the top spot in their examination of data (Mobile Broadband) and voice related network quality; both received 803 points out of a possible 1,000.

The tests measured the quality of performance provided by the UK’s four primary network operators (Vodafone, EE, Three UK and O2) using a “highly sophisticated range of benchmarks in 13 UK cities, a range of smaller towns and along 2,000 miles of major roads“. Sadly it doesn’t look as if many rural areas were included, although a few of the smaller towns have arguably been classified as rural.

Overall three of the four operators achieved “good” ratings, which has never happened before. However O2, which scored 747 points, only earned a “satisfactory” rating and came bottom of the table. Interestingly it was noted that Three UK had a “slight advantage” in rural areas, while O2 was “quite strong” in smaller towns, yet the clear winners were EE and Vodafone.

p3_uk_mobile_network_operator_survey_results_2016

Predictably EE scored highly with its “very strong” data performance, while Vodafone achieved the best results in the overall voice category. Vodafone also achieved the biggest improvement on their 2015 scores, although all operators demonstrated a noticeable improvement over last year’s study.

P3 also conducted a specific test of the London area, which ranked Vodafone top (Data: 335, Voice: 213 = Total Points 548) and ahead of EE (Data: 340, Voice: 203 = Total Points 543), Three UK (Data: 308, Voice: 203 = Total Points 511) and once again O2 came last (Data: 274, Voice: 220 = Total Points 494).

Hakan Ekmen, CEO P3 communications GmbH, said:

“Our tests are good news for the UK’s mobile customers, because for the first time three networks are in our ‘good’ category, even though this year’s tests were the toughest yet. It is gratifying that over the three years we have been testing we can see substantial improvements in the overall quality of service, which is a clear indication of how our benchmarks are helping to drive improvements in the networks.”

The tests themselves measured voice and data performance on both 3G and 4G networks, using LTE (4G) capable Smartphones. The results allow operators to compare the ordinary user’s experience of each network through a series of measurements taken while driving, walking and indoors, covering major metropolitan areas and smaller towns, their connecting roads and major highways. Test metrics cover voice-call quality, success-rates, file upload and download speeds, website access and mobile video performance.

The areas chosen for the 2016 test account for more than 14 million people, or approximately 23% of the total population of the United Kingdom. P3 conducted the tests with four drive-test cars, equipped with arrays of Samsung Galaxy S5 Cat 4 smartphones (Voice) and Samsung Galaxy S7 Cat 9 smartphones (Data) for the simultaneous measurement of voice and data services.

Additionally, two teams conducted the walk tests, measuring voice and data performance. Being ISPreview.co.uk our focus will be on the results for data connectivity and in that aspect the report notes how EE and Vodafone “chase each other with continually growing data rates that currently go up to 450Mbps” (based on LTE Advanced Carrier Aggregation tech).

In contrast, O2 and Three UK are said to “stick with a solid 100Mbps and mainly focus on enlarging their 4G footprint“. Overall EE came out best for mobile broadband performance in cities, but Vodafone aren’t far behind. The following is a long table of the raw results and you can read more context on this in the FULL REPORT, although some of it is self-explanatory.

p3_uk_mobile_network_operator_data_results_2016
Mark-Jackson
By Mark Jackson
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook and .
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