nPerf Publish 2020 Study of UK Mobile Networks, Vodafone Best
As if we didn’t have enough conflicting studies. French company nPerf has now decided to start publishing an annual study of UK mobile operator (mobile broadband) performance, which is based off crowd-sourced data. Overall the inaugural study finds that Vodafone UK provided the “Best Mobile Internet Performance” in 2019.
In this case nPerf’s results appear to be based off just 42,033 connection tests (including speed, web browsing and streaming tests), which were made via their mobile app (iOS, Android). The data was then aggregated to establish a performance benchmark.
As usual there are caveats to this sort of crowd-sourced data. For example, app-based data such as this could be impacted by any limitations of the devices being used, which at the same time removes the ability to adopt a common type of hardware in order to establish a solid baseline of performance.
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The number of tests conducted also appears to be significantly smaller than we’ve seen from other crowd-sourced based reports (examples here and here), including those conducting using more manual scientific methods (here). Suffice to say, take these results with a pinch of salt, just like you would for any other study.
Results of the nPerf Study (2020)
Overall Vodafone was awarded as the best UK mobile network operator and they came top for mobile broadband download speed (50Mbps), as well as upload speed (13Mbps). Meanwhile EE sits in second place and was awarded best for network latency (43ms), best for browsing (performance rate 70%) and best for streaming (performance rate of 83%). Meanwhile Three UK and O2 were battling some way behind.
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, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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Vodafone chucking money around again? Best my arse LOL
For starters all networks I use, apart from EE have massive loss.
Pfffff fake neeeews!
I do agree overall EE is the best for data was a customer for over 4 years until 6 months ago quite often even in middle of nowhere you would get a quite fast 4G but in experience with Vodafone quite often in the countryside you only get 2G or a near useless 900 3G.
Am planning of switching back to EE after my Vodafone contact finishes data performance outside of major town and city is near hopeless
I’d agree with n-perf – in my experience Vodafone is far more reliable than EE and consistently so wherever I go.
EE has way too much variance.
Well I have no respect for nPerf anymore 🙁
Vodafone is not the best. The bissest issue is the limited availability of LTE+. Most places only have 10Mhz of band 20 and that is not enough. Typical speeds are only 1-5Mbps.
Ok yes in London and a few other areas I can get 100Mbps+ on LTE but where I live and most places I go the service is terrible. So bad that I’m even thinking I’ll switch back to O2 after my contract ends!!!
Another day another test app claiming another network is top dog in performance..
Tomorrow it’ll be the turn of EE I’ve no doubt? I am testing and will continue to Tesco Mobile, so O2, and in my area they have vastly improved their signal since I last used them. Will try for a bit longer though before I move my main number to them, Three’s signal on Smarty isn’t as good as I thought it would be.
I need to check if O2 still throttle browsing.
Hey Pezza. In reference to Smarty, unfortunately they don’t have access to Three’s VoLTE network. So you’re seeing the gaps between their 3G & 4G data networks. I reached out to them recently & access to VoLTE is coming.
@Michael, well i have Ben tearing a lot of providers lately including Three, and O2 has the same if not better signal then Three. So I can’t see Smarty improving that much, also they have an awful lot of things ‘coming soon’, how soon? I’m not waiting too long. They really need an app too but that seems a long way off.
And… In another survey, Three around South Wales is the best for coverage & call quality.
Across their LTE data & VoLTE networks.
[Based on my experience of being a customer since forever]
For mobile number two, that was on O2, their 4G network was just patchy! Mobile two has now been moved to another Operator.
Well Three is rubbish in Newport/cardiff/barry/Swansea – and EE hits over 400 on 4G and over 700 on 5G when I get in an area
So how do you figure?
I wasn’t refering to speed. I’m never without signal. I have a phone that supports their Supervoice Network.
Cardiff to Bridgend & Carmarthenshire to be more specific. And the valleys.
I don’t see an issue.
These tests are all subjective and hugely dependent on so many factors, a lot of these studies can also have a load of bias in one direction.
Vodafone may top surveys for their network, but they should consider investing in their sub-par customer service which they always come bottom of!
Three network shows as Vodafone
Vodafone shows as Three Network on NPerf.
If you have either network, please test the app yourself and feed back the results here.
@excustomer hey! I’ve recently downloaded npref again. Been mapping Three. I haven’t seen an issue on the app. Have U uninstalled & re-installed the app?
I’m seeing LTE & LTE-A in the right places matching the Network icon on the phone.