A new Mobile Broadband study has revealed that the speed of related internet connections continue to average around just 1.2Mb (Megabits per second), with some operators falling well below. The data suggests that little, if any, improvement has been made over the past 12 months.

According to BroadbandGenie, T-Mobile and Vodafone came out strongest, with average speeds around 1.2Mb, while Orange lagged behind with an average of just 0.86Mb. O2 and Three (3) averaged closer to 1Mb, although both showed a slight upward curve in average speeds.

Interestingly these results differ, quite widely in fact, from another recent set of tests conducted during the Broadband Expert 2010 Mobile-Broadband Awards (here).

2010 Mobile-Broadband Awards - Fastest Operator
1. Vodafone - 1.78Mbps
2. Three (3) - 1.76Mbps
3. Orange - 1.46Mbps
4. O2 - 1.42Mbps
5. T-Mobile - 1.07Mbps

Most mobile operators no longer advertise any headline speeds, preferring instead to only list the technical specifications of their Mobile Broadband USB Modems (Dongles) in the small print. Just as well that Ofcom recently signed Epitiro to help it test the speeds delivered by Mobile Broadband network operators in the UK (here).