Latest data traffic report from Ookla
A new data traffic report shows that data in the UK is moving progressively faster, but nowhere near the speed limit advertised by the vendors. The latest 5G speed race in the UK was deadlocked with 5G median download speeds impressing across the board, according to tests conducted by RootMetrics, a division of network intelligence company Ookla. The lack of a clear winner emerging is a boost for UK mobile users, claimed Rootmetrics, as 5G availability rose above 40% in the many of UK’s biggest cities. Three UK hit the highest speed, but EE came top in most categories.
The results of the UMPR, based on over 600,000 network tests in 16 major metropolitan area across the UK, gives every mobile operator something to brag about on its marketing. The accolade for the fastest average Median score went to EE, most notable improvement in download speeds was by Three UK, the best uplift in availability was performed by Vodafone and the best text speed was attributed to Virgin Media’s O2 network.
The report findings for each vendor were summarised thus: EE boasts the fastest aggregate median download speed in the UK, with 58.5 Mbps, and ranked first in in all seven UK RootScore categories for the third straight time. Three saw a notable improvement in its overall median download speeds (across all network types–not just 5G) in major cities for the fourth straight test period, while delivering the second-fastest aggregate median download speed in England, Scotland, and Wales.
Vodafone’s 5G availability improved in most of the 16 major metropolitan areas tested but the operator did see speed declines in some of those cities. Despite this, its 5G median download speeds remained above 100 Mbps in the majority of cities tested. Virgin Media O2’s text performance was “especially good”, according to Ookla. The operator won or shared ‘RootScore’ Awards for Text in most UK cities tested and finished second only to EE in UK-wide text performance.
“Overall, it’s a good day for EE, but if the study introduced some awards for 5G specific categories, then the picture might be a bit different, at least for now,” said independent analyst Mark Jackson atISP Review.
The full method RootMetrics’ study can be read in full here.