ComReg to monitor actual broadband speeds.

clohamon

ComReg Commissioner Kevin O'Brien told a Dáil committee that he would be introducing a speed monitoring scheme to collect and publish a sample of actual speeds received through a variety of platforms across the country.

The announcement was made during a discussion of advertised speeds in which he also claimed that ComReg had done a lot of work with the ASAI in this regard.
He undertook to fill-in Deputy Anne Phelan TD on the workings of the scheme. The sampling methodology and selection has apparently been outsourced.

If you want to see the whole discussion it might still be available for playback here
http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/watchlisten/live-flashplayer/committeeroom3/

watty

They were supposed to have implemented policies about Advertising of real speeds peak and off peak about FIVE years ago, based on metrics like this. What have they been doing?

ainiseoir

Isn't this being done already by "SamKnows" on behalf of the European Commision?

clohamon

ainiseoir wrote: »

Isn't this being done already by "SamKnows" on behalf of the European Commision?

Good question. AFAIK the Sam Knows study is already well underway. His exact words were "We are starting to put together a broadband speeds pilot."

ComReg issued a tender nearly a year ago for precisely this scheme. There is no notice of an award so its unclear if anyone has actually got the job yet.

https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/publicpurchase_frameset.asp?PID=4285&B=&PS=1&PP=ctm/Supplier/PublicTenders

(queries on this tender below)

clohamon

Epitiro has been awarded the contract to collect broadband speeds by ComReg. Some of its previous reports seem to be reasonably independent but it gave an unusually gushing verdict in 2011 to TeliaSonera's LTE service based on a "minimal" subscriber base. I'm not sure who commissioned that research - presumably TeliaSonera.

"Based on our observations, this LTE rollout is directly comparable to high-speed fixed line services," said Epitiro's CTO Jon Curley. "Further, the low latency times measured indicate the Finnish LTE service is capable of handling the most demanding of web-based applications including VoIP, video streaming and even HD IPTV."

Read more: Research: TeliaSonera's LTE network compares favorably with fixed broadband services - FierceBroadbandWireless http://www.fiercebroadbandwireless.com/story/research-teliasoneras-lte-network-compares-favorably-fixed-broadband-servic/2011-04-13#ixzz2RrEYRUIa

The full report contains some caveats

http://www.epitiro.com/assets/files/20-103-1006.001%20LTE-Report-World-Report.pdf

"Being a new service, the subscriber base is minimal and not at the same levels as 3G. Thus the 4G network is not currently subject to the effects of contention from simultaneous demand. In-motion resting was not completed due to the relatively small area in which 4G is currently available so in-motion performance on trains, in cars etc. is not yet understood. Epitiro will remain interested to understand how performance varies for in-motion work and as popularity of 4G services increases." - Page 4

"Data was captured over 5 days which does not allow us to show trends in performance as additional LTE subscribers partake in the service." - Page 8

It would be nice to see the brief that Epitiro have been given by ComReg, and how much of the raw data they, or ComReg, will be releasing.

bealtine

clohamon wrote: »

It would be nice to see the brief that Epitiro have been given by ComReg, and how much of the raw data they, or ComReg, will be releasing.

Heh you want raw data from Comreg?