The regulator assessed all UK networks for download and upload speeds across five English cities
EE has been crowned the fastest network for download and upload speeds in Ofcom’s recent mobile broadband and voice performance tests.
The regulator tested all UK networks across Cardiff, Edinburgh, London, Liverpool and Norwich between November and December last year. It assessed their performance on download, upload and web-browsing speeds, alongside video streaming quality and success rates for calling.
Download and upload speeds
EE achieved the fastest average 4G download speeds of 20Mb per second. Three (15Mb per second), Vodafone (12Mb) and O2 (10Mb) followed. Upload speeds were also fastest on EE. The tests found speeds averaged 20Mb per second, followed by Three (12Mb) alongside Vodafone and O2 (10Mb).
The trailer for James Bond film Spectre also streamed successfully in HD on EE throughout 97 per cent of attempts. Success rates for the same test on Three stood at 87 per cent, 86 per cent on Vodafone and 85 per cent on O2.
Web browsing was also fastest on EE. Ofcom used the BBC homepage for testing and found that it took five seconds to download. It took six seconds to load with the other operators.
Calls to a landline were successful across all four networks. Over 98 per cent of all calls were made without any disconnection.
An EE spokesperson said: “Ofcom recognises that EE’s customers enjoy the best speeds and the most successful calls across the cities tested. Speed is important, not just for speed itself, but as a sign that a network has the capacity to provide a reliable service to its customers at the busiest times.”
