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Softbank races up Netflix Speed Index

April 10, 2018

The biggest speed increase on the Netflix ISP Speed Index for March – the monthly update on which Internet Service Providers (ISPs) provide the best primetime Netflix streaming experience – went to Japan’s Softbank (Fibre), helping the ISP rise 11 spots to second in Japan.

Softbank’s Fibre offering’s speeds increased by 0.67 Megabits per second (Mbps), bringing its average monthly speed up to 3.80 Mbps from 3.13 Mbps in February. Meanwhile, STC in Saudi Arabia continued its gains from last month, increasing its average monthly speed to 2.92 Mbps from 2.47 Mbps in February.

ISPs in Indonesia, Greece and Taiwan also saw speeds increase significantly in March:

  • Neuviz in Indonesia saw speeds climb by 0.41 Mbps, increasing its average monthly speed to 2.24 Mbps (up from 1.83 Mbps in February).
  • Wind Hellas in Greece saw its average monthly speed increase to 3.01 Mbps (up from 2.63 Mbps last month).
  • Taiwan’s Taiwan Broadband improved its speed by 0.32 Mbps to an average monthly of 3.49 Mbps (up from 3.17 Mbps the month prior)

In Asia, AIS Fibre in Thailand experienced the biggest speed decline on the index this month, slowing to a monthly average of 3.96 Mbps, down from 4.46 Mbps in February. Japan’s Softbank (DSL) and NIFTY both saw slowing speeds. While Softbank’s Fibre offering experienced significant speed gains, its DSL offering saw speeds slow to 2.00 Mbps (from 2.49 Mbps last month). NIFTY’s speeds also slowed, bringing its monthly average down to 2.55 Mbps (from 2.86 Mbps last month).

Other speed losses in March include:

  • Chile’s Entel, decreasing its monthly average to 2.19 Mbps, down from 2.53 Mbps in February.
  • Kuwait’s Zajil Telecom, its monthly average speed slowing to 2.83 Mbps (from 3.13 Mbps last month).
  • Luxembourg’s Luxembourg Online, its speeds declining to a monthly average of 3.96 Mbps (down from 4.26 Mbps in February).

The Netflix ISP Speed Index is a measure of primetime Netflix performance on a particular ISP and not a measure of overall performance for other services/data that may travel across the specific ISP network. Faster Netflix performance generally means better picture quality, quicker start times and fewer interruptions.

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