Report: EE leads in 5G coverage
January 17, 2024
In a competitive telecom landscape, where operators strive to meet the ever-increasing consumer demand for fast, accessible, and reliable 5G networks and services, MedUX, a specialist in international fixed and mobile network testing and benchmarking, has released research on 5G performance in the UK’s capital. The report reveals that EE not only leads in 5G reliability but also is able to provide the overall finest Quality of Experience (QoE) in London, with a score of 4.61 out of 5.
The analysis, based on a methodology involving 88,311 radio samples and 11,833 tests conducted in Q3 2023, evaluated the performance of Three, EE, O2 and Vodafone across various elements essential to 5G service quality and how they cover the UK’s capital. The 5G QoE Benchmarking Report for London takes a detailed look at the overall QoE score, measuring a combination of availability, accessibility, speed, streaming, data and OTT experience results.
Consistent Quality of 5G Experience in London
According to the report, EE provides the highest 5G registration rate (92 per cent of time) and the most consistent experience (99.6 per cent service reliability), leading in areas like accessibility, web navigation, gaming and video streaming. The operator was subject to 22,709 radio samples and 3,040 tests to its network, with findings highlighting customers will experience an excellent overall quality, fast loading of video content, fast time-to-content in social media and OTT services, commendable gaming experiences, and fast download speeds achieving soaring speeds of up to 800 Mbps.
In terms of speeds, Vodafone secured the lead in 5G download speed, with an 87 per cent value for speed score, narrowly outperforming EE by approximately 2 per cent. Three shone in upstream link (UL), achieving a remarkable 157 Mbps maximum UL speed. O2 excelled in having the most reliable DNS resolution service, sharing a 92 per cent DNS score with Three.
London lagging behind European cities
Despite these encouraging results, MedUX has compiled a broader report at a European level which will be available in February which shows London as having one of the worst overall experience when compared to its European counterparts. It signals crucial areas for improvement in the UK’s 5G landscape.
5G Experience: A European Comparison
Across Europe, the spotlight is especially on Berlin for having the best 5G Experience among European cities, but also on Milan for having on average the most reliable networks (99.9 per cent service reliability), and on Porto for having the widest 5G availability (91 per cent registration rate).
“This analysis is crucial for UK network operators to understand how they compare against their European peers. While UK networks are performing adequately, it’s evident that there’s a gap compared to other parts of Europe. However, there are concrete steps that operators can take to enhance 5G deployment across the country,” commented Rafael González CMO at MedUX. “Our report offers key insights into the state of 5G in London – a critical indicator for the rest of the UK. As we head into 2024 and beyond, we’re eager to see how operators leverage our data to continuously improve service quality and digital experiences for their customers.”