Aussies enjoying reliable
broadband performance
Broadband users throughout Australia are receiving reliable,
high-speed Internet services, according to a study that has just been
released by the Australian Communications Authority (ACA).
The study is the first conducted by the ACA of the service performance
experienced by broadband customers.
Acting ACA Chairman, Dr Bob Horton, said the study found that those connected
to broadband through different technologies including DSL, cable and satellite,
were experiencing reliable data rates and service availability.
Dr Horton said the study also found no evidence of significant consumer
detriment and hence there were no strong grounds for regulatory intervention
by the ACA.
He said the study estimated broadband service availability to be better
than 99.7 per cent.
“Data rates were found to be very consistent, with each technology
achieving around 80 per cent of the relevant plan rate on average across
Australia,” Dr Horton said. “This reflects the limitations of
communication protocols and the ‘best-endeavours’ nature of
the Internet.
”Regional variations in performance were minimal with results for
DSL showing very low levels of variability in download and upload data
rates.
“As expected, cable users achieved very high download and upload
data rates, but with far greater levels of variation.”
Dr Horton said the high performance levels recorded in the study were
consistent with the low consumer dissatisfaction reported earlier this
year in the ACA’s consumer satisfaction survey.
He said that the aim of the study was to test the feasibility of the
ACA collecting direct information on data speed performance and reliability
actually experienced by broadband customers in different parts of Australia.
“The study is intended to provide information of value to the government,
its advisers including the National Broadband Strategy Implementation
Group, the ACCC, consumers and service providers.
“The consistency of experience of broadband customers across technologies
and in urban, rural and remote areas is a matter of considerable interest
to policy–makers.”
Dr Horton said the ACA would discuss with both the ACCC and the industry
the apparent differences between average speeds experienced by consumers
and the top speeds advertised by suppliers. The ACA is working with the
industry on a revised ISP guideline for the provision of information to
consumers about Internet services.
“The aim is to ensure that consumers are well-informed about the
performance they can expect from the broadband services they are offered
and the factors that may affect their experience when using broadband,”
he said.
Dr Horton added that the ACA would welcome comments from interested parties
on any aspect of the study, including methodology, analysis and reporting.
The study was undertaken for the ACA by Telco One Pty Ltd using data
collected by an on-line data rate testing tool called TCP/IQ Line Speed
Meter. The Line Speed Meter is available for any Internet user to download
for free, and users’ test results are stored by TCP/IQ. The collated
test results for the period July 2003 to June 2004 were used as the basis
for the ACA’s study.
A summary of the key performance results from the broadband performance
monitoring study is available on the ACA website.
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