Speedtest metrics are incredibly important for understanding the way your network actually operates. Oftentimes, the better your metrics are the better your Internet coverage and performance will be. Read on as we explore the world of Speedtest metrics and their ramifications.
Mobile and Fixed Broadband Metrics
Here’s what you need to consider:
Speed Score
Your Internet speed says a lot about the strength of your overall connection. Speed Score provides a comprehensive view of different speed ranges in a single metric. This tool simplifies the process of comparing ISPs and mobile operators so you can find one that works for you that much faster.
How does it work? Speed Score basically measures the upload and download speeds of each provider in order to provide a network speed performance ranking. A bulk (90%) of the resulting Speed Score is based on download speed while the rest (10%) is based on upload speeds. This is mainly because download speed is one of the main determining factors for Speedtest metrics.
Acceptable Speed Ratio
In addition to fast speeds, network quality can also be determined by acceptable speed ratio. The Acceptable Speed Ratio (ASR) shows you HD-capable download data samples from each provider and they typically equal or exceed 5Mbps. Meanwhile, 4K capable should equal or exceed 25 Mbps when using fixed broadband. A higher ASR typically points to fast Internet speeds.
Competitive Geography
Different providers serve different geographic locations. That’s why a zip code should have three national competitor samples from the U.S. in order to compete at a high level. each of these samples should make up 3% of the national market share. However, each competitor should only have one sample within each zip code. This limit allows for robust competition per zip code instead of selecting locations that are dominated by a single competitor.
Coverage Metrics
It’s worth noting that good coverage is an important prerequisite to enjoying fast speeds. You simply can’t have one without the other. Android Speedtest metrics collected by Ookla shows daily coverage scans from around the world. Geographic coverage is mainly measured by determining scan samples from various devices from the same operator’s network. The only notable requirement is that it should be in a 100m2 area.
Availability and coverage metrics can only be discovered and considered valid when you take them from multiple devices in each area.
Coverage Score
Coverage Score is a feature that shows a mobile operator’s service coverage and quality for mobile users. It does this by multiplying the operators’ footprint by the average tile quality score. This data is all based on availability metrics and covers the regions where the operator has a presence.
Coverage Score ranges from 0 to 1,000 which makes it neutral and fitting to provide an unbiased and accurate score.
Availability
Coverage is a major determining factor to the availability of service. This data availability is further divided according to On-Network Availability, 4G Availability, and General Availability. You can use these Speedtest metrics to find out facts such as a user’s likelihood to get services in certain locations etc.
This is what these metrics mean:
- General Availability – This refers to the number of an operator’s identified locations which grant the user access to 4G LTE service. This is expressed in percentage terms and includes roaming.
- 4G Availability – This refers to the number of an operator’s identified locations which grant users access to 4G LTE service. This also includes roaming.
- On-Network Availability – The number of an operator’s identified location, which grants the user access to the operator’s service. Also expressed through percentage terms.
Time Spent
It’s important to note that users aren’t always connecting to a 4G signal. Time Spent is a feature that shows how much time the average user spends on their SIM network using certain cellular technology.
For instance, this data can show you that users in one area use 6% roaming, 20% 3G and 74% 4G at any given time. This makes it so much easier to spot the extent of LTE coverage in any given region. It’s also a good way to run Speedtest metrics in particular locations.
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