Broadband Quality of Service

Experience (QoSE):
How does PH Internet Fare?
Mary Grace Mirandilla-Santos
Independent telecom/ICT policy researcher
June 27, 2014 | DOST-ICTO
Broadband QoSE
LIRNEasia: a regional ICT and policy regulation
think tank active across Asia Pacific.
AsokaTissa (AT) Tester: user-oriented
diagnostic methodology designed to test
different parameters of quality that affect a
users online experience.
Software based; more cost effective; multiple
domains; multiple readings
Web-based and free: http://www.lirneasia.net/AT_Tester
AT-Tester Method
1. 6 Parameters: Download, Upload, RTT, Jitter, Packet Loss and
Availability
2. Multiple days: during the week and on weekends
3. At six times: 0800, 1100, 1500, 1800, 2000, 2300 hrs (3
readings per slot)
4. Averages of multiple readings for each time slot, taken from
unannounced, unknown locations
5. Varying server locations: ISP domain; International domain;
National domain
Participants: select South Asian and Southeast Asian cities ,
including Manila.
Parameters Tested
Throughput (Kbps)
actual amount of useful data sent on a transmission;
download or upload speeds to/from a local and intl server.
Latency (ms)
delays when voice packets transverse the network, measured in
milliseconds by using Round Trip Time (RTT);
less than 300 ms is considered acceptable.
Jitter (ms)
uneven latency and packet loss
less than 50ms is acceptable.
Packet Loss (%)
number of packets that does not reach destination.
less than 3% is considered good.
Source: Gonsalves, T.A. & Bharadwaj, A. (2009)
Actual vs. Advertised Speed
Download from an international server
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
0800 H 1100 H 1500 H 1800 H 2000 H 2300 H
SMART Bro Starter Plug-it (7.2 Mbps)-Manila,PH*
Globe Tattoo Prepaid Stick (3.6 Mbps)-Manila,PH*
SunBroadband Plan 799 (3.6Mbps)-Manila,PH
A
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(
%
)
Advertised "Up to" Speed
Actual vs. Advertised Speed
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
0800 H 1100 H 1500 H 1800 H 2000 H 2300 H
Telkomsel Flash Ultima(3.6Mbps)-Jakarta,ID
SMART Bro Starter Plug-it (7.2 Mbps)-Manila,PH*
Globe Tattoo Prepaid Stick (3.6 Mbps)-Manila,PH*
SunBroadband Plan 799 (3.6Mbps)-Manila,PH
A
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(
%
)
Download from an international server
INDONESIA (3.6 mbps)
PHILIPPINES (3.6 mbps)
21.7%
31.8%
Actual vs. Advertised Speed
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0800 H 1100 H 1500 H 1800 H 2000 H 2300 H
Ncell (7.2Mbps)-Kathmandu,NP*
SMART Bro Starter Plug-it (7.2 Mbps)-Manila,PH*
Globe Tattoo Prepaid Stick (3.6 Mbps)-Manila,PH*
SunBroadband Plan 799 (3.6Mbps)-Manila,PH
A
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(
%
)
NEPAL (7.2 mbps)
PHILIPPINES (7.2 mbps)
Download from an international server
Latency - International
503 ms
438 ms 437.6 ms
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
0800 H 1100 H 1500 H 1800 H 2000 H 2300 H
L
a
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(
R
T
T
)
SMART Bro Starter Plug-it (7.2 Mbps)-Manila,PH*
Globe Tattoo Prepaid Stick (3.6 Mbps)-Manila,PH*
SunBroadband Plan 799 (3.6Mbps)-Manila,PH
Lower the better
300ms
Philippine ISPs Only
Jitter - International
228.6 ms
291.8 ms
188.5 ms
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
0800 H 1100 H 1500 H 1800 H 2000 H 2300 H
SMART Bro Starter Plug-it (7.2 Mbps)-Manila,PH*
Globe Tattoo Prepaid Stick (3.6 Mbps)-Manila,PH*
SunBroadband Plan 799 (3.6Mbps)-Manila,PH
Lower the better
50ms
J
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t
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r

(
m
s
)
Philippine ISPs Only
Value for Money (kbps per USD)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
0800 H 1100 H 1500 H 1800 H 2000 H 2300 H
SMART Bro Starter Plug-it (7.2 Mbps)-Manila,PH*
Globe Tattoo 4G Flash(7.2 Mbps)-Manila,PH*
SunBroadband Plan 799 (3.6Mbps)-Manila,PH
k
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Philippine ISPs Only
Value for Money
Download speed (average of 4 days/time slot)
Monthly Cost of Plan (USD)*
If you pay PHP800/month for speeds of up to
3.6 Mbps but your actual average speed is
500 kbps, then you get only 14% of what you
pay for (based on advertised speed).
* For prepaid, the unli data promo cost for 5 days was used
x 6 to get the price for 30 days or 1 month.
Value for Money (kbps per USD)
Philippine vs. select SA & SEA ISPs
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
0800 H 1100 H 1500 H 1800 H 2000 H 2300 H
Airtel 3G (4Mbps)-Bangalore,IN
Tata (3.1Mbps)-Chennai,LK
Airtel (4Mbps)-Delhi,IN
Airtel LTE (4Mbps)-Bangalore,IN
Ooredoo Data 99 (7Mbps)-Male,MV
Dhiraagu Data 200 (1Mbps)-Male,MV
Ncell (7.2Mbps)-Kathmandu,NP
PTCL Evo (9.3Mbps)-Karachi,PK
Etisalat (7.2Mbps)-Colombo,LK
Telkomsel Flash Ultima(3.6Mbps)-
Jakarta,ID
SMART Bro Starter Plug-it (7.2
Mbps)-Manila,PH*
Globe Tattoo 4G Flash(7.2 Mbps)-
Manila,PH*
SunBroadband Plan 799 (3.6Mbps)-
Manila,PH
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Important Questions
Is there truth in advertising?
21.7% highest actual vs. advertised speed achieved.
Recommended is 80% for PH.
Are Philippine ISPs offering broadband?
(Relatively) better performing PH plan tested offered >256
kbps download speed only 50% of the time.
Must government rule on minimum performance
standards for internet service?
All three major ISPs did not meet acceptable levels for critical
QoSE parameters (actual vs advertised, latency, jitter) and has
lowest value for money among all ISPs tested.
Thank you.
Mary Grace Mirandilla-Santos
Independent telecom/ICT policy researcher
gmirandilla at gmail dot com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/gracemirandilla