09/05/2017

Mobile phone signal analysis conducted between December 2016 and February 2017 shows that EE is streets ahead of its 4G competition in terms both of average download speed and network availability. 

Research conducted over the three months by Which? and OpenSignal, the mobile phone benchmarking experts, recorded average 4G download speeds of 31.8 Mbps for EE customers – 3.8 Mbps faster than the speed recorded 6 months ago.

Average 4G download speeds of EE’s main competitors were

23 Mbps – Three

18.2 Mbps – Vodafone

15.4 Mbps – O2

While ‘State of Mobile Networks: UK (April 2017)’ shows that all 4 networks significantly improved the availability of 4G over the three months, EE smartphone customers were once again best off, enjoying access 72.4% of the time – up from 64.1%.

Vodafone customers had 4G access 69% of the time (67.7%). Three customers fared worst, with access, though improved, still slightly less than 50% of the time.

EE was also way ahead for average download speed achieved where users switch between

3G and 4G as the 4G signal drops in and out. It achieved an average of 23.6 Mbps, compared with 18.6 Mbps six months ago.

The only area where EE didn’t excel was in 3G download speeds, where its customers had to make do with 6 Mbps, compared with 6.5 achieved by Three.

‘UK: How fast and how accessible is 4G in your city?’

As a codicil to their major report on the state of 4G mobile networks in the UK, OpenSignal and Which? have drawn on the data they collected to rank the country’s 20 major urban areas on their ability to provide 4G speed and access – and the results were as unpredictable as the USA presidential election.

If it’s speed you need, Stoke on Trent is the place to be. With average download speeds of 26.4 Mbps, it was almost 2 Mbps faster than second-placed Coventry and 3.5 Mbps faster than the national average of 22.9 Mbps – which was only exceeded by 10 towns.

London clocked in at 20.5 Mbps, while Brighton propped up the table on 17.6 Mbps.

For availability, smartphone users in Middlesbrough had the best of the deal, enjoying 4G accessibility 82.7% of the time, compared with average 4G availability of 65.1% across England, Scotland and Wales.

All 20 urban areas exceeded the national availability average – even Bournemouth, which came last on 67.5%.