Report reveals best 5G reliability and experience in London

This comprehensive 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 robust methodology involving 88,311 radio samples and 11,833 tests conducted in Q3 2023, meticulously 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 (over-the-top) experience results.

Consistent quality of 5G experience in London

According to the report, EE provides the highest 5G registration rate (92% of time) and the most consistent experience (99.6% 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% value for speed score, narrowly outperforming EE by approx. 2%. 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% 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 the first half of February, which shows London as having one of the worst overall experiences 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% service reliability), and on Porto for having the widest 5G availability (91% 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."