Independent tests reveal that T-Mobile´s network is the best

• German P3 Communications and Brno University of Technology tested all operators
• Independent tests reveal that T-Mobile’s 2G and 3G data services and 2G voice network services are far superior to those of its competitors
• The Czech Republic’s network quality is higher compared to the networks used in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands                                                   

Prague, 15 March 2011 – Independent tests performed by P3 Communications which regularly carries out independent testing of the 2G and 3G networks in many countries, have confirmed that T‑Mobile is the leading provider of high-quality 2G and 3G (UMTS FDD) data services, as well as GSM voice services. Czech customers are thus using a higher-quality network than customers in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, for example. The same results were revealed by independent tests conducted in February by the Department of Radio Electronics of the Faculty of Electronic Engineering and Communication at Brno University of Technology, according to which T-Mobile is the clear winner as far as speeds of the 3G data network are concerned. 

T-Mobile achieved these results mainly thanks to its massive investments in the GSM network enhancement completed in June 2010 and in the backbone optical networks and 3G infrastructure, which since 1 September 2010 is the only telecommunications infrastructure in the Czech Republic supporting the HSPA+ technology. 

P3 Communications tested the Czech mobile networks from October to December last year. The test team travelled all main highways and rural motorways passing through towns and cities of all sizes. The quality of 3G networks was tested in ten major Czech cities. The voice- and data-network tests focused mainly on the real user experience rather than on technical transmission parameters. In the data transmission category, P3 Communications evaluated the user experience in the most common activities, e.g. downloading files, web surfing and using e-mail (by means of the IMAP and SMTP protocols).

The tests performed by Brno University of Technology were conducted in February 2011 in 21 major Czech cities and focused solely on comparing the quality of 3G networks of individual operators. The tests evaluated download and upload speeds and latency, primarily by focusing on the user experience from the point of view of real users with a netbook and a 3G modem. 

In the P3 Communications test of the GSM data services category, T‑Mobile surpassed both of its competitors in all monitored parameters and thus confirmed the results from previous years. T-Mobile achieved a two- or nearly three-fold advantage in web browsing over its rivals not only thanks to the EDGE technology available in the entire 2G network, but also owing to the smart optimization of the internet http protocol which decreases the size of websites and thus accelerates their loading. In addition, EDGE plays an important role in sending e-mails, with the T-Mobile network being 50% to 200% faster than the competitors’ networks. 

 T-Mobile’s network gained a perceptible leading position also in the 3G data performance category, despite the fact that it had a smaller number of base stations in the tested cities than its competitors at the time when the measurements were carried out. Higher speeds are noticeable mainly upon browsing the web or downloading files. In addition, it is worth mentioning that T-Mobile’s results in sending e-mails were four times better than the results of one of its competitors. T-Mobile’s excellent results in 3G data performance were due mainly to the implementation of the HSPA+ technology which, in addition to higher transmission speeds, offers optimization in distributing available capacities among individual users and significant latency reduction, which is important mainly for web browsing. An important role is also played by the sufficiently sized backbone network, which enables all base stations to use the maximum available transmission speeds. 

Also, follow-up tests performed by Professor Stanislav Hanus’s team from the Department of Radio Electronics of the Faculty of Electronic Engineering and Communication at Brno University of Technology confirmed T-Mobile’s significantly better results in 3G data performance. Measurements focused on four indicators: FTP download speeds, FTP upload speeds, network time response and transmission speeds when downloading a reference website recommended by ETSI. In each of the 21 cities, measurements were carried out in five different locations over a 40-minute period in the T-Mobile network, T-Mobile HSPA+ network and in the networks of both its competitors. In Prague and Brno, the number of measured locations was increased to ten. The measured locations were randomly selected by employees of Brno University of Technology. 

      

    

Tests revealed that the average download speeds using the FTP protocol in the T-Mobile network were 3,242 kbps, which is nearly three times faster than the values reached by one of the competitors. The average web-browsing transmission speed reached 1,775 kbps, nearly two times faster than speeds reached by one of the competitors. The average upload speeds using the FTP protocol reached 2,319 kbps, again nearly two times faster than the speeds of one of the competitors. The average latency in the T-Mobile network was 54 ms, roughly 25% better than that recorded in the competitors’ networks. 

T-Mobile gained excellent results also in the 2G voice category. Tests performed in the second half of 2009, i.e. the period prior to the GSM network enhancement, show that the indicator was closely below the level of 99%. T‑Mobile thus shared first place with one of its competitors. However, the 2G network enhancement and optimization contributed to the increase of this indicator by a significant 0.6% to 99.5%, i.e. an increase of 0.7% or, more precisely, 1.5% when compared to the values recorded in the competitors’ networks. 

The only category where T-Mobile placed second was 3G voice, as the company’s 3G network base-stations density was lower at the time of performing independent measurements. Because of this, network calls were more frequently transferred back and forth between the 3G and GSM networks, which could slightly diminish the user experience. As the number of available transceiver stations in the cities covered by the 3G network has been significantly increased, major improvements can be expected in any future measurements. T-Mobile offers the HSPA+ technology in the entire 3G network, which currently covers 59 towns and cities. By the end of this year, a total of 60% of the Czech population will be able to use the advantages of the Czech Republic’s fastest network.

T-Mobile Czech Republic, a member of the international telecommunications group Deutsche Telekom, has almost 6.2 million customers, the number-one operator in the Czech market. T-Mobile is an integrated operator: in addition to telecommunications services, it offers comprehensive ICT solutions not only for companies, but also for other organizations and individuals. It provides outstanding services in the high-speed network, which was proved repeatedly by benchmark testing performed by umlaut (former P3) with Best-in-Test seal.

T-Mobile Czech Republic places emphasis on taking a responsible approach to the environment and society. It adheres to fair business practices, helps beneficial applications and services to see the light of day, supports non-profit organizations, small businesses and individuals, and lends a helping hand whenever crisis situations arise. The company’s employees serve as volunteers in many places across the entire Czech Republic.

More information about the company is available at www.t-mobile.cz, www.t-press.cz (the portal for journalists) and www.t-mobile.cz/pomahame (information on the company’s CSR activities).

Contact details of the press unit: press@t-press.cz.