Mobile Broadband Shootout: Vodafone vs Three

[Ben]

The Test

Both networks will be tested at the same location at approximately the same time of day, both in good HSPA coverage. Each will undergo a total of 4 speed tests followed by two ping tests.

Summary of results

http://www.speedtest.bbmax.co.uk/
Vodafone: PING 249.5ms, DOWN 4790kbps, UP 1157.5kbps
Three: PING 179ms, DOWN 5079kbps, UP 1190kbps
Winner: Three. 70.5ms less latency, 289kbps faster downloads, 32.5kbps faster uploads.

http://speedtest.net/
Vodafone: PING 242.5ms, DOWN 4638.5kbps, UP 1166.5kbps
Three: PING 171ms, DOWN 5216.5kbps, UP 1259kbps
Winner: Three. 71.5ms less latency, 578kbps faster downloads, 92.5kbps faster uploads.

PING bbc.co.uk
Vodafone:
10 packets transmitted, 10 packets received, 0.0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 378.156/443.599/629.308/78.642 ms
Three:
10 packets transmitted, 10 packets received, 0.0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 81.706/90.153/102.444/5.725 ms
Winner: Three. 353.446ms less latency and more stable.

PING google.com
Vodafone:
10 packets transmitted, 10 packets received, 0.0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 377.897/410.791/499.677/32.504 ms
Three:
10 packets transmitted, 10 packets received, 0.0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 67.100/82.406/95.790/9.648 ms
Winner: Three. 328.385ms less latency and more stable.

Conclusion

The speed test results are actually pretty close. Download speeds are very good on both networks, but Three had the edge in every single test. Three also has consistently lower latency, a good thing because it means the connection 'feels' faster in terms of responsiveness when you're browsing and is also better suited to online gaming and real-time apps like VoIP, but the gap isn't too huge. Vodafone, however, have historically had very low latency, relatively speaking... not so great now.

The ping tests show up some more serious issues for Vodafone. The time it takes for a packet of data to go to one of the servers in the test and come back is significantly longer than on Three. You really feel that extra 300ms of latency when browsing on Vodafone, and it'd make online games unpleasant. Why it was so much worse in the dedicated ping tests I don't know. Vodafone's times also varied significantly more - what we're looking for is ping times to be relatively stable. Perhaps Vodafone's network is congested.

Three is the clear winner. As little as a year ago I sincerely doubt that this would've been the case. I'm actually glad that these numbers support my usage experience, because I would've been surprised if I'd discovered that my increasing reliance on Three for mobile broadband, and recent praise of their network, had been misplaced.

As always, your own geographic location and circumstances will affect your experiences. However, given Three's extensive 3G coverage, they definitely get my recommendation at the moment. Gulp.


Full Results

Vodafone (Option K3760 USB)

14:40 18/08/2010

http://www.speedtest.bbmax.co.uk/
1.
PING 247ms
DOWN 5082kbps
UP 1192kbps
2.
PING 252ms
DOWN 4498kbps
UP 1123 kbps

http://speedtest.net/
1.
PING 247ms
DOWN 5089kbps
UP 1187
2.
PING 238ms
DOWN 4188kbps
UP 1146kbps

PING bbc.co.uk (212.58.224.138): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=0 ttl=116 time=549.531 ms
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=1 ttl=116 time=629.308 ms
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=2 ttl=116 time=449.017 ms
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=3 ttl=116 time=418.991 ms
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=4 ttl=116 time=388.924 ms
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=5 ttl=116 time=388.520 ms
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=6 ttl=116 time=398.233 ms
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=7 ttl=116 time=378.156 ms
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=8 ttl=116 time=387.724 ms
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=9 ttl=116 time=447.585 ms
^C
--- bbc.co.uk ping statistics ---
10 packets transmitted, 10 packets received, 0.0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 378.156/443.599/629.308/78.642 ms

PING google.com (173.194.36.104): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=0 ttl=55 time=499.677 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=1 ttl=55 time=419.409 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=2 ttl=55 time=399.267 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=3 ttl=55 time=399.108 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=4 ttl=55 time=379.059 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=5 ttl=55 time=408.790 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=6 ttl=55 time=418.426 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=7 ttl=55 time=408.273 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=8 ttl=55 time=398.006 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=9 ttl=55 time=377.897 ms
^C
--- google.com ping statistics ---
10 packets transmitted, 10 packets received, 0.0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 377.897/410.791/499.677/32.504 ms

Three (Huawei E5830 WiFi)

14:50 18/08/2010

http://www.speedtest.bbmax.co.uk/
1.
PING 176ms
DOWN 5153kbps
UP 1259kbps
2.
PING 182ms
DOWN 5005kbps
UP 1121kbps

http://speedtest.net/
1.
PING 171ms
DOWN 5416kbps
UP 1320kbps
2.
PING 171ms
DOWN 5017kbps
UP 1198kbps

PING bbc.co.uk (212.58.224.138): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=0 ttl=120 time=84.712 ms
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=1 ttl=120 time=95.232 ms
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=2 ttl=120 time=85.312 ms
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=3 ttl=120 time=93.225 ms
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=4 ttl=120 time=102.444 ms
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=5 ttl=120 time=91.973 ms
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=6 ttl=120 time=81.706 ms
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=7 ttl=120 time=86.460 ms
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=8 ttl=120 time=90.409 ms
64 bytes from 212.58.224.138: icmp_seq=9 ttl=120 time=90.058 ms
^C
--- bbc.co.uk ping statistics ---
10 packets transmitted, 10 packets received, 0.0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 81.706/90.153/102.444/5.725 ms
MacBook-Air-Rev-A:~ benfitter$

PING google.com (173.194.36.104): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=0 ttl=56 time=89.585 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=1 ttl=56 time=69.081 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=2 ttl=56 time=88.687 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=3 ttl=56 time=78.377 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=4 ttl=56 time=78.063 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=5 ttl=56 time=67.100 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=6 ttl=56 time=76.660 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=7 ttl=56 time=95.790 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=8 ttl=56 time=95.566 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=9 ttl=56 time=85.152 ms
^C
--- google.com ping statistics ---
10 packets transmitted, 10 packets received, 0.0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 67.100/82.406/95.790/9.648 ms