linkstate.org

The NZ Herald recently announced that they were running a survey of real-world broadband speeds here in New Zealand. Today they posted the results, and I’m pretty happy with what they have to report - that “Orcon’s results were significantly better than those of other providers”.

Testing methodology was based on the use of Epitiro Technologies isposure software, which is a software agent downloaded by end users and used to run a series of speedtests against a central server. The idea of this is to give a more “real world” gauge of service taking into account a telcos backhaul network and infrastructure rather than just the DSLAM/CMTS or line sync speed. Apparently, over 12,000 users were involved in the testing.

Test results in the Herald article are not all that detailed, but they do show:

- Orcon ahead by a long way with an average throughput of 5.2Mb
- An Auckland average of 3.8Mb. Orcon’s national average was 6.1Mb.
- Telstra next with 3.5Mb, and a Wellington average of 4.2Mb
- The national average at 3.4Mb
- Slingshot trailing the pack with a national average of 2.1Mb

No other specific results were listed, although Vodafone and Telecom were both cited as behind Telstra.

I’m obviously happy with the results. The high average in Auckland in particular is great, given that that’s where our UCLL network is primarily built. I was expecting better from Telstra, frankly, particularly in Wellington, where they cover large parts of the city with their own cable network.

I’m also pretty happy that our national average is clearly far higher that the other two ADSL2+ operators - Telecom and Vodafone.

Stuff has a brief piece covering the results here. TVNZ article here.

**Update 10pm: looks like it made TV3 news as well…