According to recent Quality of Service Experience (QoSE) tests by regional think tank LIRNEasia, Dialog Telekom's 1Mbps postpaid broadband package (HSPA) not only delivers more than promised in download speeds, but also offers better value for money (Kbps per USD) when compared to similar offerings by Mobitel and SLT. 

In its latest QoSE report, LIRNEasia compared download speeds of three similar broadband packages in Sri Lanka: Dialog Telekom's postpaid broadband (1Mbps); Mobitel's Zoom890 (1Mbps); and SLT's Office (2 Mbps). The QoSE methodology compares speeds (upload and download) of data transfer to different server locations (within ISP, within Sri Lanka, international), as well as other important indicators of quality.

The tests were performed at six time intervals on two weekdays in eleven locations across seven countries in South and Southeast Asia. Rather than comparing download speeds between packages in different locations, LIRNEasia analyzes package speed compared to what was promised by the operator, as well as the "value for money" (or Kbps per USD). 

"While the underlying technologies of the different packages would most certainly impact the performance, the focus of LIRNEasia's broadband QoSE benchmarking is on the comparison between what is promised or advertised versus the actual speeds delivered by the operators and how they measure up on RTT, Jitter and Packet loss thresholds," reports Shazna Zuhyle, Research Manager at LIRNEasia. In this light, the Dialog broadband package performed above expectations, while both SLT and Mobitel, below the advertised speeds. However, on other measures SLT performed considerably better than the Mobitel and Dialog packages on Round Trip Time (RTT, or the time delays in data transfer) as well as Jitter (the variation in time between the arrival of data packets).

"LIRNEasia's QoSE methodology offers much needed independent information for consumers to make informed decisions on broadband packages," said Ms. Zuhyle; "the TRC should promote such transparency in order to boost competition in the broadband market and improve service quality."
LIRNEasia is a regional ICT policy and regulation think tank active across the Asia Pacific. Its mission is to "improve the lives of the people of the emerging Asia-Pacific by facilitating their use of ICTs and related infrastructures; by catalyzing the reform of laws, policies and regulations to enable those uses through the conduct of policy-relevant research, training and advocacy with emphasis on building in-situ expertise." 

LIRNEasia conducts fixed broadband QoSE tests annually in the 3rd quarter. Mobile broadband QoSE tests will be reported for the first time in March 2011.   Additional information is available at http://www.lirneasia.net.