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TrueNet's June Broadband Report ranks ISPs by the speed they can load overseas websites.
Webpage download times show Vodafone Cable* as the quickest with Orcon (Fibre), and Snap (Fibre/VDSL) a close second and third in the new international comparison.
It's notable from the testing that international speed has little correlation whether the user is on DSL or VDSL copper, cable or fibre for their domestic connection.
TrueNet principal John Butt agrees the Southern Cross Cable monopoly is likely a factor (it has plenty of bandwidth, but ISPs will not always buy as much as they should) but says the latency (or lag) inherent with international connections is a much bigger factor, smoothing out results.
TrueNet - one of two independent broadband testers under contract to the Commerce Commission - also ranks ISPs by the percentage of a plan's top advertised speed achieved in download tests.
Best speed consistency was achieved by Snap (ADSL & VDSL), Orcon (ADSL), Slingshot (ADSL), Voyager (VDSL) and Telecom, all of whom scored better than 95%.
Slingshot's unlimited ADSL plan was a noticeable laggard on 81%, as was Vodafone's full speed cable plan on 20%.
The best Fibre speed, Snap's 100Mbit/s service, is just 93% of advertised speed.
See TrueNet's full June report here.
* The hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) cable Vodafone inherited in parts of Wellington and Christchurch when it bought TelstraClear.
NBR staff
Mon, 15 Jul 2013
Mon, 15 Jul 2013
© All content copyright NBR. Do not reproduce in any form without permission, even if you have a paid subscription.
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TrueNet rates ISPs by international speed, percentage of advertised speed
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