Broadband in SA still sucks

ADSL South Africa (Broadband South Africa), 5 October 2009

We have made progress but the broadband landscape in South Africa still looks pretty bad when compared to the broadband landscapes in other countries. According to the latest Broadband Quality Study we fail horribly as a country when it comes to broadband quality, broadband availability and broadband penetration. 

60th out of 66 countries… 

South Africa came 60th out of 66 countries surveyed in the latest Broadband Quality Study. We achieved a Broadband Quality Score (BQS) of only 21 which really sucks if one considers that the international average is 31. 

How is broadband quality measured by the Broadband Quality Study?

Speed and latency values.  

Broadband quality is measured in terms download speeds, upload speeds and latency value. The higher the download and upload speeds the better the quality of the broadband offer. On the other hand, the lower the latency offered the better the reaction time (time that elapses between a stimulus and the response to it) and thus the quality of the broadband offered. Latency is especially important to online gamers since no one in his/her right mind can play and enjoy online gaming when the reaction time is down in the gutter.

In other words, the Broadband Quality Study looks at download and upload speeds as well as latency values. Unfortunately the time it takes Telkom to install an ADSL line is not used as a measure of the broadband quality offered in SA, the focus is more on the quality of the broadband services offered after installation.

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