Canadians trying to decide on cellular services between Rogers, Bell, and Telus will have to compromise on one factor or another.
According to figures published by Opensignal, neither of the three providers has the best overall service when examining areas that are important to a good mobile experience. Whether it is video experience or download speeds, each of the three providers has its struggles.
Opensignal’s Mobile Network Experience Report examines data collected nationally between April 1st and June 29th. The analysis shows Rogers offered the best video and live video experience. Rogers is the only provider to rate “very good” in the video experience category, with users being able to stream video at 720p or better.
Rogers also offered the best upload speeds. With an average of 11.6 Mbps, the operator provided speeds between “0.9-1.2Mbps faster than Telus and Bell.” In terms of consistency, which sees Opensignal measure how sufficiently a network can support common mobile applications, Rogers took the category again. With a score of 76.4 percent, the company led by 0.6 points over Bell. Telus has a score of 73.2 percent.
Telus had the best score for voice app experience. This category measures quality for over-the-top voice apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. The operator had a score of 76.9. Bell followed closely behind with 76.1. Rogers had the lowest score of 75.9.
Along with Bell, Telus also topped the category for the best download speed experience. This was a division Bell previously held itself, but as Opensignal’s analysis notes, “the average speeds on Bell have remained statistically unchanged.” Comparatively, Telus’ and Rogers’ speeds improved by 3.5 percent, allowing the former to catch up with Bell.
Overall, the download speeds for Bell and Rogers averaged between 73.9 and 75.2Mbps, which is 22.5 percent faster than Rogers’ download speeds.
All three providers scored similarly when it comes to availability, between 99 and 99.1 percent across their networks. “This means users across all three networks spend at least 99% of time connected to a 3G or better cellular signal,” the report notes.
The 5G experience
On the 5G side, all three carriers have an “excellent” national rating for live video experience. The category focuses on measurements that impact streaming live events. Rogers scored 64.2 points, two points ahead of the statically tied Bell and Telus.
The company also offered the best 5G availability, video, and games experience. With a score of 12.1 percent in the availability category, it scored higher than the statistically tied score of Bell and Telus.
“This means that, on average, 5G users in Canada spend 11-12.1 percent time connected to an active 5G signal, depending on their choice of carrier,” the report states.
Source: Opensignal
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