Japan
Opensignal is the independent global standard for analyzing consumers' connectivity experiences. Our industry reports are the definitive guide to understanding what happens when people use their mobile and broadband connections in their daily life.
Japan
Opensignal is the independent global standard for analyzing consumers' connectivity experiences. Our industry reports are the definitive guide to understanding what happens when people use their mobile and broadband connections in their daily life.
Key Findings
The first Reliability Experience award in Japan goes to au
In the first Japan Mobile Network Experience report where we introduce this new metric, au wins Reliability Experience outright with a score of 939 points on a 100-1000 point scale — 12 points ahead of the runner-up NTT docomo. Opensignal’s Reliability Experience measures the ability of our users to connect to and successfully complete basic tasks on operators’ networks.
Au dethrones SoftBank for Consistent Quality
In the previous report, SoftBank won the Consistent Quality award outright. However, au pulls ahead of the previous winner due to an increase in its score of 2.2 percentage points. This metric measures if the network is sufficient to support common mobile application requirements at a level that is ‘good enough’ for users to maintain (or complete) various typical demanding tasks on their devices. It assesses a number of experience indicators such as download speed, upload speed, latency, jitter, packet loss, and time to first byte.
Rakuten Mobile wins both 5G speed awards, but au retains Download Speed Experience
Once again, Rakuten Mobile users enjoy the fastest 5G speeds in Japan. The operator wins the 5G Download Speed award outright with a score of 176.5Mbps, beating au by 21Mbps. Rakuten Mobile also defends the 5G Upload Speed award outright with a score of 27Mbps. While Rakuten Mobile remains the sole winner of Upload Speed Experience, au holds Download Speed Experience in a firm grip, with average download speeds clocking in at 54.7Mbps.
Au pulls ahead its rivals to win seven experiential awards outright
In the previous report, au won three experiential awards across eight available categories for both overall and 5G, taking all three jointly — namely Video Experience, Live Video Experience and 5G Voice App Experience. This time around, au pulls ahead of its competitors and wins seven experiential awards outright and one jointly — sharing 5G Video Experience with SoftBank. This is the first time that au has won so many awards, indicating a change in Japan’s competitive landscape.
NTT docomo wins overall and 5G Coverage Experience awards outright
NTT docomo wins 5G Coverage Experience for the third time in a row, with a score of 4.2 points on a 10-point score. The operator also wins Coverage Experience, with a score of 9.1 points on a 10-point score. This means NTT docomo has the widest and largest footprint of geographical coverage in populated areas out of all mobile operators in Japan.
Au dominates the regional awards table in Japan
Across Japanese regions, au leads the awards count with 20 outright and 18 shared wins in the Overall section, with the bulk of its sole wins in Live Video Experience, Games Experience and Voice App Experience. In the 5G Experience section, au and Rakuten Mobile win 11 awards outright each, but au also ends with 18 joint wins as well. Au also wins the most awards outright in the Consistency section — seven outright and seven jointly.
Mobile Experience Awards
Market Overview
In Opensignal's latest Japan Mobile Network Experience report we introduce Reliability Experience, which measures the ability of our users to connect to and successfully complete basic tasks on operators’ networks.
Au wins 10 awards outright and three jointly across all categories. This is the first time au wins so many awards, indicating a change in Japan’s competitive landscape. The operator substantially increases the count of its sole wins compared to the previous report, as it pulls ahead of its competitors for seven experiential awards and Consistent Quality. It also becomes the first ever winner for Reliability Experience. Rakuten Mobile retains three of its speed awards, while NTT docomo wins two awards outright and one jointly — all in the Coverage section. SoftBank shares the winners’ podium twice, with no sole wins this time around.
SoftBank has signed two partnerships — with Intelsat to build a hybrid 5G-satellite ubiquitous communications network and with Nokia to explore AI-RAN and 6G. SoftBank and au are also considering expanding the scope of their initiative to jointly roll-out 5G networks in Japan, through their joint venture 5G JAPAN.
Au has benefitted from relaxing of the satellite interference restrictions — this has led to an expansion of sub-6GHz coverage in April and May 2024, improving the coverage of large-capacity 5G services. Other operators in Japan have also achieved notable 5G deployments. NTT docomo has commercially deployed its New Radio-Dual Connectivity (NR-DC) across three spectrum bands — 3.7GHz, 4.5GHz and 28GHz — for high-speed data transmission in Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture. Meanwhile, Rakuten Mobile has launched 5G services across the country and is significantly improving its network speed and stability through software upgrades for its nationwide network of 5G base stations, using sub 6GHz spectrum, which is likely to lead to the operator increasing its 5G coverage.
In this report we examine the mobile network experience of the four main mobile network operators in Japan — NTT docomo, SoftBank, au and Rakuten — over a period of 90 days starting on July 01, 2024, and ending on September 28, 2024, to see how they fared. Docomo's other price plans (eximo, ahamo & irumo) are included in NTT docomo’s scores.
Overall Experience
National Analysis
In the previous report, SoftBank, au and Rakuten Mobile jointly won Video Experience. However, au breaks out of the statistical tie and claims the award all to itself this time around, with a score of 73 points on a 100-point scale, beating SoftBank by one point.
All Japanese operators rate as Very Good (68-78) — this means that our users are, on average, able to stream video at 1080p or better with satisfactory loading times and little stalling.
Video Experience scores account for adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR), a technology that allows Opensignal to accurately represent users' real video experience including video streams up to 4K quality.
Definitions
Opensignal’s Video Experience quantifies the quality of video streamed to mobile devices by measuring real-world video streams over an operator's networks. The metric is based on an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach, built upon detailed studies which have derived a relationship between technical parameters, including picture quality, video loading time and stall rate, with the perceived video experience as reported by real people. To calculate video experience, we are directly measuring video streams from end-user devices and using this ITU approach to quantify the overall video experience for each operator on a scale from 0 to 100. The videos tested include a mixture of resolutions — including Full HD (FHD) and 4K / Ultra HD (UHD) — and are streamed directly from the world’s largest video content providers.
In addition to Video Experience, we report on the following metrics related to video experience:
- 5G Video Experience: The average Video Experience of Opensignal users when they were connected to an operator’s 5G network.
- Video Experience – 5G Users: The average Video Experience of Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator's networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G video experience along with the availability of each technology.
- 4G Video Experience: The average Video Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 4G network.
- 3G Video Experience: The average Video Experience of Opensignal users on an operator’s 3G network.
National Analysis
In the previous report, au and Rakuten Mobile shared the winners’ podium for Live Video Experience. This time, au wins the Live Video Experience award outright with a score of 68.9 points on a 100-point scale and a lead of two points over SoftBank.
All operators rate as Excellent (58 or above) for Live Video Experience. Our users are, on average, able to stream video at least at 1080p with low loading times, little stalling and a satisfactory live offset.
Operators’ Live Video Experience scores are determined using a range of measures that impact users’ perceived live streaming viewing experience, including picture quality, video loading time, and stall rate, but also live playback offset — the time difference between real-time and the current playback position a viewer sees.
Unlike Video Experience, which represents on-demand video streams, Live Video Experience quantifies live video streaming used for current events. For example when users watch live sports, game streams, music concerts, or news where the event is happening at that moment in time.
Definitions
Opensignal’s Live Video Experience quantifies the quality of real-time video streamed to mobile devices by measuring video streams over an operator's network. The metric extends the existing International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach used for Opensignal's on-demand Video Experience metric, built upon detailed studies which have derived a relationship between technical parameters, including live playback offset, picture quality, video loading time and stall rate, with the perceived live video experience as reported by real people. To calculate live video experience, we are directly measuring live video streams from end-user devices and using this extension of ITU's approach to quantify the overall live video experience for each operator on a scale from 0 to 100. The videos tested include a mixture of resolutions and are streamed directly from the world’s largest video content providers.
National Analysis
Au overtakes the previous outright winner Rakuten Mobile and wins Games Experience outright with a score of 84.9 points on a 100-point scale — around three points ahead of statistically tied SoftBank and Rakuten Mobile.
All operators place in the Good (75-85) category. Most users deem the experience acceptable. The gameplay experience is generally controllable and the user receives immediate feedback between their actions and the outcomes in the game. Most users do not experience a delay between their actions and the game.
Definitions
Opensignal’s Games Experience measures how mobile users experience real-time multiplayer mobile gaming on an operator’s network. Measured on a scale of 0-100, it analyzes how our users’ multiplayer mobile gaming experience is affected by mobile network conditions including latency, packet loss and jitter.
Games Experience quantifies the experience when playing real-time multiplayer mobile games on mobile devices connected to servers located around the world. The approach is built on several years of research quantifying the relationship between technical network parameters and the gaming experience as reported by real mobile users. These parameters include latency (round trip time), jitter (variability of latency) and packet loss (the proportion of data packets that never reach their destination). Additionally, it considers multiple genres of multiplayer mobile games to measure the average sensitivity to network conditions. The games tested include some of the most popular real-time multiplayer mobile games (such as Fortnite, Pro Evolution Soccer and Arena of Valor) played around the world.
Calculating Games Experience starts with measuring the end-to-end experience from users’ devices to internet end-points that host real games. The score is then measured on a scale from 0 to 100.
In addition to Games Experience, we report on the following metrics related to games experience:
- 5G Games Experience: The average Games Experience of Opensignal users when they were connected to an operator’s 5G network.
- Games Experience – 5G Users: The average Games Experience of Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator's networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G games experience along with the availability of each technology.
- 4G Games Experience: The average Games Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 4G network.
- 3G Games Experience: The average Games Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 3G (e.g. UMTS/HSPA or CDMA 1X EV-DO) network.
National Analysis
In this report, au snatches the Voice App Experience award away from Rakuten Mobile — winning it outright with a score of 83.1 points on a 100-point scale.
All operators place in the Good (80-87) category — many users are satisfied but some experience minor quality impairments.
Definitions
Opensignal's Voice App Experience measures the quality of experience for over-the-top (OTT) voice services — mobile voice apps such as WhatsApp, Skype and Facebook Messenger — using a model derived from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach for quantifying overall voice call quality and a series of calibrated technical parameters. This model characterizes the exact relationship between the technical measurements and perceived call quality. Voice App Experience for each operator is calculated on a scale from 0 to 100.
In addition to Voice App Experience, we report on the following metrics related to voice app experience:
- 5G Voice App Experience: The average Voice App Experience of Opensignal users when they were connected to an operator’s 5G network.
- Voice App Experience – 5G Users: The average Voice App Experience of Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator's networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G voice app experience along with the availability of each technology.
- 4G Voice App Experience: The average Voice App Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 4G network.
- 3G Voice App Experience: The average Voice App Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 3G (e.g. UMTS/HSPA or CDMA 1X EV-DO) network.
National Analysis
Au holds Download Speed Experience in a firm grip, with the average overall download speeds seen by our au users clocking in at 54.7Mbps — 13% faster than those seen on runner-up NTT docomo. Au users have enjoyed the highest increase in average overall speed, of 4Mbps, since the last report.
Definitions
Measured in Mbps, Download Speed Experience represents the typical everyday speeds a user experiences across an operator’s mobile data networks.
In addition to Download Speed Experience, we report on the following metrics related to download speeds:
- 5G Download Speed: The average download speed observed by Opensignal users with active 5G connections.
- Download Speed Experience – 5G Users: The average download speeds experienced by Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator’s networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G download speeds along with the availability of each technology.
- 4G Download Speed: The average downlink speed observed by Opensignal users when they were connected to 4G.
- 3G Download Speed: The average downlink speed observed by Opensignal users when they were connected to 3G (e.g. UMTS/HSPA or CDMA 1X EV-DO).
National Analysis
Rakuten Mobile confirms its supremacy for Upload Speed Experience, winning the award again with a score of 17.2Mbps — twice as fast as statistically-tied for second place au and SoftBank.
Definitions
Upload Speed Experience measures the average upload speeds for each operator observed by our users across their mobile data networks. Typically upload speeds are slower than download speeds, as current mobile broadband technologies focus resources on providing the best possible download speed for users consuming content on their devices. As mobile internet trends move away from downloading content to creating content and supporting real-time communications services, upload speeds are becoming more vital and new technologies are emerging that boost upstream capacity.
In addition to Upload Speed Experience, we report on five supporting metrics related to upload speeds:
- 5G Upload Speed: The average upload speed observed by Opensignal users with active 5G connections.
- Upload Speed Experience – 5G Users: The average upload speeds experienced by Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator’s networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G upload speeds along with the availability of each technology.
- 4G Upload Speed: The average uplink speed observed by Opensignal users when they were connected to 4G.
- 3G Upload Speed: The average uplink speed observed by Opensignal users when they were connected to 3G (e.g. UMTS/HSPA or CDMA 1X EV-DO).
Regional Analysis
Regional Analysis Summary: Japan, Mobile Network Experience Report, October 2024
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5G Experience
National Analysis
Au joins SoftBank on the winners’ podium for 5G Video Experience, as both operators share the award with statistically tied scores of 77.7-77.8 points on a 100-point scale.
Regardless of their choice of a mobile operator, our Japanese users enjoy a Very Good (68-78) quality of 5G video services. They are, on average, able to stream video at 1080p or better with satisfactory loading times and little stalling.
At these high levels of 5G Video Experience several factors can significantly impact the final results — such as device mix, device settings, and operators’ efforts to balance battery life, data consumption, and video performance.
5G Video Experience scores account for adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR), a technology that allows Opensignal to accurately represent users' real video experience including video streams up to 4K quality.
Definitions
5G Video Experience quantifies the quality of mobile video experienced by Opensignal users on real-world video streams when they were connected to 5G. The metric is based on an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach, built upon detailed studies which have derived a relationship between technical parameters, including picture quality, video loading time and stall rate, with the perceived video experience as reported by real people. To calculate 5G Video Experience, we are directly measuring video streams from end-user devices and using this ITU approach to quantify the video experience observed by our users on each operator’s 5G network on a scale from 0 to 100. The videos tested include a mixture of resolutions — including Full HD (FHD) and 4K / Ultra HD (UHD) — and are streamed directly from the world’s largest video content providers.
National Analysis
SoftBank won 5G Live Video Experience in the previous report — but it loses this recognition to au this time around. The new winner claims this award with a score of 74.2 points on a 100-point scale, beating SoftBank by one point.
All operators have an Excellent (58 or above) rating for 5G Live Video Experience. Our users are, on average, able to stream video at least at 1080p with low loading times, little stalling and a satisfactory live offset.
Operators’ 5G Live Video Experience scores are determined using a range of measures that impact users’ perceived live streaming viewing experience, including picture quality, video loading time, and stall rate, but also live playback offset — the time difference between real-time and the current playback position a viewer sees.
Unlike 5G Video Experience, which represents on-demand video streams, 5G Live Video Experience quantifies live video streaming used for current events. For example when users watch live sports, game streams, music concerts, or news where the event is happening at that moment in time.
Definitions
Opensignal’s Live Video Experience quantifies the quality of real-time video streamed to mobile devices by measuring video streams over an operator's network. The metric extends the existing International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach used for Opensignal's on-demand Video Experience metric, built upon detailed studies which have derived a relationship between technical parameters, including live playback offset, picture quality, video loading time and stall rate, with the perceived live video experience as reported by real people. To calculate live video experience, we are directly measuring live video streams from end-user devices and using this extension of ITU's approach to quantify the overall live video experience for each operator on a scale from 0 to 100. The videos tested include a mixture of resolutions and are streamed directly from the world’s largest video content providers.
5G Live Video Experience quantifies the quality of mobile video experienced by Opensignal users on real-world live video streams when they were connected to 5G.
National Analysis
Au snatches the 5G Games Experience award from SoftBank, claiming it outright with a score of 91 points on a 100-point scale — two points ahead of SoftBank.
SoftBank and au place in the Excellent (85 or above) category, while NTT docomo and Rakuten place one category lower, in Good (75-85).
An Excellent (85 or above) rating means that the vast majority of users deem this network experience acceptable. Nearly all users feel like they have control over the game and they receive immediate feedback on their actions. There is not a noticeable delay in almost all cases.
Definitions
5G Games Experience measures how mobile users experience real-time multiplayer mobile gaming on an operator's 5G network. It analyzes how our users’ multiplayer mobile gaming experience was affected by mobile network conditions including latency, packet loss and jitter. 5G Games Experience for each operator is calculated on a scale from 0 to 100.
5G Games Experience quantifies the experience when playing real-time multiplayer mobile games on mobile devices connected to servers located around the world. The approach is built on several years of research quantifying the relationship between technical network parameters and the gaming experience as reported by real mobile users. These parameters include latency (round trip time), jitter (variability of latency) and packet loss (the proportion of data packets that never reach their destination). Additionally, it considers multiple genres of multiplayer mobile games to measure the average sensitivity to network conditions. The games tested include some of the most popular real-time multiplayer mobile games (such as Fortnite, Pro Evolution Soccer and Arena of Valor) played around the world. Calculating 5G Games Experience starts with measuring the end-to-end experience from users’ devices to internet end-points that host real games.
National Analysis
In the previous report, au and SoftBank were joint winners for 5G Voice App Experience. This time, au breaks out of the statistical tie and secures the award all to itself, with a score of 85.1 points.
All four national operators in Japan achieve the Good (80-87) rating for 5G voice app services. This means that many users are satisfied, but some experience minor quality impairments.
Definitions
5G Voice App Experience quantifies the experience of Opensignal users when using over-the-top voice apps — such as WhatsApp, Skype and Facebook Messenger — on an operator’s 5G network. It uses a model derived from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach for quantifying overall voice call quality and a series of calibrated technical parameters. This model characterizes the exact relationship between the technical measurements and perceived call quality. 5G Voice App Experience for each operator is calculated on a scale from 0 to 100.
National Analysis
Once again, Rakuten Mobile users enjoy the fastest 5G speeds in Japan. The operator wins the 5G Download Speed award outright with a score of 176.5Mbps, beating au by 21Mbps.
The only operator to observe substantial increases in its average 5G download speeds is au, which sees an increase of 27Mbps (21%) and moves up from fourth to second place.
Definitions
5G Download Speed shows the average download speed experienced by Opensignal users across an operator’s 5G network. 5G Download Speed for each operator is calculated in Mbps (Megabits per second).
National Analysis
Rakuten Mobile defends the 5G Upload Speed award outright with a score of 27Mbps. SoftBank comes second, 8Mbps behind the winner. Similar to 5G Download Speed, au is the only operator this time with improved 5G Upload Speed scores compared to the previous report.
Definitions
5G Upload Speed measures the average upload speeds experienced by Opensignal users across an operator’s 5G network. 5G Upload Speed for each operator is calculated in Mbps (Megabits per second).
Regional Analysis
Regional Analysis Summary: Japan, Mobile Network Experience Report, October 2024
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Coverage
National Analysis
NTT docomo leads for Coverage Experience with a score of 9.1 points on a 10-point scale and a winning margin of one point over au. This means NTT docomo has the widest and largest geographic footprint of coverage in populated areas out of all mobile operators in Japan.
The Coverage Experience metric has been updated to reflect the latest roaming arrangement between Rakuten Mobile and KDDI.
Definitions
The Opensignal Coverage Experience metric measures the extent of mobile networks in the places people live, work and travel. The metric represents the experience users receive as they travel around areas where they would reasonably expect to find coverage.
Traditional coverage metrics typically estimate either a percentage of land area covered, or a percentage of population covered; often neither will be an accurate measurement of the true user expectation and experience. In many markets there are areas where neither population density nor geographic area reflect the importance of coverage to users. For example, in a large mountain range most users will not expect coverage in the wilderness, but poor coverage in the relatively small area of a ski resort is critical for the enjoyment of a holiday. Estimates based purely on population give undue significance to coverage in the most densely populated areas.
Coverage Experience measures geographic coverage of populated areas and therefore more accurately reflects the coverage expectations and experience of typical users. It can give a result that is somewhat different to traditional estimates based on either geographic or population measures. The metric uses a scale from 0 to 10.
National Analysis
NTT docomo wins 5G Coverage Experience for the third time in a row, this time with a score of 4.2 points on a 10-point score. It leads au by one point. All Japanese operators have enjoyed increases in their 5G Coverage Experience scores, between 0.3 and 0.4 points.
Definitions
The Opensignal Coverage Experience metric measures the extent of mobile networks in the places people live, work and travel. The metric represents the experience users receive as they travel around areas where they would reasonably expect to find coverage.
Traditional coverage metrics typically estimate either a percentage of land area covered, or a percentage of population covered; often neither will be an accurate measurement of the true user expectation and experience. In many markets there are areas where neither population density nor geographic area reflect the importance of coverage to users. For example, in a large mountain range most users will not expect coverage in the wilderness, but poor coverage in the relatively small area of a ski resort is critical for the enjoyment of a holiday. Estimates based purely on population give undue significance to coverage in the most densely populated areas.
Coverage Experience measures geographic coverage of populated areas and therefore more accurately reflects the coverage expectations and experience of typical users. It can give a result that is somewhat different to traditional estimates based on either geographic or population measures. The metric uses a scale from 0 to 10.
5G Coverage Experience shows the proportion of places Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription had an active 5G connection.
National Analysis
There are two joint winners of the Availability award in this report — au and NTT docomo, with statistically tied scores of 99.6-99.7%. These scores represent the proportion of time Opensignal users spend with a 5G, 4G or 3G mobile signal.
Definitions
Our availability metrics are not a measure of a network’s geographical extent. They won’t tell you whether you are likely to get a signal if you plan to visit a remote rural or nearly uninhabited region. Instead, they measure what proportion of time people have a network connection, in the places they most commonly frequent — something often missed by traditional coverage metrics. Looking at when users have a connection rather than where, provides us with a more precise reflection of the true user experience.
We also keep track of the instances that leave mobile users most frustrated: when there is no signal to connect to at all. The most common dead zones users struggle with occur indoors. As most of our availability data is collected indoors (as that’s where users spend most of their time), we’re particularly astute at detecting areas of zero signal.
Our availability metrics take a user-centric, time-based approach that complements the user-centric and geographical-based methodology used by our reach metrics.
Availability shows the proportion of time all Opensignal users on an operator’s network had either a 3G, 4G or 5G connection.
National Analysis
For the third consecutive time, au and SoftBank share the 5G Availability award, with statistically tied scores of 12.1-12.3%. This means, our 5G users spend more than 12% of their time with an active 5G connection on the winners’ networks. All operators have recorded increases in their 5G Availability scores, with Rakuten Mobile seeing the highest boost, of 3.3 percentage points.
Definitions
Our availability metrics are not a measure of a network’s geographical extent. They won’t tell you whether you are likely to get a signal if you plan to visit a remote rural or nearly uninhabited region. Instead, they measure what proportion of time people have a network connection, in the places they most commonly frequent — something often missed by traditional coverage metrics. Looking at when users have a connection rather than where, provides us with a more precise reflection of the true user experience.
We also keep track of the instances that leave mobile users most frustrated: when there is no signal to connect to at all. The most common dead zones users struggle with occur indoors. As most of our availability data is collected indoors (as that’s where users spend most of their time), we’re particularly astute at detecting areas of zero signal.
Our availability metrics take a user-centric, time-based approach that complements the user-centric and geographical-based methodology used by our reach metrics.
5G Availability shows the proportion of time Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription had an active 5G connection.
Regional Analysis
Regional Analysis Summary: Japan, Mobile Network Experience Report, October 2024
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A-I
- Chubu
- Chugoku
- Hokkaido
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J-R
- Kanto
- Kinki
- Kyushu
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- Shikoku
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Consistency
National Analysis
In the previous report, SoftBank won the Consistent Quality award outright. However, au pulls ahead of the previous winner due to an increase in its score of 2.2 percentage points.
This metric measures if the network is sufficient to support common mobile application requirements at a level that is ‘good enough’ for users to maintain (or complete) various typical demanding tasks on their devices. It assesses a number of experience indicators such as download speed, upload speed, latency, jitter, packet loss, and time to first byte.
Definitions
Consistent Quality measures if the network is sufficient to support common mobile application requirements at a level that is ‘good enough’ for users to maintain (or complete) various typical tasks on their devices.
We combine different experience indicators such as download speed, upload speed, latency, jitter, packet discard, and time to first byte to calculate Consistent Quality. These components are evaluated against thresholds recommended by various more demanding common applications used for a range of common tasks.
To calculate the metric value, the proportion of tests that pass the requirements of Consistent Quality is multiplied by the test success ratio, which is the proportion of completed tests to all tests conducted. Tests that pass indicate that activities such as video calling, uploading an image to social media, or using smart home applications will be possible without noticeable lag or slowdown.
National Analysis
In the first report where we introduce this new award, au wins Reliability Experience outright with a score of 939 points on a 100-1000 point scale — 12 points ahead of the runner-up NTT docomo.
Opensignal’s Reliability Experience measures the ability of our users to connect to and successfully complete basic tasks on operators’ networks. It consists of the following components:
a) Signal Availability — the proportion of time Opensignal users can successfully receive mobile network signal,
b) Data Connectivity — the proportion of time when the network is available and the device can connect to the internet,
c) Task Completion — whether tasks initiated by the user’s device are completed,
d) Sufficiency — the probability that (basic) tasks will be executed sufficiently well for the user.
Definitions
Opensignal’s Reliability Experience measures the ability of Opensignal users to connect to and successfully complete (basic) tasks on communication service providers’ (CSP) networks. It analyzes how much Opensignal users’ experience is affected by the radio access and core network, along with issues that prevent them from connecting to the internet even if they have a connection to their CSP’s network. It also factors in users’ ability to successfully use lower performance applications including SD video, over-the-top voice calls and web browsing.
Regional Analysis
Regional Analysis Summary: Japan, Mobile Network Experience Report, October 2024
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A-I
- Chubu
- Chugoku
- Hokkaido
-
J-R
- Kanto
- Kinki
- Kyushu
-
S-Z
- Shikoku
- Tohoku
in Chubu