File Download Time

This indicator reflects the user's experience of file transfer download, i.e., the waiting time until the transfer is concluded.

According to Figure 40, the average download times present no major differences among operators, overall, except in Porto, where Vodafone's times are considerably lower.

Figure 40 - Average file Download Time per operator and municipality

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The considerable dispersion of download speeds presented on Figure 27 and Figure 28 have a correspondence in the transfer times, as shown on Figure 41 and Figure 42.

As observed, about 40% of Optimus' measurements in Lisbon record average times between 8 and 9 seconds, and overall only 22% exceeded 10 seconds. In the same municipality and for TMN, 40% of the measurements stand between 6-7 seconds. In Porto, these trends are even more accentuated. Regarding Vodafone, no category stands out, since download speeds display a more irregular behaviour.

Figure 41 - Frequency distribution per operator and Download Time category for the municipality of Lisbon

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Figure 42 - Frequency distribution per operator and Download Time category for the municipality of Porto

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According to Figure 45, which reflects the average values associated to Figure 43 and Figure 44, download times vary considerably during the day, with records ranging from 7.4 to 15.2 seconds along the day for the same file, i.e., more than twice the time for a transfer in the 22h-00h period than in regards to the 08h-10h period. In Porto, TMN presents the records with the highest variation, ranging from 8.8 to 12.3 seconds along the day.

Variations are less significant along the week, as shown on Figure 46.

Lisbon

Figure 43 - Frequency distribution per operator, time period and Download Time category for the municipality of Lisbon

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Porto

Figure 44 - Frequency distribution per operator, time period and Download Time category for the Municipality of Porto

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Figure 45 - Average file Download time per operator, time period and municipality

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Figure 46 - Average file Download time per operator, weekday and municipality

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Differences between the average values of file transfer download, per operator and destination server, are less relevant than those recorded for the corresponding speed. Even so, depending on the operator and on the location of the target server, the same file may take on average between 5.83 and 16.43 seconds to transfer (Figure 47), which are quite different values, considering it is the same technology and that tariff schemes are similar.

In short, when compared with the values recorded in Lisbon and Porto, these values are quite close among them, except for Vodafone in Porto, which presents considerably lower average times for all servers.

Figure 47 - Average file Download time per operator, server and municipality

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Isolating the measurements obtained for the National server, Figure 48 and Figure 49, there are virtually no transfer times above 10 seconds for the three operators, Vodafone maintaining the tendency for having a lower record of concentration in particular intervals.

Figure 48 - Frequency distribution per operator and Download Time category for the municipality of Lisbon for the National server

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Figure 49 - Frequency distribution per operator and Download Time category for the municipality of Porto for the National server

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