In the first quarter of 2020, around 286,000 tests were carried out on Internet speed using NET.mede, mostly on fixed accesses. This number represents an increase of 58%, which was contributed to by the countless tests carried out since the beginning of the pandemic, decreed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 11 March 2020.
Considering the tests carried out using NET.mede on fixed accesses, half had a download speed of at least 49 Mbps and an upload speed of at least 23 Mbps. In average terms, speeds stood at around 89 Mbps and 44 Mbps, respectively.
The Autonomous Region of Madeira had the best results for fixed accesses, both average downloads (83 Mbps) and uploads (49 Mbps) measured, immediately followed by the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, with downloads at 66 Mbps, and the Centre Region, with uploads at 38 Mbps. The Algarve had the lowest values for both parameters, at 37 Mbps for downloads and 16 Mbps for uploads.
By municipality, the average download measured in fixed tests was greater than or equal to 50 Mbps in tests in 130 municipalities (42% out of a total of 306 municipalities with speed tests), while in 47 municipalities (15%), the average obtained was less than 24 Mbps.
The average upload measured obtained a value greater than or equal to 50 Mbps in 65 municipalities (21%) and a total of 117 municipalities (39%) had an average value of less than 24 Mbps.
With regard to the tests carried out using NET.mede on mobile accesses, half recorded a download speed of at least 7 Mbps and an upload speed of 5 Mbps or more. The average values were around 14 Mbps and 8 Mbps, respectively.
For downloads, the Autonomous Region of the Azores had the best average result measured for mobile access (10.3 Mbps), followed by the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (8.1 Mbps). In turn, the Algarve had the lowest result (5.6 Mbps).
For uploads, the average results were very similar, varying between 4.7 Mbps (in the North and in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area) and 4.2 Mbps (in the Autonomous Region of Madeira).
By municipality, the average download was higher than 10 Mbps in tests in 90 municipalities (32% out of a total of 283 municipalities with speed tests), while in 121 municipalities (43%), the average stood at less than 5 Mbps.
The average upload measured obtained a value higher than 10 Mbps in 24 municipalities (8%) and a total of 69 municipalities (24%) had an average value of between 5 Mbps and 10 Mbps.
It should be noted that these results should not be extrapolated for Internet users in Portugal, nor in the regions analysed, as it is not possible to guarantee the necessary statistical representativity of the group of users. It should also be noted that the tests are carried out by the users on a voluntary basis rather than on a random one. In addition to the speed contracted, the results of the tests are also influenced by other factors, which are related to the specific test circumstances of each user.
This is the first quarterly report on the tests carried out by NET.mede users on their Internet access services, particularly in terms of download and upload speeds. This information, which covers the speed tests carried out using the NET.mede browser or app (https://netmede.pt/apphttps://netmede.pt/app), complements the statistics, which are still available online , for the tests carried out using the browser only (https://netmede.pt/https://netmede.pt/). The more detailed report can be accessed herehttps://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=1554161. The disclosure of this quarterly report is aimed at reinforcing and improving the information at the disposal of consumers on this subject.
NET.mede is an ANACOM service which allows users to test some quality parameters for their Internet service (fixed and mobile), from their computer, smartphone or tablet. NET.mede became available in late 2013, as a speed test that could be carried out from the browser. The NET.mede app later became available, as well as the reserved My NET.mede area, for carrying out more complete tests and checking the results of these. These were renewed in late 2019.
