Finally! After years of LIRNEasia‘s efforts in promoting broadband QoSE monitoring the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) of Sri Lanka unveils its diagnostic tool to the public. It’s a shame the press release says (among other things), “There were no facilities available for subscribers to check and verify whether the operators were providing the internet services at speeds advertised by them.”, despite LIRNEasia‘s efforts and offers to adopt our free-to-use, free-for-all tool (beta version).
I just used the TRC software. You are given the option of testing the download speed of a 1 MB, 5 MB or 10 MB file from either a US or a European server. What I don’t quite get is:
1. Given the tool is available to the public, why doesn’t the TRC use the results to test and analyse quality and availability geographically? In addition, results from public tests can potentially be used to enhance TRC’s current test results.
2. Why not measure latency (or Round Trip Time, RTT) as well? (This is provided in the tests conducted by the TRC but not via the tool set up for public use. Further, latency is perhaps more useful for the vast majority who connect to browse the web. This link explains why.)
The TRC’s September 2011 results however, are not comparable with LIRNasia‘s (also conducted in September 2011 – blog post, results) primarily because the methodologies are different (I assume). Which brings about my next question – why doesn’t the TRC make their test methodology public?
Either way it is a big step for a regulator in the region. Congratulations TRC!
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