AIRTEL Broadband: Not-so-fast internet?

miuru
By miuru
3 Min Read

Almost every internet provider claims to be the fastest in the island. We’ve seen it before – phamphlets, billboards in Nugegoda, the lot. It seems Airtel has taken a step ahead, involving the TRCSL, a government entity, in their bogus advertising.

 

[quote]

From an advertisement on www.ft.lk and Ceylon Today FT

“Airtel broadband continues to be fastest data network in Sri Lanka”

Bharti Airtel said yesterday that in the speed test results of the periodical survey conducted by Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRC) for the month of August Airtel Lanka has been recognised as the leader in the category of 3G Mobile Broadband.

…………

[/quote]

 
Aside from delivering on a promise hinged on reliability, the TRC results reaffirm Airtel’s commitment to network excellence by showcasing a month on month win in mobile broadband speed tests against other operators in Sri Lanka.”

 

This test comes hot on the heels of an upgrade to the Airtel Network, which may or may not make Airtel the fastest: we all know that no matter how many Mbps a service provider promises, we end up getting only a certain fraction of it. What the Airtel advertisement conveniently neglects to mention is that the TRCSL survey carried out the test only in the area of Mirihana (No. 276A/1, Kotte Road Mirihana, Nugegoda). There is no actual proof to support for their claims. Their advertisement is essentially misleading the public into thinking that the TRCSL endorses Airtel’s leadership island-wide.

 

http://www.trc.gov.lk/broadband/304-broadband-speed-test-results-august-2012.html
http://www.trc.gov.lk/broadband/304-broadband-speed-test-results-august-2012.html

 

Airtel’s technology is not at fault here: it’s their advertising ethics that bother me. They’ve basically taken an incomplete area test conducted by the TRCSL and used that to word their advertisements in such a way as to make it appear that the TRCSL [which is an impartial entity] actually endorses Airtel over other service providers in the island.

 

If you’ve read this advertisement, take it with a grain of salt. Or several. When there is genuine proof of a network providing the fastest internet in every major district in Sri Lanka, then I’ll accept that said network truly is the leader. Until then, ladies and gentlemen, it’s all hogwash.

Happy downloading.

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  1. TRCSL does the speed test in four locations, Mirihana is just one of those locations.
    As per the TRCSL results Airtel tops all four locations. Yes, an island wide test is not conducted may be you should suggest the same to TRCSL

  2. You've got it wrong Shehan, have a look at the test results again. It's only at one location "No. 276A/1,
    Kotte Road Mirihana, Nugegoda" TEST LOCATION – JUBILEE POST MIRIHANA.. that's the test for Broadband providers.

  3. Yes as per TRC Airtel heads. But their article talks as though they are heading the entire islands and TRC has kinda approved it! Obisly who will bother to type that link from the newspaper and read it. Yes TRC should conduct island wide tests, without being limited the the Colombo, why aren’t they doing it? All deserve similar speeds isn’t it? Hope ReadMe could give an answer for this.

  4. I can tell you frankly that Airtel is pretty fast for me as i live in Pitakotte 🙂 My downloads are above the speed of 1Mbps..so downloads are pretty fast..many times i get around 2.8Mbps 🙂

  5. First of i have serious double about the mechanism of this test been conducted. But also we should keep in mind this is the only initiative that TRCSL took on broadband initiative.
    .

    Seems airtel hasn’t done anything wrong. What they have done just to refer the TRCSL. The test result publish in trc web site publicly and anyone can use it.

    The biggest issues operators facing is provide a stable speed during the busy hours. I have been using etisalat and dialog SIMs too. But what i notice that their speed during the 07 pm up to 11 pm is really bad. it is a disaster. Some times i couldn’t do a simple goggling during the time. But with the airtel i have noticed that they are providing a consistence speed during the day time as well as nigh time too. Might be they have lesser subscribers , but it want be a excuse to others like dialog and mobitel. They have to increase their capacities to full fill customer requests.

    Please refer the following article.
    http://www.ceylontoday.lk/33-11259-video-detail-e
    As Etisalat disclosing dual carrier deployment across island , why their speed is low at even the said location ?

    That is also same as other operators too. Dialog claiming they are in 4G role-out , but see they are unable to give any positive speed respond either.

  6. I guess it all depends on where u are located. In my experience, Etisalat is the fastest iv got in & around colombo, but their 3.5g coverage outstation is bad, where Dialog & Mobitel have good stable coverage but not great speed. I used to stay 1/2 km from the Mobitel tower in Pitakotte and got only max 700k. Now in Dehiwela i get over 1.5mbps, but was just over 500k in Pannala.I didnt have Etisalat coverage in Pannala. I hear Hutch has good coverage & stable speed too maybe cuz they dont have many subscribers @ present.

  7. I have used all the networks and I was REALLY REALLY FED-UP with Airtel, most useless network in the country. Next is Hutch then comes Mobitel. I'm a happy customer of Dialog & Etisalat both work like charm. I'm sorry to see that Miuru seem to be biased towards Airtel in his articles. This really make me think twice to read his articles, I'm sorry I have to say this. I really do not know what is the connection that you have with Airtel? But whatever it is you seems to be promoting them heavily it shows in your previous articles as well.

  8. I think the best thing a sri lankan can do is to buy 4 connections and when you go from place to place plug all in and connect with what is best and if none are not good enough remind yourself your in Sri Lanka. 🙂