SA’s broadband value really sucks
Posted: 12 Jul 2011, 09:37
Ookla’s Speedtest.net service allows consumers to test their broadband speed and compare their speed with other consumers in South Africa and globally.
In October 2010 Ookla expanded their popular Net Index service to allow consumers to compare the value of their broadband offering through its House Value Index.
Ookla’s House Value Index compares and ranks consumer broadband value around the globe, allowing the public to evaluate and compare median cost per megabit per second (Mbps) for a given location.
In addition, this new index attempts to show the relative cost of broadband in various countries by using GDP per Capita as a proxy for average income.
South Africa’s broadband value
South Africa was recently added to Ookla’s House Value Index, and the results are not encouraging.
South Africa is ranked stone last (number 62 out of 62 countries) with an average price of $39.20 (R262) per Mbps – significantly higher than the international average of $9.77 (R65) per Mbps.
This means that South Africans get a raw deal when it comes to overall global broadband value.
Some consolation is that South Africa’s global broadband value rank increases to 56 when taking into account GDP per capita.
According to Ookla’s Household Value Index, South Africa has an average broadband cost of $80.39 (R537) per month – 17% of the average monthly GDP per capita.
Bulgaria provides the best broadband value proposition with a per Mbps price of $0.69, followed by Romania with $1.09, and the Republic of Moldova with $1.17. It should be noted that Asian countries such as Korea and Japan are not included in Ookla’s current House Value Index list.
Ookla Household Value Index
Rank | Country | Average Monthly Cost (USD) | Cost/Mbps (USD)
1 | Bulgaria | 15.57 | 0.69
2 | Romania | 20.46 | 1.09
3 | Republic of Moldova | 16.24 | 1.17
17 | United Kingdom | 31.89 | 3.72
29 | United States | 46.90 | 5.69
43 | New Zealand | 58.91 | 9.25
45 | Australia | 63.84 | 10.58
57 | Egypt | 30.64 | 26.45
62 | South Africa | 80.39 | 39.20
Source
In October 2010 Ookla expanded their popular Net Index service to allow consumers to compare the value of their broadband offering through its House Value Index.
Ookla’s House Value Index compares and ranks consumer broadband value around the globe, allowing the public to evaluate and compare median cost per megabit per second (Mbps) for a given location.
In addition, this new index attempts to show the relative cost of broadband in various countries by using GDP per Capita as a proxy for average income.
South Africa’s broadband value
South Africa was recently added to Ookla’s House Value Index, and the results are not encouraging.
South Africa is ranked stone last (number 62 out of 62 countries) with an average price of $39.20 (R262) per Mbps – significantly higher than the international average of $9.77 (R65) per Mbps.
This means that South Africans get a raw deal when it comes to overall global broadband value.
Some consolation is that South Africa’s global broadband value rank increases to 56 when taking into account GDP per capita.
According to Ookla’s Household Value Index, South Africa has an average broadband cost of $80.39 (R537) per month – 17% of the average monthly GDP per capita.
Bulgaria provides the best broadband value proposition with a per Mbps price of $0.69, followed by Romania with $1.09, and the Republic of Moldova with $1.17. It should be noted that Asian countries such as Korea and Japan are not included in Ookla’s current House Value Index list.
Ookla Household Value Index
Rank | Country | Average Monthly Cost (USD) | Cost/Mbps (USD)
1 | Bulgaria | 15.57 | 0.69
2 | Romania | 20.46 | 1.09
3 | Republic of Moldova | 16.24 | 1.17
17 | United Kingdom | 31.89 | 3.72
29 | United States | 46.90 | 5.69
43 | New Zealand | 58.91 | 9.25
45 | Australia | 63.84 | 10.58
57 | Egypt | 30.64 | 26.45
62 | South Africa | 80.39 | 39.20
Source
