Ookla, Which Named Airtel 'Fastest Mobile Network', Clarifies Testing Method

Clarifying its testing method, broadband speed tester Ookla on Wednesday said data accuracy and neutrality is of utmost importance and the company goes to great lengths to ensure that the information collected on any Speedtest internet test is verifiably correct.

"Data accuracy and neutrality is of the utmost importance to Ookla and the company goes to great lengths to ensure that the information collected on any speedtest internet test is verifiably correct," the company said in a statement.

Reliance Jio lodged a complaint with the advertising watchdog - Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) - on Monday against broadband tester Ookla declaring Airtel as the "Fastest Mobile Network" in India, but Ookla on Tuesday clarified that test was based on third and fourth quarter data of 2016.

"Ookla named Airtel as the 'Fastest Mobile Network' in India based on data from Q3 and Q4 of 2016. When analysing markets, like India, we take many factors into consideration, including dual SIM devices, network technology, device types and more," said Jamie Steven, COO, Speedtest by Ookla, in a statement on Tuesday.

"Ookla has boldly stated that they stand by their results and has skirted the main issue. We will initiate actions as we deem fit at appropriate forums. The public should not be misled by these false claims based on the Ookla results," said Reliance Jio spokesperson on Tuesday.

Ookla reiterated that it fully stands behind the accuracy and reliability of the methodology used to designate Airtel as "India's Fastest Mobile Network".

"The core issue is that the speedtest results are attributed to the primary SIM even though the SIM for which the data speedtest is conducted is the secondary SIM in the case of dual-SIM phones," said Jio spokesperson on Tuesday.

Newcomer Reliance Jio, which has over 100 million subscribers, has also separately served a legal notice to Ookla for what it has termed as its "flawed" test.

Ookla on Wednesday said much of the commentary has focused on dual SIM devices. "The carrier displayed in the Speedtest Android application is based on the 'active carrier' value returned by the device. Due to limitations of the Android platform, the 'active carrier' does not always indicate the actual data provider in devices with multiple SIMs."

"In these situations, Ookla applies additional data sources and mechanisms during post processing to help determine the actual data carrier being tested," it added.