What is the fastest mobile operator in Italy? It depends where you live. The Agcom test

Now we can see which is the best mobile operator, in terms of quality offered for the internet, in our area, home, office, transit roads.
The Communications Authority (Agcom) published the comparative data by operator, a few days ago, for all areas of Italy. It is the result of official tests – the only ones certified by an authority – carried out in 2023 by the Ugo Bordoni Foundation (research institution founded in 1952 within the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications).

Average speed in Italy

The average test values nationwide have been known since February. From here it appears that the average value of download speed, for static measurements, is approximately 339 Mbps, while upload speed is approximately 59 Mbps, in Italy. Considering the urban dynamic measurements – therefore during a journey on foot or by car – the average download speed value is approximately 227 Mbps and approximately 45 Mbps in upload.

Average speed per area and comparison between operators

The news of a few days ago, as IlSole24Ore was able to verify, is instead both the availability of the measures for single geographical points in Italy, for 2023, and the comparison between operators. We find them here. We must therefore find the areas that interest us on the map and see the results by operators. Note that only here, in the tables by area, do we find a comparison by operators. However, it is not there for the national average; in short, the Authority does not say which is the fastest operator in Italy, on average. In fact, it appears that operators have always opposed this type of official comparison (which is instead available with measures from private companies or associations). It is also true, however, that users are above all interested in knowing who is the fastest operator in their areas and not on the national average. Furthermore, the differences, as we have seen with some sample extractions from the map, can be significant: depending on the area, Tim or Vodafone prevails (more rarely WindTre, but our analysis cannot have scientific statistical value). With a difference of even two or three times, in terms of speed found. We did two samplings in Milan (Duomo and Zara), three in Rome (Termini Station, Garbatella, North Rome) and one in Naples (Garibaldi Station). The Foundation tested the best technology available in that area, so 5G if there is it was 5G and 4G if there was only 4G. In all cases, however, it must be said that the speed is always adequate for normal internet uses: downloads on 5G usually exceed 100 Mbps (at least), so we should have real performance problems not even with the least performing operator in that area. Two practical considerations can be drawn from this. The first is that, at least if we have a mobile phone and a 5G tariff, there is no big difference between the three main operators; the rate we manage to obtain therefore becomes more important. This consideration explains why the price war has been so pressing in recent years: it is now difficult for a large operator to stand out for quality. The situation may be different with respect to virtual or smaller mobile operators, which however are not included in the Authority’s test. The second consideration: those who have particular needs for speed or who are uncomfortable, from this point of view, with their operator would do well to consult the map to understand who can give them a better service.

How the test was done

The measurements were made with professional instrumentation. These terminals are connected to the servers positioned at the borders of the mobile access network whose performance is to be evaluated; the technicians then carried out various analyzes on the data. It follows that this is the only scientific test of the quality of the Italian mobile network.