Netflix says Digicel has slowest Broadband Internet – Why Digicel still slow after CLARO despite Apples and Oranges as 4G LTE beckons

“Cable, fibre and DSL technologies offered by other telecommunications providers in Jamaica are different services designed for different uses to mobile and wireless Internet services delivered by Digicel”

Digicel in a statement to the Financial Gleaner commenting on their ranking under the Netflix's ISP Index

Digicel just got it told straight to their face by Netflix.

This as Netflix has called them out as being the slowest of twenty six (26) Internet Providers in the Caribbean as noted in the article “Digicel labels Netflix streaming index unfair”, published Wednesday, February 04, 2015 BY STEVEN JACKSON Business reporter, The Jamaica Observer.

To be precise, Netflix's ISP Index for the month of December 2014 rated Digicel at 0.69Mbps, with Mexico's Totalplay being the fastest of the lot in the region at a speed of 3.53Mbps as noted in the article “Netflix Ranks Digicel As Slowest In The Region”, published Friday February 6, 2015 by Neville Graham, The Jamaica Gleaner.

In fact, Telecom Provider Digicel is rated as being the slowest of the three (3) Telecom Providers in Jamaica.

To compare, here's the results from the Netflix's ISP Index for Jamaica:

1.      2.37Mbps for Flow

2.      1.38Mbps for LIME 

3.      0.69Mbps for Digicel

But wait.

Not only is Digicel the slowest in the region, but on average, Jamaica has the slowest Broadband Speeds in the world as per the graph below.

So how did Netflix arrive at this conclusion? Their methodology may surprise you.

Netflix says Digicel has slowest Broadband Internet – Apples and Oranges, says Digicel

This news is welcome by Geezam as it is vindication for one of our Writers Horace who criticized the company for their poor service back in September 2011 in his Geezam blog article “Digicel WiMaX: One Year After Launch”.

He did a detailed his experiences with Digicel WiMaX service, which they called Digicel 4G Broadband in a two (2) part expose back in August of 2010 as noted in his Geezam blog articles “Digicel Jamaica WiMaX Review - Part 1” and “Digicel Jamaica WiMaX Review - Part 2”.

So now with Netflix bringing up the Calvary in the form of the Netflix's ISP Index, it's clear our fellow Blogger wasn't lying!!!

I too have issues with Digicel’s 4G Broadband service, albeit not speed, as I’m a blogger. I’m more curious as to how Digicel is planning to upgrade people who purchase the older Greenpacket Dx-250 Modem to the Greenpacket EX-250 Modem that got the extra perk of Wi-Fi as noted in my blog article entitled “@Digicel_Jamaica Greenpacket Ex-250 Modem – No Exchange for a Greenpacket Dx-250 Modem as Data Prices haven’t changed since 2013”.

Though admittedly as minor issue, their lack of interest in upgrading persons with these modems is an indication that they have no intention to upgrade the gear being used by customers!

Yes, to be fair, Netflix's methodology of sampling 3 hours of THEIR OWN Peak Streaming periods based on their internal statistics is questionable, quote: “The Netflix ISP Speed Index lists the average prime time bitrate for Netflix content streamed to Netflix members during a particular month. For 'prime time' we take the peak three hours of Netflix streaming on a daily basis per ISP”.

Telecom Provider Digicel was quick to point out that you can't compare Apples and Oranges, as Cable Broadband, Wireless 3G, ADSL (Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line) and FTTH (Fiber to the House) face different challenges as reliable medium for Broadband Internet, quote: “Cable, fibre and DSL technologies offered by other telecommunications providers in Jamaica are different services designed for different uses to mobile and wireless Internet services delivered by Digicel….. it is misleading and unhelpful to compare the two”.

Digicel still the slowest after CLARO Takeover - 4G LTE can't come soon enough

However, Netflix was least good to cover themselves by adding that it's a test of ISP (Internet Service Provider) from their end, hence they can’t swear for Theoretical values for the Telecom Provider’s end in their country or even the actual Mbps speeds of streaming in Jamaica, quote: “...we cannot record accurate bitrates and streaming over identified mobile networks. The speed shown on the Netflix ISP Speed Index is not a measurement of an ISP's maximum network throughput or capacity”.

So clearly Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Philip Paulwell is being deceived by his technocrats as to the state of Broadband Internet in Jamaica as noted in the cartoon below.

But one more look at the Graph should make it abundantly clear how far behind we are.

We've been in the bottom quarter for Broadband speeds for quite some time. Simply put, despite the protests of Digicel, speeds haven't increased since Digicel took over CLARO as noted in my blog article entitled “America Movil - Digicel Jamaica Swap is Final”.

Even if Digicel protests the unfair comparison and Netflix's lack of sources being stated in the Netflix's ISP Index, accounting for error in measurement, that's STILL an AWFULLY long time to be at the bottom of a Table where the highest Internet speed in the region is only 1Mbps faster than the fastest Internet Provider in Jamaica, that being FLOW!

Digicel, who have almost completed their Underground Fiber Optic Network as per my blog article entitled “Digicel's First Phase of Underground Fiber Optic Network completed - How Digicel's Tier III Data Center, FTTH, VoIP and Streaming possible in Year of the Sheep 2015” need to hurry and build the 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) Network.

That'll boost that average and change the trend on that graph, making Jamaica appear more Broadband-ready, whether or not Netflix's ISP Index is unfairly comparing Apples and Oranges.

Still, dear reader, I cannot convince you with my words. Here's the link:

Netflix's ISP Index