Fibre ISPs with the highest average speeds

The Q3 2021 MyBroadband Insights data reveals that Cybersmart, Webafrica, and Cool Ideas are the Internet service providers (ISPs) with the highest average download speeds.

MyBroadband Insights collected data from MyBroadband’s web-based speed tests and its Android and iOS speed test apps.

MyBroadband’s speed test servers are hosted in Teraco’s vendor-neutral data centres to ensure a neutral testing environment.

Through NAPAfrica, all network operators present at its peering points are provided with a free 10Gbps connection to the MyBroadband Speed Test platform.

During the third quarter, MyBroadband Insights collected 2 million speed tests from South African fixed-broadband users.

This data was processed to get an accurate reflection of the average broadband speed per ISP.

The results revealed that Cybersmart is the ISP with the highest average download speed at 113Mbps.

Cybersmart’s exceptional performance is not surprising. Its default Lightspeed fibre-to-the-home product is a 500Mbps service.

Webafrica ranked second on 85Mbps, Cool Ideas third on 71Mbps, and Afrihost fourth on 58Mbps.

It should be noted that these speeds are mainly a reflection of user profiles and not necessarily of the network quality of an ISP.

ISPA chairperson, Andre van der Walt, said speed tests should be viewed as rough guides to the quality of broadband connections.

“Performing a speed test and then rating one’s satisfaction with an ISP does provide some information, but there are other considerations when selecting an ISP,” said Van der Walt.

These considerations, he said, include online consumer ratings, what your friends say about the ISP, and whether it is an established corporate entity.

ISPs with the fastest average speeds

The table below provides an overview of the average speeds of prominent South African ISPs.

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