Vodafone Pro II Broadband
Claims Substantiation
October 2022
Image: Two grey, cylindrical WiFi devices and a smaller white base unit, representing the Vodafone Ultra Hub and Super WiFi6E Booster.
The UK's Fastest WiFi Technology Throughout the Home
with the UK's first WiFi6E Ultra Hub and Booster
Introduction
Vodafone has introduced its new Pro II Broadband, powered by the Ultra Hub and Super WiFi6E Booster, and backed up with 4G Broadband Back-Up.
The company claims "UK's Fastest WiFi Technology throughout the Home" compared to other major home broadband providers.
- The Ultra Hub and Super WiFi6E Boosters are the only WiFi6E enabled broadband devices provided by major home broadband providers to customers with their broadband plans. Hub and boosters can be placed throughout a customer's home based on their requirements.
- WiFi6E is the latest technical standard for WiFi, introducing a new 6GHz frequency that acts as a "fast lane" for compatible end-user devices.
- Vodafone's Pro II technology, based on WiFi6E end-user device testing, reportedly outperforms the competition in terms of speed.
What is WiFi6E?
WiFi6E is a new WiFi chipset standard providing faster connections for compatible end-user devices.
| WiFi Specification | What it means? | Speeds supported |
|---|---|---|
| WiFi6E | Introduced a new frequency that creates a "fast 6Ghz lane" for compatible devices, reducing load on the 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz frequencies, allowing them to be more performant with devices throughout home. | 6Ghz - 4.8Gbps 5Ghz - 4.8Gbps 2.4Ghz - 1.2Gbps Total available speed: 10.8Gbps |
| WiFi6 | 6GHz offers faster data rates over shorter distances to devices with WiFi6E capability. Introduced improved performance for the 5Ghz frequencies, meaning faster WiFi signals get throughout the home. | 5Ghz - 4.8Gbps 2.4Ghz - 1.2Gbps Total available speed: 6Gbps |
| WiFi5 | The most common WiFi chipset in major internet service provider hubs. This chipset heralded dual band WiFi frequencies which extended reach and capacity so that more devices could operate without a wired connection. | 5Ghz - 1.733Gbps 2.4Ghz - 433Mbps Total available speed: 2.2Gbps |
Specification of our new Ultra Hub versus other providers
The Ultra Hub Specification
- Class: Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6E
- Antennae: 4x4 + 4x4 + 4x4
- Ethernet Ports: 1 x 2.5G Ethernet, 2 x 1G Ethernet
- Wireless encryption: WPA2 + WPA3
Data provided by FDM on 05/10/22
Router Comparison
| Router | Launch Date | Class | WiFi Spec | Antenna | Ethernet Ports | USB Ports | Wireless Encryption |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vodafone WiFi6E Ultra Hub | Oct-22 | Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6E | WiFi 6E | 4x4 4x4 4x4 | 1 x 2.5G Ethernet, 2 x 1G Ethernet | 2 | WPA2 + WPA3 |
| Vodafone WiFi Hub | Jul-19 | 802.11ax | WiFi 5 | 3x3 4x4 | 4x Gigabit | 2 | WPS, WPA2 + WPA |
| Sky Sky Broadband Hub | Sept-19 | Dual Band 802.11ac | WiFi 5 | 4x4 4x4 | 4x Gigabit | 1 | WPA2-PSK, WPA2-AES |
| TalkTalk Amazon Eero Pro 6 | Mar-22 | Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax | WiFi 6 | 2x22x24x4 | 2 x 1G Ethernet | 1 | WPA2 + WPA3 |
| TalkTalk Amazon Eero 6 | Aug-21 | Dual Band 802.11ax | WiFi 6 | 2x2 4x4 | 2 x 1 Gigabit | 0 | WPA2-AES/WPA3 |
| TalkTalk WiFi Hub | Jul-18 | Dual Band 802.11ac (Wave 2) | WiFi 5 | 3 x 34 x 4 | 1x Gigabit | 1 | WEP/WPA & WPA2 |
| BT Smart Hub 2 | Nov-18 | Dual Band 802.11ac | WiFi 5 | 3x3 4x4 | 4x Gigabit | 0 | WPA2-PSK, WPA2-AES |
| Virgin Media Hub 3 | 2015/16 | Dual Band 802.11ac | WiFi 5 | 3x3 4x4 | 4x Gigabit | 0 | WEP/WPA/ WPA2 |
| Virgin Media Hub 4 | Sept-19 | Dual Band 802.11ac (Wave 2) | WiFi 5 | 3 x 34 x 4 | 3x Gigabit | 0 | WEP/WPA/ WPA2 |
| Virgin Media Hub 5 | Oct-21 | Dual Band 802.11ax | WiFi 6 | 3x3 4x4 | 1x 2.5 Gigabit | 0 | WEP/WPA/ WPA2 |
Note on Virgin Media Hub 5
Virgin Media's Hub 5 was not tested due to limited availability and lack of comparable propositions. It was also confirmed not to be compatible with their Intelligent WiFi Pods.
Vodafone Pro II Broadband – Testing
Testing was conducted by Cartesian, a highly-respected independent telecommunications consultancy company.
Tests were developed considering customer usage patterns, regulatory requirements, and industry standards.
Test Type 1: Controlled "laboratory" environment versus other Major Providers
Testing was performed in controlled "laboratory" environments using WiFi6E enabled devices.
Devices Tested in Data Labs
| Home broadband provider + Proposition name | Hardware WiFi router | WiFi extender / booster |
|---|---|---|
| Vodafone Pro II Broadband | Vodafone Ultra Hub | Vodafone Super WiFi 6E Booster |
| BT Halo 3+ | BT SmartHub2 | Complete WiFi Booster |
| Sky | Sky Q Hub | Booster |
| Talk Talk | eero Pro | Booster (E6) |
Measurements were taken at different locations within test environments, with each data point tested 3 times.
Wi-Fi range was the variable, with routers placed in fixed positions to ensure repeatability. Test end-user devices were placed in various locations.
A Lenovo E14 Gen 2 laptop, which is WiFi6E compatible, was used to test Vodafone Pro II's technology.
Test Environment Locations Classification
| Classification | Distance of end-user device from router: |
|---|---|
| Very easy | Lobby (Line of Sight) |
| Easy | Bedroom 1 |
| Medium 1 | Kitchen |
| Medium 2 | Bedroom 3 |
| Hard | Utility Room |
Test Results Summary (Lab Environment)
Throughput is the speed (Mbps) observed by a device at a location.
Throughput Graphs
The Upstream Throughput graph shows speeds for Vodafone Ultra Hub (VFUH6E+1xSWB) generally higher across all distance classifications (Very Easy to Hard) compared to BT (SH2+1xCW), Sky (SR203+1xSE210), and TalkTalk (EeroP6+1xE6). Similarly, the Downstream Throughput graph indicates Vodafone's superior performance.
Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) measures signal strength in different locations.
PHY rate is the speed at which data is delivered to an end-user device.
RSSI and PHY Rate Graphs
The Upstream RSSI graphs show Vodafone's Ultra Hub generally maintaining stronger signals (less negative dBm values) across locations compared to competitors. The Upstream PHY rate graphs indicate Vodafone's Ultra Hub achieving higher speeds, particularly in the highest recorded values.
Roaming and Video Loading Tests
Roaming Behaviour
Testing evaluated the behaviour of 10 different end-user devices (laptops, smartphones, tablets) as they roamed within the test house.
| Attribute | Sky SR203+1xSE210 | TalkTalk EeroP6+1xE6 | BT SH2+1xCW | Vodafone UH6E+1xSWB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Client Avg. Handover Speed (secs) | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Handover Speed recorded for the Fastest Client (secs) | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 10 Client Avg. Min. Video throughput (Mbps) | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Packet Loss (%) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| Video Stream Timeout (Counter) | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Simultaneous Content Streams
Testing assessed the number of simultaneous content streams (UHD, FHD, HD, SD) the managed WiFi solutions could support.
| Attribute | Sky SR203+1xSE210 | TalkTalk EeroP6+1xE6 | BT SH2+1xCW | Vodafone UH6E+1xSWB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No of UHD streams | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| No of UHD + FHD streams | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| No of UHD + FHD + HD streams | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| No of UHD + FHD + HD + SD streams | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Maximum Video Streams Combination
| S.No. | CPE | UHD (25 Mbps) | UHD + FHD (25 Mbps + 15 Mbps) | UHD + FHD + HD (25 Mbps + 15 Mbps + 10 Mbps) | UHD + FHD + HD + SD (25 Mbps + 15 Mbps + 10 Mbps + 4 Mbps) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UHD TP (Mbps) | UHD | FHD TP (Mbps) | UHD | FHD TP (Mbps) | UHD | FHD | HD TP (Mbps) | UHD | FHD | HD | SD TP (Mbps) | |||||||
| 1 | Sky SR203+ 1xSE210 | 17 | 341.6 | 2 | 28 | 381.6 | 2 | 2 | 33 | 332.9 | 8 | 8 | 15 | 394.5 | ||||
| 2 | TalkTalk EeroP6+ 1xE6 | 15 | 310.5 | 2 | 25 | 362.1 | 2 | 2 | 36 | 369.0 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 274.1 | ||||
| 3 | BT SH2+ 1xCW | 16 | 320.7 | 2 | 27 | 379.7 | 2 | 2 | 33 | 331.9 | 8 | 8 | 18 | 411.4 | ||||
| 4 | Vodafone UH6E+ 1xSWB | 35 | 710 | 2 | 68 | 859.8 | 2 | 2 | 86 | 759.3 | 18 | 18 | 30 | 875.0 | ||||
Comparison with Virgin Media Solution
The Virgin Media solution (Hub 4 + Intelligent WiFi Pods) required a live broadband connection for testing, conducted in a real Virgin Media home.
Throughput Graphs (Virgin Media Comparison)
The Upstream and Downstream Throughput graphs for the Virgin Media home show Vodafone Ultra Hub (VFUH6E+1xSWB) achieving higher speeds compared to the VM Hub 4+1xEXT. The RSSI and PHY rate graphs also indicate Vodafone's generally superior performance.
Test Type 2: Real Homes
Vodafone Pro II Broadband technology was tested in real homes, measuring throughput across different locations and devices.
Devices Tested
- Google Pixel 6 mobile phone
- Lenovo E14 Gen2 laptop
Summary of Real Home Performance
| Home | House Description | Number of Extenders | Level of co-channel interference (<-10 = HIGH) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home 1 | 2 floor, 6 bedroom house | 3 | MEDIUM |
| Home 2 | 2 floor, 3 bedroom house, with conservatory | 1 | HIGH |
| Home 3 | 1 floor, 3 bedroom flat | 0 | MEDIUM |
| Home 4 | 1 floor, 1 bedroom flat | 0 | MEDIUM |
| Home 5 | 4 floor, 6 bedroom, with garage | 3 | HIGH |
| Home 6 | 2 floor, 2 bedroom house | 2 | MEDIUM |
| Home 7 | 2 floor, 6 bedroom house | 2 | HIGH |
| Home 8 | 1 floor, 2 bedroom flat | 1 | HIGH |
| Home 9 | 3 floor, 5 bedroom house, with garage | 2 | HIGH |
| Home 10 | 2 floor, 3 bedroom house, with garage | 2 | MEDIUM |
Average Throughput Performance
| Throughput | Home 1 | Home 2 | Home 3 | Home 4 | Home 5 | Home 6 | Home 7 | Home 8 | Home 9 | Home 10 | Overall % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access Line Speed (Mbps) | |||||||||||
| Download | 1000 | 550 | 80 | 550 | 80 | 550 | 80 | 550 | 550 | 1000 | |
| Upload | 115 | 75 | 20 | 75 | 20 | 75 | 20 | 75 | 550 | 1000 | |
| Maximum user throughput speed (Mbps) | |||||||||||
| Download | 940 | 517 | 75 | 517 | 75 | 517 | 75 | 517 | 517 | 940 | |
| Upload | 108 | 71 | 19 | 71 | 19 | 70.50 | 19 | 70.50 | 517 | 940 | |
| Results: % is Average of throughput throughout the home / Maximum user throughput speed | |||||||||||
| Download | 61% | 78% | 95% | 94% | 87% | 93% | 93% | 83% | 82% | 63% | 83% |
| Upload | 90% | 98% | 99% | 99% | 99% | 100% | 79% | 100% | 70% | 79% | 91% |
Conclusion
Vodafone Pro II offers the UK's fastest WiFi technology throughout the home, featuring the latest WiFi6E chipset in its Ultra Hub and Super WiFi 6E boosters. This technology can be physically placed throughout a customer's home to optimize their WiFi experience.
Appendix 1: Test House (Brook Farm)
Description of Cartesian's Wi-Fi test house: a two-storey, four-bedroom brick building in a quiet rural location in the south of England, originally built in 1840.
Appendix 2: VM Test House
Description of the VM test house: a narrow 5-storey terraced house in Bath, built with brick walls around 1840. It is noted as not being a Wi-Fi clean house due to neighbouring interference.
