Service testing for providers

The Department established an independent data speed and network availability testing facility to help provide feedback on how registered Providers meet their service level compliance obligations under the Federal Government’s broadband subsidy programs. This facility is independently hosted and managed by a certified and accredited consultant to meet the transparency and accountability obligations of the Department.

People who have subsidised broadband services under these programs can use this facility to test the average data speed of their individual services (Standard Test) as well as test other service elements such as latency and web page download (the optional Advanced Test).

Providers are required to provide each subsidised broadband service for at least three years (obligation period) from the date of connection.

What is measured and how is it measured?

Compliance testing is mandatory under clause 4.6 of the Guidelines of the Australian Broadband Guarantee program. Each Provider is required to provide the URL link (www.abgtest.com.au) to enable their customers with subsidised broadband services have access to the test facility.

Each Provider is subject to two core compliance tests whose results are reported to the Department every month throughout the Provider’s obligation period. For the 2010-11 Australian Broadband Guarantee program, the minimum service requirements for these core tests are:

Network availability – the Provider’s network must be available at least 99 per cent of the time
Data Speed - at least 60 per cent of the data speed of the Provider’s nominated broadband service plan must be achieved at least 85 per cent of the time

All service delivery platforms for registered Providers are subject to compliance testing during the obligation period for each subsidised broadband service.

How are these tests done?

Both network availability and data speed tests are conducted using an eMetric hardware device which has no impact on the performance of the provider’s service delivery platform.

Network availability:

Testing is done on the border gateway every day through multiple ICMP requests every 15 minutes. The same methodology is used regardless of the technology of the service delivery platform. The overall result is an average of all the test results obtained during each 24-hour period.

All test results exclude hibernation time.

Data speed:

Test servers for all delivery platforms for all Providers are subjected to data speed tests once each calendar month. Twenty tests are conducted at randomly selected times of each hour. Each test comprises one download test (using a 5MB file) and one upload test (using a 1MB file). For an overall PASS result, at least seventeen of these tests (both download and upload) must be a Pass.

All test results exclude hibernation time.

The test results are published online every month (see ‘Monthly provider testing reports’ below). Providers who fail the testing are notified and requested to take remedial action within times prescribed in the non-compliance notices.

Where can I get assistance?

If you have any questions on the requirements of compliance testing and/or the testing methodology you may contact the Department by email to abgproviders@dbcde.gov.au for assistance.