Vodafone introduces new broadband barometer software to more accurately measure customers’ online experiences

Vodafone works with CUJO AI to deploy Quality of Outcome technology across millions of its broadband home hubs in Europe.

Why do video calls, online games and streamed videos lag or glitch even when home broadband speeds remain unaffected?

The issue lies with the data packets carrying the application, not the connection speed. These Internet protocol (IP) packets can experience increased latency (the time it takes the data to travel between a home router and a service provider) or fail to reach their destination, for example when a user moves rooms.

Measuring broadband quality more accurately helps identify network upgrade opportunities that can improve the customer experience.

Measuring what customers experience

Vodafone is working with CUJO AI, a global leader in device intelligence and network intelligence solutions, to introduce software based on Quality of Outcome (QoO) technology across millions of Vodafone broadband Home Hubs (housing Wi-Fi 7 routers) in Europe.

The software converts measurements such as latency, packet loss and throughput into a clear score for each application. It does not inspect the contents of a data packet or use any customer details; it merely assesses an application’s performance using a simple score between 0% and 100%, helping Vodafone identify improvements.

Vodafone continues to increase speeds across its fixed broadband networks, both in customers’ homes and at its exchanges, while recognising that customers are more likely to care most about the performance of their online applications and services. QoO is ideal for evaluating how well network conditions support the outcomes users expect from specific applications such as responsive gaming, uninterrupted video calls and reliable cloud services.

First operator to deploy at scale in Europe

Vodafone and CUJO AI believe that QoO establishes a new industry benchmark for evaluating network performance according to the outcomes experienced by users of specific applications. Vodafone has championed the development of QoO, bringing an operator perspective, and is the first company to deploy it at scale across live broadband networks in Europe.

Oscar Gallego, Director of Home Technology & Products at Vodafone, said: “Delivering an excellent broadband experience requires us to look beyond headline speeds and understand how the network performs for the applications our customers use every day.

“Working with CUJO AI, we are bringing Quality of Outcome to millions of Vodafone home broadband hubs connected to our pan-European network.”

Remko Vos, CEO of CUJO AI, added: “Network quality should ultimately be measured by what customers can successfully do with their connection. Vodafone’s deployment across multiple markets represents an important step toward making outcome-based network measurement an operational reality at scale.”

Vodafone has already tested QoO with Low Latency DOCSIS technology to assess how network improvements translate into better performance for applications such as gaming, video conferencing, and cloud services. The company now plans to roll out the software across its European markets.

Quality of Outcome was co-created by experts at CUJO AI in collaboration with the wider networking community and advanced through the Internet Engineering Task Force’s (IETF) IP Performance Measurement Working Group.