Baghdad: The Media Commission has unveiled the CMC Speed Test application, marking Iraq’s first digital platform dedicated to assessing the quality of telecommunications and internet services. Baligh Abu Kalal, head of the executive body of the Media and Communications Commission, introduced this innovative digital monitoring tool, which allows for the measurement of service quality from actual usage locations, creating an independent database vital for evaluating network performance and identifying service weaknesses.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, Abu Kalal elaborated that the application not only assesses download and upload speeds but also compiles a comprehensive array of service quality indicators. These include metrics such as ping time, jitter, packet loss, network type, telecom provider details, and the specifics of the test’s location and timing. The project leverages crowdsourcing, enabling users to become contributors of real-time network quality data in their respective areas. This approach offers the commission an extensive spatial and temporal view of service levels, aiding in pinpointing coverage weaknesses, speed deficiencies, performance declines, and recurrent network issues.
Abu Kalal highlighted the technical sophistication of the project, which integrates internet speed with radio metrics like RSRP, RSRQ, SINR, and RSSI. This integration assists technical teams in diagnosing performance problems and distinguishing between issues related to coverage, radio environments, congestion, connection capacities, and overall network performance. The platform features a dashboard that enables the commission to visualize measurements on interactive maps, analyze results, and compare data according to telecommunications company, region, and technology used, ranging from 2G to 5G services. It also evaluates service level changes on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
The application empowers citizens to assess the coverage level provided by their telecommunications company at the test location, using network quality indicators and technical measurements. It also allows users to file complaints about telecommunications and internet services, facilitating the authority’s ability to correlate user complaints with technical data, analyze complaint volumes, speed levels, signal quality, and packet loss, and accurately identify areas needing intervention and field follow-up.
Abu Kalal underscored that the CMC Speed Test serves as a comprehensive monitoring tool for the commission, going beyond a simple internet speed test application. It plays a crucial role in monitoring service quality, analyzing user experiences, comparing company performance, identifying coverage and performance issues, and prioritizing technical inspections. Moreover, it provides independent data to support the commission’s service quality monitoring and evaluation decisions.
The executive head urged citizens to utilize the application and participate in the tests, emphasizing that a wider user base and increased data collection will strengthen the commission’s ability to create a more holistic view of telecommunications and internet services in Iraq, ultimately advancing efforts to enhance service quality for citizens.