Hrvatski Telekom (HT) scored the best result in the first independent mobile network quality survey conducted by the Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM), followed by A1 Hrvatska and Telemach Hrvatska, HAKOM said on Wednesday.

The survey was conducted in January and February in cooperation with the German Net Check GmbH company.

The HT scored 942 points, while A1 scored 928, and Telemach 884 points.

The survey covered 29 cities and 3,900 km of roads and motorways, a total area with almost two million inhabitants, or more than 50% of Croatia’s population.

The survey was conducted according to the methodology of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications and the International Telecommunication Union.

“The results have shown that the mobile communication networks in Croatia are good and keep up with technological development,” HAKOM said.

“As an operator that arrived on the market later than the rest, Telemach has stressed from the beginning that we want to bring the best user experience,” Telemach said in a comment explaining the differences in testing and methodologies. “Guided by the user experience… we in Telemach are using the so-called crowd-sourced methodology to test the mobile network quality. The same methodology is used by OpenSignal, the leading global provider of network experience and market performance of telecom operators around the world.”

HAKOM’s results are based on the so-called drive testing methodology, Telemach explained, adding that unlike the crowd-sourced methodology, “which provides an overview of user experiences in everyday life situations in which users use various devices, Net Check is based on a simulated experience, using special devices to test in a smaller number of locations, primarily in open spaces suitable for vehicles.”

“Crowd-sourced methodology comprehensively measures user experience in a period of 90 days, 24 hours a day, in everyday situations. It provides an insight into the users’ demographics, following various user profiles in many locations and situations – from playing videogames to video streaming and voice apps – as well as signal availability and network consistency during use. According to the latest OpenSignal analysis, Telemach is the most-awarded network in Croatia,” Telemach wrote.

Telemach also stressed these methodologies should not be viewed as necessarily better or worse than the other, but solely in the context of the specific values they are targeting.

The survey also shows that the performances of Croatia’s mobile networks remain very high and that operators have continued to invest in development, capacity, quality, and new technologies.