Evaluation of Mobile Broadband Quality During Peak Traffic Periods in Ibadan Metropolitan Area

Traffic congestion on mobile broadband networks during peak periods results in degraded user experience, reduced throughput, and increased latency, affecting productivity and user satisfaction in densely populated urban centers. This study evaluates mobile broadband quality during peak traffic periods in the Ibadan metropolitan area, Oyo State, South West Nigeria. Passive and active network measurements were conducted during morning peak (7 to 9 AM), afternoon peak (12 to 2 PM), and evening peak (6 to 9 PM) periods across eight spatial zones within the metropolitan area over six weeks. Key performance indicators including average download speed, upload speed, latency, and video streaming quality index were measured using standardized crowd-sourced measurement applications on MTN, Airtel, and Glo SIM cards. Results demonstrate that average download speeds dropped by 58% during evening peak periods compared to off-peak measurements, from a mean of 14.8 Mbps to 6.2 Mbps. Video streaming quality deteriorated substantially during peaks, with buffering events increasing fourfold on all three networks. Latency rose to an average of 94 ms during evening peaks compared to 48 ms at off-peak times. The Bodija and Dugbe commercial districts experienced the most severe congestion effects. Recommendations include deployment of additional sector antennas at high-congestion sites, traffic offloading to Wi-Fi small cells, and implementation of dynamic spectrum allocation to manage peak demand. Keywords: mobile broadband, peak traffic, congestion, Ibadan, network performance.