Comparable Performance Indicators (CPI) Forum – a brief history

Testing of the operators’ mobile networks originally began in 1991 with Vodafone & BT Cellnet (now O2) testing their early analogue networks. The collection of this test data was originally overseen by the trade body FCS (Federation for Communication Services).

A Working Group, chaired by the independent regulator for the UK communications industries, Oftel (now Ofcom), involving all four of the major mobile network operators, O2, Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone agreed to a new working group being -established in 1997.

A new drive test specification was developed for GSM. The first set of tests to this specification commenced in 1999 and continued until November 2003 when all trials ceased and the current CPI forum was set up.

With the need to constantly improve the mobile experience for all customers the CPI forum has worked, over the past two and a half years to develop a new testing methodology to give better comparisons for customers.

The CPI forum launched a new website for consumers in September 2006 allowing the public to view the mobile network test results.