Category: Uncategorized

Ookla Research™ Articles
| March 25, 2025

Charting Malaysia’s 5G Journey: From Urban Priorities to Nationwide Coverage

Malaysia has made strong progress in improving mobile internet connectivity nationwide in recent years. Key government initiatives, particularly the National Digital Network Plan (JENDELA), combined with investments by telecommunications operators, have driven this growth. However, challenges remain in rural areas, where coverage is still inconsistent.

Key Takeaways

  • Malaysia’s mobile download speed increased 2.3 times as 5G adoption surged. Malaysia’s mobile performance improved significantly between Q1 2023 and Q4 2024, with median download speeds increasing 2.3 times from 45.57 Mbps to 105.36 Mbps. Upload speeds also rose from 12.84 Mbps to 19.62 Mbps. 5G adoption played a key role, growing from 6.7% of connections in Q1 2023 to 41.9% by Q4 2024.
  • From early to mid-2023, 5G Availability in Malaysia expanded from major urban states to more rural areas. Between Q1 2023 and Q4 2024, rural states saw noticeable increases in 5G Availability — the proportion of users of 5G-capable devices who spend most of their time on 5G networks — driven by network expansion beyond urban centers. Labuan Federal Territory recorded the largest increase, with a 34.3 percentage point rise.
  • Rural states reported faster 5G speeds than urban ones, due to lower congestion and network demand. In Q4 2024, states with lower 5G Availability, such as Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang, recorded median 5G download speeds exceeding 366 Mbps. Meanwhile, urbanized states like Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, with higher 5G Availability, reported slower speeds below 280 Mbps, highlighting the increasing strain on urban networks as 5G adoption accelerates.

Improving Nationwide Connectivity in Malaysia

The efforts of the Malaysian regulator, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), and major telecommunications operators have been pivotal in narrowing the digital divide and improving internet connectivity nationwide. Central to these efforts is the Jalinan Digital Negara (JENDELA) program, which aims to expand 4G coverage, increase mobile broadband speeds, and prepare the country for 5G rollout. Phase 1, completed in 2022, focused on strengthening 4G networks and shutting down 3G services. By the end of this phase, 4G coverage had reached 96.9% of populated areas, with average mobile broadband speeds of 116.03 Mbps. Phase 2, which runs from 2022 to 2025, builds on this progress with targets of mean mobile broadband speeds of 100 Mbps and achieving 100% 4G and 80% 5G population coverage.

Malaysia’s 5G rollout has been a central part of its connectivity strategy, with Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) leading the deployment of 5G infrastructure as the single wholesale network provider. The rollout aims to provide widespread 5G coverage by 2025, unlocking opportunities for advancements in smart cities, healthcare, and logistics.  In May 2023, the Malaysian government announced plans to introduce a second 5G network provider, contingent on DNB reaching 80% population coverage. DNB met this milestone in December 2023, recording 80.2% coverage. This achievement paved the path for the government to award the second 5G network license to U Mobile. According to MCMC, introducing a second provider is expected to drive competition, enhance network resilience, and help lower costs for consumers in the long term.

Steady 5G adoption pushes Malaysia’s mobile download speeds past 100 Mbps

Speedtest Intelligence® data reveals that Malaysia has experienced a steady increase in both mobile median download and upload speeds for all technologies. Our data reveals that median mobile download speeds for all technologies combined in Malaysia increased 2.3 times from 45.57 Mbps up to 105.36 Mbps between Q1 2023 and Q4 2024. There was a slight improvement across upload speeds, with the median mobile upload speed in the market  increasing in the same period from 12.84 Mbps to 19.62 Mbps.

Mobile (All Technologies Combined) Performance, Malaysia
Speedtest Intelligence® | Q1 2023 – Q4 2024

The continuous expansion of the 5G network by the nation’s 5G single wholesale network (SWN) provider, DNB, and increased 5G adoption has helped with the upward increase of mobile speed in the past two years. Data from GSMA Intelligence shows a steady and consistent increase in the percentage of 5G connections in Malaysia from Q1 2023 to Q4 2024. 5G connections grew from 6.7% in Q1 2023 to 21.7% by Q4 2023, and further to 41.9% by Q4 2024.

Percentage of Mobile Connections on 5G in Malaysia
GSMA Intelligence | Q1 2023 – Q4 2024

This sustained growth reflects expanding 5G coverage, the increasing availability of 5G devices, and growing consumer and enterprise demand for faster, more reliable mobile connectivity. The rollout by DNB and efforts by mobile operators to make 5G plans more accessible have contributed to this adoption. The data suggests that 5G has transitioned from early adoption stages to becoming a mainstream technology, with continued growth expected as 5G coverage expands nationwide.

5G Deployment Focus Shifts Toward Broader State-Level Coverage

By the end of 2022, DNB had achieved 50% 5G coverage of populated areas. Following this milestone, the government accelerated its target, mandating DNB to reach 80% coverage by the end of 2023 — a goal that was originally set for the end of 2024. Ookla’s 5G Availability data from Speedtest Intelligence represents the proportion of users of 5G-capable devices who spend most of their time on 5G networks. Between Q1 2023 and Q4 2024, Malaysia’s 5G Availability increased from 20.9% to 32.8%.

Analysis of the data from Q1 2023 to Q4 2024 reveals clear shifts in 5G deployment patterns across Malaysia. In early 2023, major cities and urban centers such as Putrajaya (35.4%), the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (29.3%), and Johor (18%) reported the highest levels of 5G Availability. This early focus on urban areas was expected, as these densely populated locations provided faster returns on investment and met immediate demand from businesses and consumers.

5G Availability (%) Trend by State, Malaysia
Speedtest Intelligence® | Q1 2023 – Q4 2024

By mid-2023, deployment efforts began shifting toward smaller and more rural states. This shift is reflected in the substantial increases in 5G Availability in areas such as Labuan Federal Territory (+34.4 percentage points), Penang (+20.8), Kedah (+19.1), and Terengganu (+18.4). These gains align with the objectives of JENDELA Phase 2, which aims to extend 5G connectivity nationwide. The strong growth in these regions demonstrates the government’s and operators’ commitment to bridging the digital divide and ensuring more balanced connectivity between urban centers and rural communities.

Percentage Point Growth in 5G Availability Across Malaysian States
Speedtest Intelligence® | Q1 2023 – Q4 2024

Urbanized states and territories continued to see steady growth in 5G Availability, though at a slower rate compared to more rural states. For example, Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur reported smaller increases of 16.1 and 10.4 percentage points, respectively, showing that these areas were already well covered and improvements were focused on coverage quality and capacity enhancements rather than new deployments. This deployment strategy reflects a balanced national approach — solidifying urban 5G readiness while expanding access into smaller cities and rural regions to meet nationwide targets.

Rural states show lower 5G Availability but experience faster 5G speeds

Data for Q4 2024 highlights significant differences in 5G performance across Malaysian states. Rural states such as Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang report the highest median 5G download speeds, with Kelantan leading at 392.04 Mbps, followed by Terengganu at 375.38 Mbps and Pahang at 366.03 Mbps. However, these states also have lower 5G Availability, with Kelantan at 18.2%, Pahang at 17.3%, and Terengganu at 23.4%. In contrast, more developed areas such as Putrajaya and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, despite having higher 5G Availability rates of 51.5% and 39.7%, show lower median download speeds of 325.47 Mbps and 243.21 Mbps, respectively.

5G Availability (%) and Median 5G Download Speed (Mbps) By State, Malaysia
Speedtest Intelligence® | Q4 2024

This is somewhat expected, as the higher 5G speeds in rural states can be attributed to lower user density and less network congestion. With fewer users accessing the network simultaneously, available bandwidth is distributed among a smaller number of connections, resulting in faster speeds. Additionally, the rollout of 5G infrastructure in these states is often targeted at the state’s capital city and  major towns. However, the limited availability indicates that coverage is still expanding and does not yet reach the broader population. In contrast, urban areas such as Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Selangor, which have higher 5G Availability, experience lower median speeds due to higher user demand and potential network congestion. As 5G adoption continues to grow and more users connect to the network, performance fluctuations are expected due to increasing traffic demand.

Malaysia’s 5G landscape faces new dynamics with the introduction of a second 5G provider

In November 2024, Malaysia’s government announced a shift to a 5G dual-network wholesale model, and granted a second 5G wholesale network license to U Mobile, the country’s third-largest mobile network operator. The government’s decision to introduce a second 5G network reflects a strategic effort to increase competition, improve service delivery, and accelerate the nationwide rollout of 5G. U Mobile has committed to deploying this network independently, with a target completion by mid-2026, positioning itself as a major player in Malaysia’s next-generation connectivity landscape.

The shift to a dual-network model is expected to bring several advantages to the market. Increased competition between two wholesale providers should lead to better network quality and more competitive pricing for mobile network operators and end consumers. This dual-network setup strengthens resilience in the national network infrastructure by reducing reliance on a single provider. Furthermore, having two competing 5G networks could drive innovation and encourage more aggressive investment in new technologies and service enhancements that will benefit sectors like healthcare, smart cities, and logistics, all of which are part of Malaysia’s digital transformation agenda. 

However, this development does not come without challenges. Deploying a second nationwide 5G network requires significant investment in infrastructure, spectrum management, and network operations. There is a risk of resource duplication and inefficiencies if the two operators do not coordinate their efforts, especially in areas where coverage overlaps. Additionally, dual wholesale network could become an issue, potentially slowing the unified growth of the 5G ecosystem. Interoperability between the two networks, as well as integration with existing 4G infrastructure, will also require careful management to ensure seamless service quality for consumers and businesses alike.

We will continue to monitor Malaysia’s telecom market as it evolves. For more information about Speedtest Intelligence data and insights, please contact us.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

About the Author

Affandy Johan

Ookla Research™ Articles
| March 23, 2025

Wireless Execs Say Using Open RAN Technology is a Winning Strategy

ORAN

Three open RAN leaders joined Ookla in a panel discussion about the technology’s real-world performance at Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona.

Creating a scalable and agile network architecture, avoiding becoming dependent upon a single vendor, and building a more flexible and efficient network are just a handful of the reasons that some mobile operators are deciding to use the open radio access network (open RAN) approach in their network deployments. 

During a panel hosted by Ookla at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on March 4, Luke Kehoe, Ookla’s European analyst, moderated a discussion about open RAN  featuring top mobile executives from Boost Mobile (formerly Dish Wireless) in the U.S., Paradise Mobile in Bermuda, and 1&1 in Germany.

Open RAN as a Differentiator: Competitive Insights from Leading 5G Deployments

Open RAN refers to the separation of the hardware and software components of the RAN. This technology has gained a lot of attention in the telecom industry over the past few years because it makes it possible to use interoperable hardware and software from different vendors, ideally leading to cost savings for operators and more flexibility in the network. 

All three operators have deployed open RAN in greenfield networks. According to Eben Albertyn, EVP and CTO of Boost Mobile, open RAN was an appealing solution for the company because it provided the operator with “near-infinite architectural freedom” and the ability to leverage open interfaces while still retaining control over the ecosystem. 

“No part of our ecosystem can hold an architectural gun to our head,” Albertyn said, referring to traditional RAN networks that are often built with hardware and software from a sole vendor. Albertyn added that Boost Mobile has been able to swap components within the network without any negative ramifications. “It is an absolute success for us,” he said. 

The open vendor ecosystem of open RAN was also a key differentiator for 1&1. Michael Martin, CEO of 1&1 Mobilfunk, said that open RAN enabled the company to build a highly modular network with standardized components. He said the operator launched its network in December 2023 and started offering its enhanced mobile broadband (EMBB) services right away.

Since its launch, 1&1 has migrated six million mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) customers onto its network at a rate of 50,000 customers per day. “That’s a massive achievement,” Martin said. He emphasized that this success in managing a complex customer migration while building a network capable of supporting a large user base in a short period offers valuable lessons for brownfield operators elsewhere aiming to incorporate open RAN into their networks in the coming years.

Scalability and flexibility are key reasons Paradise Mobile chose open RAN. Zlatko Zahirovic, CTO and founder of Paradise Mobile, said that his company’s entire network is in three racks – all using x86-based servers. “If we had chosen something other than an x86-based architecture, we would have been doing ourselves a disservice,” he said, noting that the open RAN architecture promotes flexibility and scalability. 

But perhaps the biggest endorsement for open RAN is the ease with which these operators will be able to leverage new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). Martin said that open RAN’s cloud-native structure makes AI integration seamless. “Whatever the next AI breakthrough is, we’ll be ready to deploy it faster than any traditional network.”

Similarly, the significant investments made by these open RAN players in delivering edge compute capabilities closer to the end user will place them in a unique position to adapt to shifts in traffic patterns that are expected from emerging AI applications.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

ORAN

About the Author

Sue Marek

Ookla Research™ Articles
| March 10, 2025

5G at Maha Kumbh: How Networks Handled the World’s Largest Gathering

The Maha Kumbh Mela, which took place in Prayagraj between January 12 and February 26, 2025, was one of the biggest religious gatherings in history. This event also served as a large-scale stress test for India’s 5G networks, which launched commercially in October 2022. With millions relying on mobile connectivity in a high-density environment, telecom operators faced the challenge of ensuring uninterrupted service amid surging network traffic.

Key Takeaways

  • 5G maintained a significant performance advantage over 4G during Maha Kumbh 2025, despite periods of congestion. While 5G download speeds dropped from 259.67 Mbps in early January to 151.09 Mbps at peak congestion on January 26, it later recovered to 206.82 Mbps by the end of the event. In contrast, 4G speeds remained consistently lower, ranging from 13.38 Mbps to 21.68 Mbps, making 5G at least nine times faster even at its lowest point.
  • Jio led 5G performance, with a median download speed of 201.87 Mbps, followed by Airtel at 165.23 Mbps. Meanwhile, 4G networks struggled under heavy user density, with Vi India recording 4G median download speed at just 20.06 Mbps, followed by Jio (18.19 Mbps), Airtel (17.65 Mbps), and BSNL (11.64 Mbps).
  • Jio reported 83.9% 5G availability, nearly twice that of Airtel’s 42.4%, ensuring broader coverage and more consistent connectivity for users. Jio’s aggressive 5G rollout leveraged the 700 MHz low-band spectrum, enabling wider signal coverage across the densely packed mela ground.
  • 5G significantly improved response times, reducing delays in browsing and video playback even under heavy network congestion. Jio and Airtel reported 5G page load times of 1.99 seconds, compared to longer 4G load times, with Jio at 2.40 seconds, Airtel at 2.36 seconds, Vi India at 2.44 seconds, and BSNL at 2.70 seconds. A similar trend was seen in video streaming, where Jio and Airtel reported 5G video start times of 1.79 seconds. While 4G remained functional, its higher latency and slower response times made it less effective for web browsing and video streaming at such a large-scale event.

A Massive Gathering with High Connectivity Demand

The Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years at rotating locations in India, is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. The 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela, a special occasion occurring once every 144 years, took place in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, from January 13 to February 26. The event attracted over 660 million devotees by the concluding day, creating an unprecedented demand for mobile connectivity as attendees relied on their devices for communication, navigation, and digital transactions.

The sheer scale of the event presents unique challenges for telecom providers, as mobile networks will need to support massive spikes in voice and data traffic. The increasing penetration of smartphones, coupled with the rising demand for high-speed internet, has made telecom infrastructure a key enabler of the modern Kumbh experience. To address these demands, telecom operators deployed temporary network infrastructure, and enhanced radio and backhaul capacity.

The Speedtest® sample density shows a gradual increase in activity around the Triveni Sangam, the confluence point of the three holy rivers, as the Maha Kumbh 2025 progresses. Sample density remains low in early January but rises significantly from January 20 onward, peaking between January 27 and February 17 during key bathing dates. Elevated sample density persists until the last week of the festival.

Animation of maps of Speedtest Sample Density in Prayagraj, India

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), have instructed telecom operators to implement extensive infrastructure enhancements. In Prayagraj city, 328 new towers have been installed. Additionally, 575 new Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) have been deployed, and 1,462 existing BTS units have been upgraded, as well as tens of Cells on Wheels deployed to bolster network capacity. 

To further enhance connectivity and crowd management, Maha Kumbh 2025 integrated advanced technological innovations, including AI-powered surveillance cameras for real-time crowd monitoring and RFID wristbands to track missing individuals. A dedicated mobile app provided real-time location tracking, emergency alerts, and navigation assistance for pilgrims. Additionally, disaster management centers were equipped with satellite communication systems and emergency response kiosks to ensure uninterrupted communication in case of network failures. These combined efforts played a crucial role in managing the massive crowds while maintaining network efficiency and ensuring public safety.

5G performance stands up to demand surge

Speedtest Intelligence® data reveals variations in the weekly median download and upload speeds for 5G and 4G networks in Prayagraj, starting from the first week of January 2025 before the festival began until the end of the Maha Kumbh event. 5G median download speeds started at 259.67 Mbps in early January but declined by over 40% to 151.09 Mbps on January 26, coinciding with peak pilgrimage days and increased network congestion. 5G speeds recovered to 201.43 Mbps by February 9 and further improved to 206.82 Mbps by February 23, during the final week of the festival. In contrast, 4G speeds remained consistently lower, ranging between 13.38 Mbps (January 19) and 21.68 Mbps (February 23). Even at its lowest, 5G was still 9.5 times faster than 4G, highlighting its ability to handle high traffic demand more effectively.

5G upload speeds followed a similar pattern, starting at 19.71 Mbps, declining to 12.99 Mbps on January 26, and recovering to 17.95 Mbps by the end of February. 4G upload speeds remained below 5 Mbps, peaking at 4.85 Mbps. The three to five times difference in upload speeds allowed 5G users to share information and content faster, which was critical for pilgrims relying on mobile connectivity. While both networks experienced slowdowns, 5G provided more uplift in performance compared to 4G, reinforcing its role in supporting high-density events like Maha Kumbh.

5G and 4G Performance Weekly Trend of All Providers Combined in Prayagraj, India
Speedtest Intelligence® | Week of Dec 30 2024 till Feb 24 2025

5G Sustains High Performance Despite Unprecedented Mobile Traffic

Operators network performance during the event varied based on infrastructure deployment and congestion levels. Reliance Jio delivered the highest 5G median download speeds at 201.87 Mbps, followed by Airtel at 165.23 Mbps. The strong 5G speeds indicate successful deployment of high-capacity networks designed to handle the surge in data demand. Jio’s 5G Standalone (SA) network played a crucial role, efficiently managing 20 million voice calls and 400 million data service requests at peak times.

Airtel has also taken several measures to enhance the connectivity experience for its customers. To support the increased capacity demand, Airtel enhanced its network by deploying 287 new sites, optimizing over 340 existing ones, and laying an additional 74 kilometers of fiber in Prayagraj. These efforts contributed to maintaining strong 5G speeds despite heavy usage.

5G and 4G Performance by Providers in Prayagraj
Speedtest Intelligence® | Jan 13 – Feb 27 2025

While 5G provided high-speed connectivity, 4G speeds were significantly lower across all operators, reflecting network congestion and capacity limitations. Vi India recorded the 4G median download speed at 20.06 Mbps, followed by Jio (18.19 Mbps), Airtel (17.65 Mbps), and BSNL (11.64 Mbps). The slower speeds suggest that 4G networks struggled under high user density, as a large portion of attendees still relied on 4G devices.

Jio’s 5G Availability Nearly Twice That of Airtel

Ookla’s 5G Availability data from Speedtest Intelligence represents the percentage of 5G-active devices that spend the majority of their time connected to 5G networks. Analysis of the data indicates that Jio achieved 83.9% 5G Availability throughout the Maha Kumbh period. This was significantly higher than Airtel’s 42.4%. This reflects Jio’s aggressive deployment of 5G infrastructure in Prayagraj, supported by its use of the 700 MHz low-band spectrum further enhanced its reach, allowing for stronger signal penetration across the vast mela grounds, where millions were densely packed.

5G Availability by Providers in Prayagraj, India
Speedtest Intelligence® | Jan 13 – Feb 27 2025

In contrast, Airtel’s 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) network, while delivering strong 5G speeds, had lower availability. This is most likely due to its reliance on mid-band spectrum, which has a shorter coverage range compared to low-band frequency deployment.

5G Improves Response Time, Delivering a Better User Experience

Speedtest Intelligence Quality of Experience data was used to assess web page load times and video start times on 5G and 4G networks during the Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj. These measurements reflect real-world user experiences, such as accessing social media, browsing websites, and streaming videos. Faster page and video load times contribute to better user experience, reducing frustration and enhancing the overall digital experience in high-traffic environments.

5G and 4G Page Download Time and Video Start Time by Providers in Prayagraj, India
Speedtest Intelligence® | Jan 13 – Feb 27 2025

The data shows that 5G reduced page load times across all operators compared to 4G, demonstrating its performance uplift even in high traffic demand situations. Jio and Airtel recorded similar 5G page load times at 1.99 seconds, while 4G networks experienced longer load times, with Jio at 2.40 seconds, Airtel at 2.36 seconds, Vi India at 2.44 seconds, and BSNL at 2.70 seconds.

The video start time data also reflects a difference in performance between 5G and 4G. Jio and Airtel had similar video start times on 5G at 1.79 seconds, allowing for quicker video playback. The difference between 5G and 4G video start times was 0.75 seconds for Jio, and 0.78 seconds for Airtel, showing that 5G reduced buffering delays and improved streaming efficiency.

These results highlight how 5G networks managed digital demand more effectively than 4G during the Maha Kumbh. While 4G networks remained functional, their higher latency and longer load times made them less efficient for web browsing and video playback in a high-density setting. 

Ensuring Robust Network Performance Amidst Massive Gatherings

The Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj presented one of the most significant challenges for telecom operators, with over 660 million attendees relying on mobile connectivity. Despite the extreme demand, operators successfully maintained strong network performance through strategic infrastructure upgrades and advanced technologies. 

The introduction of 5G technology significantly enhanced user experiences at the event. A study by Ericsson revealed that 5G users reported 20% higher satisfaction compared to their 4G counterparts at major events in 2024. This improvement is attributed to 5G’s higher data transfer speeds and lower latency, facilitating smoother and faster streaming of high-quality video content. The deployment of 5G SA, particularly on Jio’s 700 MHz spectrum, contributed to broader coverage and improved network responsiveness, while Airtel’s 5G NSA, operating on mid-band frequencies, provided high speeds in select locations.

The strategies deployed during Maha Kumbh 2025 demonstrate that proactive planning, infrastructure expansion, and the integration of advanced technologies are key to ensuring robust mobile network performance in large-scale public gatherings. Upcoming global gatherings, such as the 2028 Olympics, will require similarly advanced planning and network expansion to accommodate millions of attendees. We’ll continue to benchmark and track network performance during major events, based on Speedtest Intelligence data. For more information, please contact us.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

About the Author

Affandy Johan

Ookla Research™ Articles
| March 19, 2025

A First Look at How Apple’s C1 Modem Performs With Early Adopters

Apple


The 16e is the first iPhone to feature the Apple-designed C1 modem.

Key Takeaways:

  • AT&T and Verizon Speedtest® users experienced better median download speeds on the iPhone 16e than iPhone 16. However, the opposite was true for T-Mobile users. 
  • Verizon Speedtest users with the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16 experienced median download speeds that lagged behind that of both AT&T and T-Mobile. 
  • iPhone 16e Speedtest users on Verizon’s network and AT&T’s network saw higher upload speed performance than those using the iPhone 16. However, T-Mobile users experienced the opposite and had slightly higher upload speeds on the iPhone 16 compared to the iPhone 16e.

Apple’s new iPhone 16e made its commercial debut in late February with much fanfare because it’s the first device to include the Apple-designed C1 modem. Historically, Apple relied upon Qualcomm to provide most of its iPhone modems so its decision to use the C1 modem in the iPhone 16e is considered a significant move.  

Although it’s early in the adoption curve for the iPhone 16e, we analyzed the performance of the new device from March 1st through March 12th, and compared it to the performance of iPhone 16, which has a similar design and the same 6.1” screen. Both devices run on the same Apple-designed A18 SoC. However, it’s important to note that unlike the iPhone 16, the iPhone 16e does not support mmWave spectrum. This is the first iPhone available in the U.S. without mmWave support but we expect future iterations of the C1 modem will include it. 

iPhone 16 offers higher top-end performance than the iPhone 16e 

iPhone 16e Offers Better Worst-Case Speeds, but iPhone 16 Has a Higher Top-End Performance
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1-12 March, 2025

When we compare Speedtest Intelligence® data from the top 90th percentile (those with the highest performance experience) of iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 users  from all three of the top U.S. operators, we see the iPhone 16 performing better in download speeds. However, at the opposite end, with the 10th percentile of users (those who experience the lowest performance) we see the iPhone 16e performing better than the iPhone 16. 

iPhone 16e outperforms on download speeds for AT&T and Verizon, but not T-Mobile

Speedtest data shows the iPhone16e recorded faster median download speeds than the iPhone 16 on both AT&T and Verizon’s networks, but was markedly slower on T-Mobile’s network. 

iPhone 16e users on T-Mobile’s network experienced median download speeds of 264.71 Mbps, which is at least 47% faster than iPhone 16e users on Verizon’s network that experienced median download speeds of 140.77 Mbps. The download speed performance for iPhone 16e users on AT&T’s network was 226.90 Mbps, closer to that of T-Mobile users. 

However, when comparing median download speeds for T-Mobile users with the iPhone 16e (264.71 Mbps) to T-Mobile users with the iPhone 16 device (357.47 Mbps), the iPhone 16 outperformed the iPhone 16e by at least 24%.

The iPhone 16e’s underperformance in median download speed compared to the iPhone 16 on T-Mobile’s network is most likely due to the fact that T-Mobile is the only US carrier to have a nationwide commercialized 5G standalone network (SA) and one of the few operators globally to deploy significant spectrum depth and advanced features like carrier aggregation (CA) on the new 5G architecture. 

The C1 modem’s more limited capabilities on 5G SA networks compared to the Qualcomm modem in the iPhone 16 may be a key factor contributing to the larger performance gap between device models observed on T-Mobile’s network in early testing.

Verizon’s download performance lags on both devices

While much has been made of the lack of mmWave support on the iPhone 16e, which will have some impact on performance, particularly for users that are in range of these higher bands, both Verizon Speedtest users with the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16 experienced median download speeds that lagged behind that of both AT&T and T-Mobile.

iPhone 16e Outperforms iPhone 16 on AT&T & Verizon Despite Lacking mmWave, but Trails on T-Mobile's 5G SA
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1-12 March, 2025

iPhone 16e beats the 16 among those in the 10th percentile

When we examine Speedtest Intelligence® data for the bottom 10th percentile  (those with the lowest overall download speeds) of iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 16 users, we see that iPhone 16e users experienced better download speeds compared to iPhone 16 users across all three mobile providers.  

For example, T-Mobile iPhone 16e users in the bottom 10th percentile are experiencing speeds of 57.34 Mbps compared to T-Mobile iPhone 16 users that are experiencing speeds of just  27.27 Mbps.

The Worst Outcomes on iPhone 16e Are Significantly Better Than on iPhone 16
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1-12 March, 2025

At the other end of the scale at the 90th percentile (those with the fastest overall download speeds), we saw the reverse with the iPhone 16 outpacing the iPhone 16e for each mobile provider. For example, T-Mobile iPhone 16 users in the 90th percentile experienced blazing fast median download speeds of 889.83 Mbps compared to T-Mobile iPhone 16e users that are experiencing median download speeds of 627.01 Mbps.

iPhone 16 Outperforms iPhone 16e in Peak Performance Scenarios
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1-12 March, 2025

Performance at the lowest 10th percentile often provides a more accurate reflection of overall quality of experience (QoE) than the fastest 90th percentile, which can be skewed by deployments in mmWave-covered locations and is subject to declining marginal returns.

iPhone 16e is higher in upload speeds

Interestingly, in upload speeds, we saw iPhone 16e users on Verizon and AT&T experiencing higher upload speed performance than those using the iPhone 16. T-Mobile users, however, experienced just slightly higher upload speeds on the iPhone 16e compared to the iPhone 16. The gap was the biggest with AT&T iPhone 16e customers, who experienced median upload speeds of 14.63 Mbps, which is at least a 38% increase over AT&T iPhone 16 users who experienced median upload speeds of 8.60 Mbps. 

iPhone 16e Leads iPhone 16 on Upload Speed across AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1-12 March, 2025

Apple’s departure from Qualcomm

Apple has historically sourced its iPhone modems from Qualcomm but in 2019 the company purchased Intel’s modem business with the goal of designing its own in-house modems. 

Apple’s iPhone 16e with the C1 modem supports all the low and mid-band 5G spectrum but, as mentioned above, it doesn’t support mmWave spectrum. It also supports Wi-Fi 6 with 2×2 MIMO and Bluetooth 5.3, but lacks Wi-Fi 7 support unlike the rest of the iPhone 16 series of devices. 

Apple claims that the C1 is more power-efficient than any modem ever used in an iPhone and said that the 16e has a new internal design, which allows it to give the device a bigger battery.  In its 16e specifications Apple claims that the 16e has a battery life of up to 26 hours with video playback and up to 21 hours with streaming video playback. This compares to the Apple 16 which Apple claims has a battery life of up to 22 hours with video playback and up to 18 hours with streaming video playback. 

Some of the performance differences that Speedtest data picked up between the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16 may also be attributed to the fact that the C1 modem doesn’t have all the same capabilities that are featured in Qualcomm’s modems. 

According to a Qualcomm comparison of the C1 and its mid-tier and premium modems, Qualcomm’s mid-tier modems support 4CA downlink carrier aggregation and its top of the line x80 and x85 modems support 6CA downlink carrier aggregation compared to the C1 which supports just 3x downlink carrier aggregation. Qualcomm’s mid-tier, x80 and x85 modems also support uplink carrier aggregation and uplink MIMO and the Apple C1 does not. 

We will continue to monitor the performance of the iPhone 16e as adoption of the device increases around the world and we plan to publish a more comprehensive comparison across the entire iPhone 16 portfolio of devices. While we have not analyzed the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s performance here because it is in the premium device category, we do see it leading over the iPhone 16e in most performance metrics. 

Ookla analysts Mark Giles, Luke Kehoe and Kerry Baker contributed to this piece. 

To find out more about Speedtest Intelligence® data and insights, please contact us here.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

Apple
Qualcomm

About the Author

Sue Marek

Ookla Research™ Articles
| March 21, 2025

Bridging the Digital Divide: How Regulators Use Crowdsourced Data to Improve Rural Connectivity

Network Performance

Digital connectivity has become essential for modern life, with access to high-speed internet now allowing people to work remotely, access education, receive healthcare services, and participate in online commerce and banking. Yet a stark digital divide persists: while 40% of urban centers globally enjoy download speeds exceeding 100 Mbps (sufficient for most demanding online activities including HD video streaming and remote work), rural communities across the world — including in Africa, Central and Southern Asia — often struggle with slow connectivity or none at all. These disparities can create profound differences in opportunity, limiting the potential for many communities worldwide.

To effectively address connectivity gaps, regulators and policymakers need granular, accurate data on real-world network performance, and that’s where data from Ookla® can help. Crowdsourced data from Ookla’s Speedtest® provides crucial insights into actual user experiences, helps identify underserved areas, tracks improvements, and holds service providers accountable for deployment promises.

In this article, we’ll examine the current state of global connectivity disparities, explore how the digital divide affects education, healthcare, and economic opportunities in underserved areas, and show how Egypt’s Decent Life Initiative is using data-driven approaches to transform rural connectivity. 

For a deeper look into these topics, including case studies and methodological insights from Ookla and the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) of Egypt, watch our full webinar.

The State of Global Digital Connectivity

Effective solutions start with an accurate diagnosis. Before meaningful progress can be made in bridging the digital divide, stakeholders need precise data showing where connectivity gaps are widest and which communities are most affected. Without detailed mapping of these disparities, stakeholders risk directing investments to the wrong areas and missing chances to help those most in need. 

A study by the European Commission’s Joint Research Center, conducted in partnership with Ookla, revealed several key findings about global connectivity disparities:

  • Many countries in Africa lag significantly behind, with some regions experiencing median download speeds below 3 Mbps.
  • Broadband speeds vary dramatically between and within regions, with 40% of urban centers enjoying speeds over 100 Mbps while others struggle with basic connectivity.
  • A strong correlation exists between connectivity and economic development, with high-income countries enjoying significantly better broadband speeds.
  • In many countries in Africa and other developing regions, mobile networks are more widespread and better performing than fixed broadband networks.

These findings highlight the complex nature of the digital divide and the need for targeted approaches to address connectivity challenges in different regions. By mapping end-user speeds and coverage differences with precision, stakeholders can develop more effective interventions tailored to specific geographic and socioeconomic situations.

Map of Bridging the Digital Divide: Understanding the need

The Real Impact of the Digital Divide

Connectivity gaps aren’t just data points on a map – they represent real barriers that affect people’s everyday lives. When communities lack reliable internet access, they face serious disadvantages across multiple areas of life, as seen in Sub-Saharan Africa, where GSMA reports two-thirds of the population (710 million people) do not currently use mobile internet despite living within the footprint of a mobile broadband network. These impacts include:

  • Limited access to information directly affects civic participation, with disconnected communities unable to access government services, agricultural guidance, and essential public health information.
  • Educational inequality deepens when rural students cannot access digital learning resources and research materials or utilize remote learning options available to their urban counterparts.
  • Healthcare outcomes suffer as communities without reliable connectivity cannot benefit from telemedicine, remote diagnostics, or timely access to medical specialists.
  • Economic opportunities vanish when rural residents cannot participate in e-commerce, access online job markets, or utilize digital financial services

Addressing connectivity problems requires understanding not just where internet access is lacking, but how that absence affects real people in these communities. With this understanding, stakeholders can develop more effective strategies that prioritize the most impactful investments. 

Leveraging Crowdsourced Data for Better Connectivity

When making connectivity decisions, actual user experiences matter more than theoretical coverage maps. Regulators need to know where people are truly experiencing poor or great service, not just where internet providers claim to provide coverage. Ookla’s crowdsourced data reveals these real-world experiences, helping stakeholders make better decisions through several practical applications:

  • Creating precision maps of connectivity disparities by visualizing actual speeds geographically rather than relying on operator-reported coverage claims.
  • Identifying socioeconomic impacts through targeted research, such as the World Bank’s use of Ookla data to discover that 30% of areas near Brazilian educational facilities had inadequate speeds for effective e-learning.
  • Guiding evidence-based policy decisions, as demonstrated in the OECD’s analysis, revealed that rural fixed broadband speeds averaged 31% below national averages even in developed countries.
  • Establishing accountability frameworks, exemplified by South Carolina’s use of Ookla data to track rural-urban connectivity gaps and verify that providers delivered promised service improvements.

The examples from Brazil, OECD countries, and South Carolina demonstrate how empirical, user-generated data provides crucial insights that theoretical coverage models simply cannot offer. With such a granular understanding of actual network performance, regulators can target investments more precisely, measure progress accurately, and hold providers accountable for delivering on any promised improvements.

Graph of Crowdsourcing Helps with Strategic Planning

Case Study: Egypt’s Decent Life Initiative

Egypt’s ambitious Decent Life Project is a comprehensive national development program launched to improve the quality of life in rural areas, with telecommunications infrastructure as a key component. Launched in 2019, it demonstrates how data-driven planning, strategic investment, and public-private collaboration can transform rural connectivity at scale. This nationwide program tackles both coverage and quality issues in some of the country’s most underserved communities:

  • A comprehensive approach targeting 4,500 villages and directly impacting over 58 million Egyptians through improved infrastructure and services
  • Collaborative implementation involving more than 20 ministries, 23 civil society organizations, and numerous volunteers to address connectivity alongside other development needs
  • Strategic two-pillar telecommunications strategy focusing on mobile network expansion (establishing 1,096 new stations) and fiber optic deployment (targeting 2.8 million buildings)
  • Measurable improvements in download speeds across targeted governorates, documented via before-and-after performance testing using Ookla data
  • Innovative funding model combining government funding resources with private operator investments to share costs and accelerate deployment

With 80% of the first phase complete and plans to reach 99% mobile coverage by 2025, Egypt’s Decent Life Project demonstrates how targeted interventions can dramatically reduce rural-urban connectivity disparities. Egypt’s approach also underscores the power of coordinated action across government agencies, private sector partners, and civil society organizations. 

Best Practices for Addressing the Digital Divide

Successful digital divide initiatives like Egypt’s Decent Life Project and many others revealed a crucial insight: technical solutions alone cannot solve connectivity challenges when underlying economic, regulatory, and social barriers remain unaddressed.

Indeed, meaningful change occurs when comprehensive strategies align policy, funding, and technology toward clearly defined connectivity goals. Across initiatives aimed at narrowing the digital divide, several approaches consistently deliver positive results:

  • Data-centric planning that uses granular performance metrics to identify specific underserved areas rather than relying on broad regional generalizations
  • Technology diversity that combines mobile, fixed, and alternative technologies based on local geography, population density, and economic conditions
  • Collaborative funding frameworks that blend public resources with private investment to distribute costs and create appropriate incentives
  • Focus on outcomes rather than specific technologies, allowing solutions to adapt to local contexts and evolving capabilities
  • Parallel investment in digital literacy and relevant content to ensure infrastructure investments translate into actual adoption and usage
  • Continuous performance monitoring to maintain accountability, document improvements, and adjust strategies based on measured results

Practical experience from successful initiatives around the world shows that these elements form not just a theoretical framework but a proven roadmap for accelerating connectivity improvements. By combining data-driven planning, appropriate technology choices, innovative funding, and continuous performance monitoring, countries can make rapid progress even in challenging environments. 

Conclusion

Bridging the digital divide requires a comprehensive understanding of both coverage and usage gaps, strategic investment in infrastructure, and ongoing assessment of performance improvements. As demonstrated by Egypt’s Decent Life Project, crowdsourced data plays a critical role in guiding these efforts and measuring their impact.

When regulators leverage accurate, real-time performance data, they can more effectively address connectivity challenges and ensure digital resources are accessible to all communities. The result is not just improved network statistics but meaningful improvements in education, healthcare, economic opportunity, and quality of life.

For a more detailed examination of how regulators are using crowdsourced data to improve rural connectivity, including additional case studies and methodological insights, check out our recent webinar, “How Regulators Use Crowdsourced Data to Improve Connectivity in Underserved Rural Communities.”  

  

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

Network Performance
Ookla for Good
enterprise

About the Author

Dave Andersen

Ookla Research™ Articles
| March 14, 2025

Broadband in LatAm: Uphill Climb

Latin America

Originally published in Spanish on DPL News, February 20, 2025, under the title “La banda ancha en Latinoamérica: el camino ascendente”

To truly address the digital divide, meaningful connectivity starts with robust, accessible broadband internet for all

Telecommunications infrastructure in Latin American countries (LatAm) faces common challenges across the region. These include geographic barriers and economic disparities that hinder deployment. Further, these barriers directly contribute to the so-called “digital divide,” typically depicted as an urban-versus-rural condition. Not unique to LatAm, most countries and governments around the world are grappling with this same problem.

Ensuring broadband access alone is not adequate. Consumers are underserved by slow, unreliable internet connections. Many countries in LatAm are making steady progress toward providing high-speed broadband connectivity at scale.

The ‘Fiber Development Index Analysis 2024’ from the World Broadband Association (WBBA) highlights broadband connectivity’s foundational role in socioeconomic development. Broadband networks drive economic growth by supporting information and communications technology across all sectors, contributing significantly to GDP and employment. Furthermore, broadband enables the digitization of various industries, such as manufacturing, healthcare, and education, leading to increased productivity, efficiency, and business success. The World Bank cites research that finds when fast internet becomes available, employment increases by 13 percent and businesses nearly quadruple their exports.

The social benefits of broadband are equally important. In education, it provides access to better learning materials and facilitates communication between students and teachers, especially during remote learning situations. Other social benefits include remote work, telehealth services, and online banking for underserved populations. These benefits, while hard to quantify, are crucial for societal well-being.

Because of  the numerous benefits it provides –  including access to information, economic opportunities, education, healthcare, and entertainment – meaningful connectivity, characterized by high-quality and reliable broadband access, is increasingly recognized as a fundamental human right. 

In LatAm and Europe, and in many regions across the globe, some countries are rapidly deploying fiber and 5G and emerging as digital leaders, while others are lagging behind; this disparity exists in both regions. For example, Europe has embedded universal gigabit broadband coverage by 2030 as a core pillar of its broader emerging pro-growth industrial strategy to boost the region’s competitiveness and differentiate it through world-class infrastructure.  A common approach in LatAm and Europe, is the neutral network as a way to expand broadband coverage and foster competition. For example, in Mexico, Red Compartida is a nationwide wholesale-only wireless network. And in Spain, development of neutral networks through companies like Lyntia and MásMóvil, operate wholesale-only fiber networks used by multiple operators.

This article examines the high-level status of fixed and mobile connectivity of a selection of LatAm countries tending to have large populations, as well as Spain (Spain being the host of the Digital Summit LatAm 2025 in Madrid at the end of February). 

Data sources are: (1) OoklaⓇ mobile SpeedtestⓇ data sets are queried, including the Speedtest Global Index of 152 countries, and Speedtest IntelligenceⓇ with focus on 5G insights. And, (2) the Fiber Development Index (FDI) – “a collaboration between Ookla, the WBBA, and Omdia – benchmarks fiber development and performance across 93 countries, the FDI provides crucial insights into actual broadband performance and availability worldwide” for industry stakeholders, policymakers and regulators, service providers and suppliers, supporting the development and growth of the fiber industries. The full FDI list of 93 countries is seen here.

Fixed Connectivity

The Speedtest Global Index current rankings (January 2025) of countries based on median download speeds for fixed connectivity presents many LatAm countries among a mix of countries from other regions for comparison. Three categories are evident. More advanced countries where fiber performance is already strong, including in Chile, seeing well over 200 Megabits per second (Mbps) median download speed. The second group is solidly above 100 Mbps median download speeds where its fiber is deployed. The last group is generally below 100 Mbps, slower to take off and not yet delivering the performance possible with fiber. 

Speed is simple to understand, but it only truly matters when one has access to a network that delivers the speed. High speeds on a network with limited availability are probably not as beneficial as medium speeds on a widely available network. To judge the breadth of fiber deployment, the FDI provides a measurement to assist in evaluating this called Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH).

Up-Right Trends

In the chart of Fiber Deployment and Speed, for comparison over five years time (2020 – 2024)  and among a selected cohort of larger population countries (not all of LatAm, to keep the visual intelligible), FTTH penetration percentage is on the horizontal axis and median download speed of the fiber connection in Mbps is on the vertical axis. FTTH penetration is the number of FTTH subscriptions divided by the total number of households. 

FTTH penetration is often higher in relatively smaller-geography countries because population density tends to be higher as well, resulting in favorable economic conditions for deployment and adoption. This does not describe the morphology of countries in this analysis. Year-to-year consistent progress is clearly evident for all countries (FTTH moving to the right), with Brazil, Chile and Mexico moving the farthest. However, none of the six large LatAm countries approached 50% FTTH penetration, let alone catching Spain. 

Download speed showed steady progress as well, though at different rates of improvement. The same three categories as identified early are evident: Chile and Spain in the upper; Brazil, Peru and Colombia in the middle; Argentina and Mexico in the lower. Chile’s rise in performance is particularly commendable, from 55.42 Mbps in 2020 to 263.89 in 2024. On the other hand, Mexico at 76.85 Mbps in 2024, was still not where Spain was at 84.80 Mbps in 2020. In sum, among this cohort, speed performance presents a mix of successes and opportunities.

Excluding Spain, only Chile and Brazil improved on both FTTH and speed axes. Mexico expanded FTTH access, but its speed performance lagged. In the other direction, Peru and Colombia presented limited FTTH deployment, but it’s fast where available. Argentina trailed on both metrics.

It is important to consider that the speeds cited here are median speeds. The median is the middle, which means that half of the speeds were slower (and, of course, half were faster). This matters especially for regulators that are mandating minimum performance targets, often in the context of closing the digital divide. For example, in the European Union’s (EU) goals from its Gigabit Society and Digital Decade policy:

Broadband Europe promotes the Commission’s strategy on Connectivity for a European Gigabit Society by 2025 as well as the vision set by the Digital Decade for Europe’s digital transformation by 2030 to connect European citizens and businesses with very high-capacity networks, which will enable innovative products, services and applications to all citizens and business across the EU.

This Gigabit Society vision for 2025 relies on three main strategic objectives:

  1. Gigabit connectivity for all of the main socio-economic drivers;
  2. uninterrupted 5G coverage for all urban areas and major terrestrial transport paths;
  3. access to connectivity offering at least 100 Mbps for all European households

The ambition of the Digital Decade is that, by 2030, all European households are covered by a Gigabit network and all populated areas are covered by 5G. (Source: Support for Broadband rollout | Shaping Europe’s digital future)

The last two suggest a future where there is fixed service delivering 1,000 Mbps – that is to say, a Gigabit per second (Gbps). Incidentally, Brazil’s regulator Anatel also has a Gigabit target for fixed connectivity speed. And, for mobile networks in 2030, on the cusp of 6G, 5G will be pervasive in the same way that 4G is today. To that point, the next section examines 4G and 5G in these same cohort of countries.

Mobile Connectivity

Mobile is the primary internet access method for many people across LatAm, and sometimes their only internet access method. 4G can provide minimally adequate performance, with the benefit of being a mature and widely deployed technology. 4G networks and devices are abundant.

However, to fulfill the future promise, and enjoy the services and benefits that come with high-speed internet access, 5G is capable. 5G’s superior performance to that of 4G is competitive with fixed broadband, and can sometimes reach consumers where fixed networks might not yet have. Further, some consumers are making a financial decision – only affording one method of internet access. In this case, mobile usually wins this choice over fixed. (Mobile devices also have the benefit of being able to generate a Wi-Fi hotspot, whereas a fixed connection cannot become a mobile phone.)

This section will look at two “availability” metrics, analogous to FTTH penetration, to illustrate the accessibility of 5G. Then, just as with fixed performance above, compare the speed performance of 5G to that of 4G.

What the phone sees

Mobile Technology Generation, 2H 2024

Availability on Service-Active Devices shows the mobile network technology seen by all devices in a given county. This isn’t coverage or the amount of traffic (payload) on a given technology generation. Rather, this is the devices’ perspective of network technology generations (the “G”) available to connect with. In other words, this is a democratic view of available wireless technologies – every device is voting. Note that a 4G device will never see a 5G network, while a 5G device will see all the network technology generations. Just the same for a 3G or 2G device – devices are not “forward compatible” in mobile technology generations. 

We can easily draw insights from the Availability on Service-Active Devices chart about the relative “G” availability for each country. Spain is further along in 5G deployment, Chile and Brazil are early in 5G, Mexico is just starting, and Colombia and Argentina are pre-deployment (perhaps in trials). 

Less obvious is the velocity of change from one technology generation to the next. The installed base of 4G devices is large and slow to upgrade. Device quality is better and device costs are higher, leading consumers to use older technology for longer. In Spain, all of its operators had launched 5G networks in 2020, and thanks to proactive initiatives under the Universalization of Digital Infrastructures for Cohesion Program (UNICO), 5G coverage has expanded. Rural 5G coverage, as it is in most countries, is still a work-in-progress for UNICO. But also, five years into 5G, Spain still has many non-5G devices. 

Thus, a key point this view makes, as obvious as it may be, is that the device is critical to the experience. (This point is also true of fixed networks. For example, an old Wi-Fi router would be a performance bottleneck on a Gigabit fiber connection.) In each new device, modern chipsets and advanced technologies, and spectrum bands and radios, combine to fulfill the potential capabilities of the network.

What the 5G phone sees

The 5G Availability time-series chart illustrates, for 5G devices, the percentage of those 5G devices that spend the majority of their time connected to a 5G network. Highly correlated with Availability on Service-Active Devices – Spain with the most 5G and Argentina with the least 5G – this view indicates the intersection of 5G network deployment and 5G devices.

Again, this is not a view of coverage, though it does suggest the degree of alignment between (network) deployment and (device) distribution. Rhetorically, what is the point of a 5G device without a 5G network?

However, let’s touch on coverage. In lay terms, coverage is usually thought of as geography, and this idea is reinforced with network maps. Networks, actually, and especially new ones, are deployed where the most people live. Scale economies dictate that network coverage is primarily about population, not geography.

For example, Anatel recently announced that Brazil had surpassed its 2027 coverage goal for 5G at 57.67% of the population – it now covers 62.98% of the population. With impressive precision, Anatel’s statement indicates that coverage is about people. 

The Anatel news also contained the information that 5G subscriptions had doubled in 2024. Comparing this with data in the 5G Availability time series chart, from Q3-Q4 2023 to Q3-Q4 2024, Brazil 5G Availability went from 16.77% to 31.99% – it nearly doubled.

We have now touched on network availability, devices, and coverage. It’s time to turn to what 5G’s headline feature has been since before 3GPP release 15 in the prior decade. That is, of course, speed.

5G Speed – green means go fast

Based on Speedtest user data in each country in the second half of 2024, there is no question that 5G speeds are faster than 4G. And as we just learned with Brazil’s expanded 5G coverage and growth in devices and subscriptions, millions of Brazilian mobile users are enjoying mobile speed performance more than ten-times faster than their 4G friends. User experience will vary within each country based on the mobile service provider, among other factors.

Speed isn’t just about how fast an individual user gets to experience browsing or downloading. Speed is representative of network capacity. Moreover, speed is the result of the capacity (spectrum amount, technology, site count/density, backhaul) and user demand (number of users and, again, browsing or downloading or streaming…). So, when we look at Argentina’s 5G speed, we know from information above in this report that it is a very new deployment with very few users (Called “unloaded” in network jargon). Consequently, the speeds of newer networks must be considered in this context, to not over-estimate their potential and promise. 

Spain offers a sensible counterbalance, though even a three-times faster experience should be encouragement for a Spaniard to ditch their 4G phone.

Don’t wait

Let’s consider meaningful connectivity and the digital divide. One could argue that, according to the findings in this analysis, fixed FTTH connectivity is under-penetrated and 5G mobile service is nascent to the extent that neither delivers meaningful connectivity. In this case, the digital divide, based on some aspirational access and performance objective, could mean most people. However, other countries’ experiences are likely to repeat. As penetration and adoption matures, attended by performance, to a state of meaningful connectivity, there will be those at risk of being left out. This is the real digital divide.

The opportunity is this – don’t wait. Programs and initiatives can pre-emptively address the systemic gaps that could otherwise result. Misses and successes of others can be instructive. There are billions in government funds aimed at this issue.

It is not the purpose of this article to survey each country’s digital divide initiatives, but to identify a few references for further exploration: 

For more information about Ookla and Speedtest Intelligence data and insights, please get in touch.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

Latin America

About the Author

Kerry Baker

Ookla Research™ Articles
| March 19, 2025

Fiber-Rich, Wi-Fi Poor: Spain Exemplifies the Scourge of Outdated Wi-Fi | Rica en fibra y pobre en Wi-Fi: España ejemplifica la ‘enfermedad’ del Wi-Fi obsoleto

Wi-Fi
Spanish/Español

Spain leads Europe in fiber deployment but is now paying the price for neglecting modern Wi-Fi CPE, undermining its global competitiveness in fixed broadband performance. 

Spain’s remarkable transformation from a telecoms laggard a decade ago to a global leader in fiber availability has been dizzying in both scale and speed. Widely hailed as a model of best practice, this transformation has played a key role in vaulting the country to the forefront of Europe in economic growth over the last two years, supporting the attraction of inward investment in precision manufacturing, renewables, and a growing digital nomad community.

If deploying fiber to as many doorsteps as possible were a sprint, Spain would have won hands down. But the real race—the marathon of extending gigabit coverage throughout the entire home, beyond merely the doorstep—requires modernizing Wi-Fi customer premises equipment (CPE). Here, Spain is falling behind, eroding its global competitiveness in fixed broadband performance and limiting Spanish ISPs’ ability to differentiate in a market saturated with multiple overlapping fiber builds.

This chasm between the highly capable fiber connections reaching most Spanish homes and the outdated Wi-Fi equipment delivering that connectivity to end devices exemplifies the paradox of ‘old’ fiber markets like Spain. As an early mover in fiber, Spain migrated from copper before modern Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 CPE—designed to fully leverage fiber’s multi-gigabit potential—became widely available.

Key Takeaways

  • Spain features one of the oldest and least capable Wi-Fi footprints in Europe: By the end of 2024, two-thirds of all Wi-Fi connections in Spain still relied on legacy standards (Wi-Fi 4 and Wi-Fi 5) based on Speedtest Intelligence® data, leaving the country notably behind peers with lower fiber penetration, including neighboring France, the United Kingdom, and all Nordic countries. This deep entrenchment of legacy Wi-Fi standards is artificially constraining the performance of Spain’s full-fiber connections, contributing to its underperformance in the Speedtest Global Index™ compared to countries with less extensive fiber deployment.
  • The capabilities of Spain’s Wi-Fi footprint vary significantly across different ISPs: DIGI has distinguished itself  by offering modern CPE with Wi-Fi 6 as standard across its subscriber base, benefiting from its position as a newer entrant without a legacy customer base. This has driven its strong lead in Wi-Fi 6 penetration in Spain—nearly half of all Speedtest samples on DIGI connections in January used Wi-Fi 6 or 7, compared to less than a quarter on Movistar and Vodafone—enhancing its overall fixed broadband performance. By comparison, ISPs that were slow to introduce modern CPE, such as Movistar, or restricted access to subscribers opting for premium equipment rental add-ons, like Vodafone, retain a much larger share of users on legacy Wi-Fi standards.
  • Modern CPE with Wi-Fi 6 and 7 deliver significant performance gains across all ISPs: The gap between advertised fiber speeds to the doorstep (typically achievable via wired Ethernet) and actual Wi-Fi performance is smallest in homes where Wi-Fi 6 and 7 CPE have been deployed. At the end of 2024, median download speeds on Wi-Fi 6 in Spain reached 419.13 Mbps, exceeding Wi-Fi 5 speeds by more than 54% and surpassing Wi-Fi 4 performance by an order of magnitude. Meanwhile, median latency on Wi-Fi 7 connections (19 ms) was notably improved compared to outcomes on earlier Wi-Fi standards. 

Spain is a victim of its own success, having deployed fiber far and wide before the arrival of Wi-Fi 6 and 7

Spain typifies the legacy Wi-Fi challenges now confronting Europe’s early fiber adopters—countries that moved aggressively to deploy full-fiber networks using GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) technology. The market incumbent, Telefónica, began large-scale fiber deployment in the early 2010s, accelerating from 2015. By the end of the decade, Spain had leapfrogged most countries in fiber coverage and the migration from copper-based DSL, with a groundswell of investment driving multiple overlapping fiber builds across many areas.

The scale of Spain’s success in fiber deployment is often under-appreciated. The European Commission’s latest DESI Index reported that over 95% of Spanish households were passed by a full-fiber network—well above the EU average of 64%. This has placed Spain within striking distance of the Commission’s Digital Decade 2030 target of achieving full-fiber coverage across all member states by the end of the decade.

Spain Continues to Lead Europe in Fiber Deployment
European Commission | DESI 2018 – 2024

Spain’s initial fiber rollouts in the early 2010s coincided with Wi-Fi 4 being the de facto standard for many ISP-supplied CPE. Based on a 2009 standard, Wi-Fi 4 offers theoretical maximum download speeds of up to 600 Mbps. By the peak of fiber deployment in the latter half of the decade, Wi-Fi 5 had become the state-of-the-art standard, delivering peak speeds of 3.5 Gbps and gradually becoming dominant. For instance, in 2016, Telefónica’s Movistar fiber CPE featured a dual-band Wi-Fi 5 model, which was considered high-end at the time.

By the time Wi-Fi 6—the first standard truly designed for multi-gigabit fiber based on XGS-PON (the latest optical networking technology enabling symmetrical speeds of up to 10 Gbps)—became available, Spanish ISPs had already deployed tens of millions of legacy CPE. Analysis of Speedtest Intelligence data reveals that Wi-Fi 4 and Wi-Fi 5 CPE have remained deeply entrenched in Spain’s fiber base, collectively accounting for over 75% of all fixed connections by December 2024, based on Speedtest sample share. 

Competitive dynamics play a key role in shaping Wi-Fi outcomes across countries and ISPs

The long tail of legacy Wi-Fi CPE in Spain stands in stark contrast to other fiber-rich countries like neighboring France, another European leader in fiber deployment—though it lagged behind Spain until recent years. By December 2024, Wi-Fi 6 accounted for nearly a third of all Wi-Fi connections in France, compared to less than a quarter in Spain.

Beyond France’s later fiber deployment timeline compared to Spain, broader competitive dynamics and consumer behavior have likely influenced the differences in Wi-Fi adoption between the two countries. While Spain’s fixed market is highly competitive, it has been led by a few large converged players that have traditionally prioritized convergence and bundling over investing in cutting-edge CPE.

For the most part, Spanish ISPs have traditionally competed on price, content, and speed tiers, with Wi-Fi CPE upgrades not seen as a key differentiator. In France, by contrast, the entry of market disruptor Iliad’s Free at the start of the last decade intensified competition not just on price but also on innovation in the ‘internet box.’ For over a decade, Free set the market pace by integrating cutting-edge technology into its Freebox gateways, from built-in media servers to high-end Wi-Fi.

Wi-Fi 6 Penetration Continues to Rise Slowly in Spain
Speedtest Intelligence® | January 2025

This sparked a ‘box war’ in France, where rival ISPs faced competitive pressure to regularly update their CPE to avoid being outpaced. For example, when Free introduced a Wi-Fi 6-capable Freebox for new subscribers, Orange (Livebox 6) and Bouygues (Bbox Wi-Fi 6) quickly followed suit with their own offerings, treating hardware as a key competitive feature to attract subscribers.

Additionally, French ISPs typically included these newer CPE solutions at no extra cost in standard fiber tariffs. When Orange launched the Livebox 6 in 2022 with Wi-Fi 6E support—leveraging additional spectrum in the 6 GHz band to boost theoretical maximum speeds to 9.6 Gbps—it made the device available to all new fiber customers on eligible tariffs. Free took a similar approach earlier with its mid-range Freebox Pop, adding Wi-Fi 6 support in 2021 for new sign-ups without increasing the base subscription fee.

The absence of a Free-equivalent disruptor in Spain until the later arrival of DIGI, combined with a longstanding focus on bundling and content rather than CPE hardware and multi-gigabit tariffs for competitive differentiation, has likely been a key factor in dampening the adoption of Wi-Fi 6 and 7 in Spain.

DIGI's Emphasis on Modern CPE Drives Leadership in Wi-Fi 6 Penetration
Speedtest Intelligence® | January 2025

  • Telefónica’s Movistar: Movistar introduced its first Wi-Fi 6 CPE (Smart Wi-Fi 6) in mid-2022. The ISP initially sought to monetize the device, charging a one-time installation fee for existing customers while bundling it with a new high-speed multi-gigabit tariff. By January, Wi-Fi 6 accounted for as much as 19% of Movistar’s customer base, based on Speedtest sample share.

    The ISP leveraged its presence at MWC 2025 in Barcelona to unveil plans for a Wi-Fi 7 CPE solution, designed to harness the higher-speed multi-gigabit tariffs enabled by its XGS-PON upgrades and expansion. As it phases out legacy hardware, the ISP is accelerating the migration of subscribers from Wi-Fi 4 and 5 CPE, with Speedtest Intelligence data revealing a progressive decline in Wi-Fi 4 penetration since August last year in Movistar’s base.

    At the start of this year, it announced that all new Movistar fixed subscribers, regardless of tariff tier, would receive its Smart Wi-Fi 6 solution as standard, replacing the previous ‘HGU’ Wi-Fi 5-based offering and replicating the strategy of DIGI.

Movistar is Making Progress in Driving Down Wi-Fi 4 Usage
Speedtest Intelligence® | January 2025

  • Orange: Orange was among the first major ISPs in Spain to introduce Wi-Fi 6 CPE, bringing its Livebox 6 and later Livebox 7 solutions from France to the Spanish market starting in 2021, later extending them to sub-brands like Jazztel. The ISP provided this CPE free of charge to new customers across all tariffs, regardless of speed tier. Like Movistar, it initially charged existing subscribers a (monthly, in this case) fee to upgrade to the new hardware. This relatively early and widespread deployment has given Orange a lead in Wi-Fi 6 adoption over Movistar, with as much as 35% of connections on the ISP using the standard by January, based on Speedtest sample share.

    The ISP has since introduced the ‘Livebox Wi-Fi 7’ CPE solution, bundled with a new suite of 10 Gbps converged fiber tariffs. Leveraging Orange’s XGS-PON footprint, it offers among the highest advertised provisioned speeds in the Spanish market.
  • Vodafone: Vodafone introduced its ‘Wi-Fi 6 Station’ in Spain around mid-2021, making it one of the earliest Wi-Fi 6 solutions in the market. However, the ISP positioned it as a premium add-on rather than a standard feature. While new customers could access the Wi-Fi 6 Station, it was initially bundled with Vodafone’s ‘Super Wi-Fi 6’ service, which required a monthly rental fee unless they were on the top Gigabit plan.

    As a result, customers who did not opt in and pay extra continued to receive the older Wi-Fi 5-based CPE by default (similar to many other ISPs). This approach, combined with the legacy composition of Vodafone’s HFC (hybrid fiber-coaxial) base,  has left the ISP’s Wi-Fi 6 adoption lagging behind competitors, with fewer than 14% of its connections using the standard by January based on Speedtest sample share. 

DIGI is the only Spanish ISP where Wi-Fi 6 penetration surpasses Wi-Fi 5
Speedtest Intelligence® | January 2025

  • DIGI: Unlike other ISPs managing a diverse base of legacy customers across various access technologies and CPE generations, DIGI’s relatively recent entry into the Spanish market has given it a significant competitive advantage, allowing it to build a subscriber base largely equipped with newer Wi-Fi CPE. 

    In early 2022, the ISP introduced a Wi-Fi 6 CPE solution for all its fiber subscribers at no additional cost, ensuring that even customers on DIGI’s basic tariffs received the latest Wi-Fi hardware. This approach has driven rapid Wi-Fi 6 adoption, with penetration surpassing 46% by January. DIGI remains the only Spanish ISP where Wi-Fi 6 represents a larger share of its connection base than Wi-Fi 5, contributing to its lead in fixed download speed performance in the market.

    Building on this, last year, DIGI became the first Spanish ISP to launch a Wi-Fi 7 CPE solution in partnership with ZTE, initially bundling the hardware with its premium ‘Pro-DIGI’ tariffs, which leverage XGS-PON to offer advertised symmetrical speeds of up to 10 Gbps. However, adoption remains limited, with Wi-Fi 7 accounting for less than 1% of Speedtest samples on DIGI in January.

Newer Wi-Fi standards enhance performance across all metrics and Spanish ISPs

Despite the wide variation in Wi-Fi standard adoption among Spanish ISPs, the common feature is that newer CPE models drive significant performance improvements across all metrics. Most notably, Wi-Fi 6 and 7 are playing a key role in narrowing the performance gap between advertised fiber speeds—typically achievable via wired Ethernet—and real-world wireless performance in Spanish homes.

Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 Drive Substantial Performance Gains Across All ISPs and Metrics
Speedtest Intelligence® | January 2025

At the end of 2024, median download speeds on Wi-Fi 7 in Spain reached 664.25 Mbps, surpassing Wi-Fi 6 by 58% and more than doubling speeds on Wi-Fi 5. Median upload speeds on Wi-Fi 7, enhanced by features like Multi-Link Operation (MLO), which enables simultaneous transmissions across multiple spectrum bands, reached 449.69 Mbps—28% higher than Wi-Fi 6 and 51% above Wi-Fi 5. Wi-Fi 7 also delivered marked latency improvements, with a median latency of 19 ms, up to 12% lower than Wi-Fi 6.

Wi-Fi 7 is Key to Unlocking the Full Potential of Multi-Gigabit Fiber Tariffs
Speedtest Intelligence® | January 2025

The proliferation of multi-gigabit tariffs with XGS-PON, which has progressed more slowly in Spain than in other fiber-rich markets like France but is now accelerating thanks to moves by ISPs like DIGI and Orange, underlines the need for CPE capable of fully utilizing provisioned speeds and spreading gigabit performance throughout the home. Speedtest Intelligence data reveals that early Wi-Fi 7 CPE deployments are the first to achieve median download speeds exceeding 1 Gbps at the 90th percentile in Spain, showcasing how Wi-Fi 7’s technical advances like wider channel bandwidth and higher modulation are emerging as key differentiators for the technology in the premium segment.

Newer Wi-Fi Generations Drive Latency Improvements
Speedtest Intelligence® | January 2025

Driving adoption of newer Wi-Fi standards requires fresh strategies but create new revenue opportunities for ISPs

As advanced fiber markets like Spain mature, the focus is shifting from simply delivering gigabit speeds to the doorstep to ensuring seamless whole-home performance that meets the diverse demands of emerging connected devices. As a result, investments in enhancing the Wi-Fi experience through ISP-supplied CPE will be key to differentiating multi-gigabit tariffs beyond price and ensuring the full potential of fiber connections can be realised.

Spain must accelerate the modernization of its Wi-Fi base to fully capitalize on substantial investments in XGS-PON, deliver meaningful improvements in quality of experience (QoE) for consumers, and catch up with leading markets in the Nordics. Spanish ISPs can take cues from neighboring countries like France, where CPE upgrades are bundled with tariff speed upgrades, and targeted swap-and-replace programs systematically identify and phase out legacy Wi-Fi hardware to drive adoption of next-generation Wi-Fi 6 and 7 equipment. Recent moves by ISPs like Telefónica’s Movistar to sunset legacy CPE and provide Wi-Fi 6 solutions as standard are evidence of progress in this respect.

Leading European ISPs that have prioritized consumer awareness of Wi-Fi standards and their impact on fiber performance—while modernizing their Wi-Fi CPE base to support monetizable offerings like minimum speed guarantees in every room—are seeing tangible benefits. This strategy not only enhances the overall fixed broadband experience but also unlocks new revenue streams through service differentiation.

Rica en fibra y pobre en Wi-Fi: España ejemplifica la ‘enfermedad’ del Wi-Fi obsoleto

España lidera Europa en despliegue de fibra, pero está pagando el precio de descuidar la modernización de equipos Wi-Fi, lo que socava su competitividad global en rendimiento de banda ancha fija.

La notable transformación de España, que hace una década pasó de ser un país rezagado en telecomunicaciones a convertirse en líder mundial en disponibilidad de fibra, ha sido vertiginosa tanto en escala como en velocidad. Aclamada ampliamente como modelo de buenas prácticas, esta transformación ha desempeñado un papel clave para que el país se sitúe a la vanguardia de Europa en crecimiento económico durante los dos últimos años, apoyando la atracción de inversión en fabricación de precisión, energías renovables y una creciente comunidad de nómadas digitales.

Si el despliegue de fibra en el mayor número posible de hogares fuera una carrera de velocidad, España habría ganado sin duda alguna. Pero la verdadera carrera -la maratón de extender la cobertura gigabit a todo el hogar, más allá de la puerta- requiere modernizar los equipos Wi-Fi de las instalaciones del cliente (CPE). En este aspecto, España se está quedando rezagada, lo que merma su competitividad global en rendimiento de banda ancha fija y limita la capacidad de los proveedores de servicios de internet (ISP) españoles para diferenciarse en un mercado saturado con múltiples despliegues de fibra que se solapan. 

Este abismo entre las conexiones de fibra de alta capacidad que llegan a la mayoría de los hogares españoles y los anticuados equipos Wi-Fi que suministran esa conectividad a los dispositivos finales ejemplifica la paradoja de los “antiguos” mercados de fibra como España. Como pionera en fibra, España migró desde el cobre antes de que los modernos CPE Wi-Fi 6 y Wi-Fi 7 -diseñados para aprovechar al máximo el potencial multi-gigabit de la fibra- estuvieran ampliamente disponibles.

Aspectos Clave:

  • España cuenta con una de las huellas Wi-Fi más antiguas y menos capaces de Europa. A finales de 2024, dos tercios de todas las conexiones Wi-Fi en España todavía dependían de estándares heredados (Wi-Fi 4 y Wi-Fi 5), dejando al país notablemente por detrás de sus iguales con menor penetración de fibra, incluyendo la vecina Francia, el Reino Unido y todos los países nórdicos. Este profundo arraigo de los estándares Wi-Fi heredados está limitando artificialmente el rendimiento de las conexiones de fibra de España, contribuyendo a su bajo rendimiento en el Speedtest Global Index™ en comparación con países con un despliegue de fibra menos extenso.
  • Las capacidades de la huella Wi-Fi de España varían significativamente entre los distintos ISP. DIGI se ha distinguido por ofrecer CPE modernos con Wi-Fi 6 como estándar a toda su base de abonados, beneficiándose de su posición como nuevo operador sin una base de clientes heredada. Esto ha impulsado su fuerte liderazgo en la penetración de Wi-Fi 6 en España -casi la mitad de todas las muestras de Speedtest en conexiones de DIGI en enero utilizaban Wi-Fi 6 o 7, frente a menos de una cuarta parte en Movistar y Vodafone-, mejorando su rendimiento global de banda ancha fija. En comparación, los ISP que tardaron en introducir CPE modernos, como Movistar, o que restringieron el acceso a los abonados que optaron por complementos de alquiler de equipos premium, como Vodafone, conservan una cuota mucho mayor de usuarios con estándares Wi-Fi heredados.
  • Los CPE modernos con Wi-Fi 6 y 7 ofrecen importantes mejoras de rendimiento en todos los proveedores. La diferencia entre las velocidades de fibra anunciadas hasta la puerta de casa (normalmente alcanzables a través de Ethernet por cable) y el rendimiento Wi-Fi real es menor en los hogares en los que se han desplegado CPE Wi-Fi 6 y 7. A finales de 2024, las velocidades medianas de descarga en Wi-Fi 6 en España alcanzaron los 419,13 Mbps, superando las velocidades de Wi-Fi 5 en más de un 54% y el rendimiento de Wi-Fi 4 en un orden de magnitud. Mientras tanto, la latencia mediana de las conexiones Wi-Fi 7 (19 ms) mejoró notablemente en comparación con los resultados de los estándares Wi-Fi anteriores.

España, víctima de su propio éxito: desplegó fibra por todas partes antes de la llegada de Wi-Fi 6 y 7

España es un ejemplo típico de los retos que plantea el Wi-Fi heredado a los que fueron los primeros en adoptar la fibra óptica en Europa, países que se lanzaron a desplegar redes de fibra completa con tecnología GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network, red óptica pasiva Gigabit). En este sentido, Telefónica inició el despliegue de fibra a gran escala a principios de la década de 2010 y lo aceleró a partir de 2015. A finales de la década, España se había adelantado a la mayoría de los países en cobertura de fibra y en la migración desde la DSL basada en cobre, con una inversión que impulsó múltiples despliegues de fibra superpuestos en muchas zonas. 

A menudo se subestima la magnitud del éxito de España en el despliegue de fibra. El último índice DESI de la Comisión Europea indica que más del 95% de los hogares españoles contaban con una red de fibra óptica, lo que sitúa al país muy por encima de la media de la UE (64%). Esto ha colocado a España a una distancia asombrosa del objetivo de la Comisión para la Década Digital 2030 de lograr una cobertura total de fibra en todos los Estados miembros al final de la década.

España sigue liderando Europa en despliegue de fibra
Comisión Europea | DESI 2018-2024

Los despliegues iniciales de fibra en España a principios de 2010 coincidieron con el hecho de que el Wi-Fi 4 era el estándar de facto para muchos CPE suministrados por los operadores. De acuerdo con una norma de 2009, el Wi-Fi 4 ofrece velocidades máximas teóricas de descarga de hasta 600 Mbps. En el punto álgido del despliegue de fibra en la segunda mitad de la década, el Wi-Fi 5 se había convertido en el estándar de vanguardia, ofreciendo velocidades máximas de 3,5 Gbps y convirtiéndose gradualmente en dominante. Por ejemplo, en 2016, el CPE de fibra de Movistar contaba con un modelo Wi-Fi 5 de doble banda, considerado de gama alta en aquel momento.

Para cuando el Wi-Fi 6 (el primer estándar realmente diseñado para fibra multi-gigabit basado en XGS-PON -la última tecnología de redes ópticas que permite velocidades simétricas de hasta 10 Gbps-) estuvo disponible, los ISP españoles ya habían desplegado decenas de millones de CPE heredados. El análisis de los datos de Speedtest Intelligence revela que los CPE Wi-Fi 4 y Wi-Fi 5 han permanecido profundamente arraigados a la base de fibra de España, representando colectivamente más del 75% de todas las conexiones fijas en diciembre de 2024, según la cuota de muestras de Speedtest. 

La dinámica competitiva desempeña un papel clave en la configuración de los resultados de Wi-Fi de los distintos países e ISP

La gran cantidad de CPE Wi-Fi heredados en España contrasta fuertemente con otros países ricos en fibra, como la vecina Francia, otro líder europeo en despliegue de fibra a pesar de que ha ido a la zaga de España hasta hace pocos años. En diciembre de 2024, el Wi-Fi 6 representaba casi un tercio de todas las conexiones Wi-Fi en Francia, frente a menos de una cuarta parte en España.

Más allá del calendario de despliegue de fibra más tardío de Francia en comparación con el de España, es probable que la dinámica competitiva y el comportamiento de los consumidores hayan influido en las diferencias de adopción del Wi-Fi entre ambos países. Aunque el mercado fijo español es muy competitivo, ha estado liderado por unos pocos grandes operadores convergentes que tradicionalmente han dado prioridad al precio de los paquetes y a los contenidos frente a la inversión en CPE de vanguardia.

En su mayor parte, los ISP españoles han competido tradicionalmente en precio, contenido y niveles de velocidad, sin que las mejoras del CPE Wi-Fi se considerasen un diferenciador clave. En Francia, por el contrario, la entrada en el mercado de Free, de Iliad, a principios de la década pasada, intensificó la competencia no sólo en precios, sino también en innovación en la “caja de Internet”. Durante más de una década, Free marcó el ritmo del mercado integrando tecnología punta en sus pasarelas Freebox, desde servidores multimedia incorporados hasta Wi-Fi de alta gama.

La penetración del Wi-Fi 6 sigue creciendo lentamente en España
Speedtest Intelligence® | Enero 2025

Esto desencadenó una “guerra de cajas” en Francia, donde los operadores rivales se enfrentaron a la presión competitiva de actualizar periódicamente sus CPE para evitar ser superados. Por ejemplo, cuando Free introdujo un Freebox Wi-Fi 6 para nuevos abonados, Orange (Livebox 6) y Bouygues (Bbox Wi-Fi 6) no tardaron en lanzar sus propias ofertas, considerando el hardware como una característica competitiva clave para atraer abonados. 

Además, los ISP franceses solían incluir estas nuevas soluciones CPE sin coste adicional en las tarifas de fibra estándar. Cuando Orange lanzó el Livebox 6 en 2022 con soporte Wi-Fi 6E -aprovechando el espectro adicional en la banda de 6 GHz para aumentar las velocidades máximas teóricas a 9,6 Gbps- puso el dispositivo a disposición de todos los nuevos clientes de fibra con tarifas elegibles. Free ya había adoptado un enfoque similar con su Freebox Pop de gama media, añadiendo la compatibilidad con Wi-Fi 6 en 2021 para los nuevos suscriptores sin aumentar la cuota de suscripción básica.

La ausencia de un disruptor equivalente a Free en España hasta la posterior llegada de DIGI, combinada con un enfoque centrado desde hace tiempo en la paquetización y los contenidos más que en el hardware (CPE) y en las tarifas multi-gigabit para la diferenciación competitiva, ha sido probablemente un factor clave para frenar la adopción de Wi-Fi 6 y 7 en España.

Foco de DIGI en CPE modernos promueve liderazgo en la adopción de Wi-Fi 6
Speedtest Intelligence® | Enero 2025

  • Telefónica: Movistar introdujo su primer CPE Wi-Fi 6 (Smart Wi-Fi 6) a mediados de 2022. Inicialmente, el operador trató de rentabilizar el dispositivo cobrando una cuota única de instalación a los clientes y combinándolo con una nueva tarifa multi-gigabit de alta velocidad. En enero, el Wi-Fi 6 representaba hasta el 19% de la base de clientes de Movistar, según la cuota de muestreo de Speedtest. 

    El operador aprovechó su presencia en el MWC 2025 de Barcelona para desvelar sus planes para una solución CPE Wi-Fi 7, diseñada para aprovechar las tarifas multi-gigabit de mayor velocidad habilitadas por sus actualizaciones y ampliaciones XGS-PON. A medida que va eliminando hardware heredado, el operador está acelerando la migración de abonados desde CPE Wi-Fi 4 y 5. A este respecto, los datos de Speedtest Intelligence revelan un descenso progresivo de la penetración de Wi-Fi 4 desde agosto del año pasado en la base de Movistar. 

    A principios de este año, Movistar anunció que todos sus nuevos abonados de telefonía fija, independientemente del nivel de tarifa, recibirán su solución CPE ‘Smart Wi-Fi 6’, para sustituir la anterior oferta basada en Wi-Fi 5 ‘HGU’, replicando, así, la estrategia de DIGI.

Movistar avanza en la reducción del uso de Wi-Fi 4
Speedtest Intelligence® | Enero 2025

  • Orange: Orange fue uno de los primeros grandes operadores en España en introducir un CPE Wi-Fi 6, al traer sus soluciones Livebox 6 y más tarde Livebox 7 de Francia al mercado español a partir de 2021, y extenderlas más tarde a submarcas como Jazztel. El ISP proporcionó este CPE de forma gratuita a los nuevos clientes en todas las tarifas, independientemente del nivel de velocidad. Al igual que Movistar, cobró inicialmente a los abonados existentes una cuota (mensual, en este caso) para actualizar al nuevo hardware. Este despliegue relativamente temprano y generalizado ha dado a Orange una ventaja en la adopción de Wi-Fi 6 sobre Movistar, con hasta un 35% de sus conexiones utilizando el estándar en enero, según la cuota de muestra de Speedtest.

    Desde entonces, el operador ha introducido la solución CPE ‘Livebox Wi-Fi 7’, incluida en un nuevo paquete de tarifas de fibra convergente de 10 Gbps. Aprovechando la huella XGS-PON de Orange, ofrece las velocidades más altas anunciadas en el mercado español.
  • Vodafone: Vodafone introdujo su ‘Wi-Fi 6 Station’ en España a mediados de 2021, lo que la convierte en una de las primeras soluciones Wi-Fi 6 del mercado. Sin embargo, el proveedor la posicionó como un complemento premium más que como una característica estándar. Aunque los nuevos clientes podían acceder al router Wi-Fi 6, en un principio estaba vinculado al servicio ‘Súper Wi-Fi 6’, que exigía una cuota mensual de alquiler a menos que estuvieran en el plan gigabit superior. 

    En consecuencia, los clientes que no optaban por este servicio ni pagaban una cuota adicional seguían recibiendo por defecto el antiguo CPE basado en Wi-Fi 5 (al igual que en el caso de muchos otros operadores). Este enfoque, combinado con la composición heredada de la base HFC (fibra híbrida coaxial) de Vodafone, ha dejado la adopción de Wi-Fi 6 por parte del operador por detrás de sus competidores, con menos del 14% de sus conexiones utilizando este estándar en enero según la cuota de muestreo de Speedtest. 

DIGI es el único ISP español en el que la penetración de Wi-Fi 6 supera la de Wi-Fi 5
Speedtest Intelligence® | Enero 2025

  • DIGI: A diferencia de otros ISP que gestionan una base diversa de clientes heredados a través de diversas tecnologías de acceso y generaciones de CPE, la entrada relativamente reciente de DIGI en el mercado español le ha dado una ventaja competitiva significativa, lo que le ha permitido construir una base de suscriptores en gran parte equipada con CPE Wi-Fi más nuevos. 

    A principios de 2022, el operador introdujo una solución Wi-Fi 6 CPE para todos sus abonados de fibra sin coste adicional, garantizando que incluso los clientes de las tarifas básicas de DIGI recibieran el hardware Wi-Fi más reciente. Este enfoque ha impulsado la rápida adopción del Wi-Fi 6, con una penetración superior al 46% en enero. DIGI sigue siendo el único proveedor español en el que el Wi-Fi 6 representa una cuota mayor de su base de conexiones que Wi-Fi 5, lo que contribuye a su liderazgo en rendimiento de velocidad de descarga fija en el mercado. 

    Sobre esta base, el año pasado DIGI se convirtió en el primer operador español en lanzar una solución CPE Wi-Fi 7 en colaboración con ZTE, e incluyó inicialmente el hardware con sus tarifas premium ‘Pro-DIGI’, que aprovechan XGS-PON para ofrecer velocidades simétricas anunciadas de hasta 10 Gbps. Sin embargo, la adopción sigue siendo limitada, y el Wi-Fi 7 representó menos del 1% de las muestras de Speedtest en DIGI en enero.

Los nuevos estándares Wi-Fi mejoran el rendimiento en todas las métricas e ISP españoles

A pesar de la amplia variación en la adopción de estándares Wi-Fi entre los ISP españoles, un resultado común es que los nuevos modelos de CPE impulsan mejoras en el rendimiento significativas en todas las métricas. En particular, Wi-Fi 6 y Wi-Fi 7 desempeñan un papel clave en la reducción de la diferencia entre las velocidades de fibra anunciadas -que normalmente se consiguen a través de Ethernet por cable- y el rendimiento inalámbrico real en los hogares españoles.

Wi-Fi 6 y Wi-Fi 7 impulsan mejoras sustanciales en todos los ISP y métricas
Speedtest Intelligence® | Enero 2025

A finales de 2024, las velocidades medianas de descarga en Wi-Fi 7 en España alcanzaron los 664,25 Mbps, superando las de Wi-Fi 6 en un 58% y duplicando con creces las velocidades de Wi-Fi 5. Por su parte, las velocidades medianas de carga en Wi-Fi 7, mejoradas por características como la Operación Multienlace (MLO), que permite transmisiones simultáneas a través de múltiples bandas de espectro, alcanzaron los 449,69 Mbps, un 28% más que en Wi-Fi 6 y un 51% por encima de Wi-Fi 5. El Wi-Fi 7 también ofreció notables mejoras de latencia, con una latencia mediana de 19 ms, hasta un 12% inferior a la de Wi-Fi 6.

Wi-Fi 7 es clave para aprovechar el potencial de las tarifas de fibra multi gigabit
Speedtest Intelligence® | Enero 2025

La proliferación de tarifas multi-gigabit con XGS-PON, que ha progresado más lentamente en España que en otros mercados ricos en fibra, como Francia, pero que ahora se está acelerando gracias a los movimientos de operadores como DIGI y Orange, subraya la necesidad de CPE capaces de utilizar plenamente las velocidades provisionadas y extender el rendimiento gigabit por todo el hogar. Los datos de Speedtest Intelligence revelan que los primeros despliegues de CPE Wi-Fi 7 son los primeros en alcanzar velocidades medias de descarga superiores a 1 Gbps en el percentil 90 en España, lo que demuestra cómo los avances técnicos de Wi-Fi 7, como un mayor ancho de banda de canal y una modulación más alta, se están convirtiendo en diferenciadores clave de la tecnología en el segmento premium.

Las nuevas generaciones de Wi-Fi promueven mejoras en la latencia
Speedtest Intelligence® | Enero 2025

Impulsar la adopción de los nuevos estándares Wi-Fi requiere nuevas estrategias, pero crea nuevas oportunidades de ingresos para los ISP

A medida que los mercados avanzados de fibra (como el español) maduran, la atención pasa de centrarse simplemente en ofrecer velocidades gigabit hasta la puerta de casa a garantizar un rendimiento sin fisuras en todo el hogar, que satisfaga las diversas demandas de los dispositivos conectados emergentes. Como resultado, las inversiones para mejorar la experiencia Wi-Fi a través del CPE suministrado por el ISP serán clave para diferenciar las tarifas multi-gigabit más allá del precio y garantizar que se pueda aprovechar todo el potencial de las conexiones de fibra. 

España debe acelerar la modernización de su base Wi-Fi para capitalizar plenamente las importantes inversiones en XGS-PON, ofrecer mejoras significativas en la calidad de la experiencia (QoE) para los consumidores y alcanzar a los mercados líderes de los países nórdicos. Los operadores españoles pueden seguir el ejemplo de países vecinos como Francia, donde las actualizaciones de CPE se incluyen en las actualizaciones de velocidad de las tarifas, y los programas de intercambio y sustitución identifican y eliminan sistemáticamente el hardware Wi-Fi heredado para impulsar la adopción de equipos Wi-Fi 6 y 7 de nueva generación. Los recientes movimientos de ISP como Movistar para eliminar el CPE heredado y ofrecer soluciones Wi-Fi 6 de serie son una prueba de los avances en este sentido.

Los principales ISP europeos que han dado prioridad a la concienciación de los consumidores sobre los estándares Wi-Fi y su impacto en el rendimiento de la fibra, al tiempo que han modernizado su base de CPE Wi-Fi para dar soporte a ofertas rentables como las garantías de velocidad mínima en cada habitación, están viendo beneficios tangibles. Esta estrategia no sólo mejora la experiencia general de la banda ancha fija, sino que también desbloquea nuevas fuentes de ingresos a través de la diferenciación del servicio.

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About the Author

Luke Kehoe

Ookla Research™ Articles
| March 12, 2025

Cyclone Alfred Tests the Resilience of Telecom Infrastructure in Queensland, Australia

Network Resilience

Ex-cyclone caused widespread power outages across south Queensland and north New South Wales, putting the focus on Australian network resilience and the efforts of local government, utilities and telecom operators in restoring power and connectivity.

South Queensland and north New South Wales are in recovery mode after ex-cyclone Alfred made landfall over the weekend, leading to widespread flooding and power outages and severely impacted the availability and performance of telecom networks across the region. While the recovery effort is underway, we examine the impact of the ex-cyclone on Speedtest users in the region. Australia is an interesting case.

Key Takeaways:

  • Cyclone Alfred triggered a severe decline in mobile performance across all operators in Queensland. On the day the storm made landfall (early on March 8th local time), we saw a substantial uptick in outages reported on Downdetector across all mobile operators and the National Broadband Network (NBN), while median mobile download speeds declined strongly – Telstra’s dipped from 111.33 Mbps on Thursday March 6th, to a low of 51.76 Mbps on March 8th, with significant declines also observed for Optus and Vodafone.
  • Network hardening efforts and cyclone predictability appear to have helped reduce the impact on network infrastructure. In contrast to other major weather events that have impacted telecom networks, for example Storm Éowyn in Ireland and the UK, network performance in Queensland has shown a somewhat milder impact, and started to rebound quicker. The impact in Ireland was greater — with over 725,000 premises affected vs. over 450,000 in Queensland — but the predictable arrival of the cyclone combined with the targeted grant funding as part of the Mobile Network Hardening program likely played a role in Queensland ability to rebound. The program, currently in its third stage, specifically targets improved resilience and response to network outages from natural disasters.
  • The resulting impact on Starlink’s low-Earth orbit (LEO) service underscores user needs during severe network outages, and reinforces the importance of direct-to-cellular (D2C ) satellite services in outage scenarios. Cyclone Alfred reinforced the importance of planned D2C services as a “game changer,” in ensuring the continuity of connectivity during natural disasters, especially for a market such as Australia, with low population density and vast stretches of rural black spots. This comes hot on the heels of a recent government announcement that mobile operators will need to cover the bulk of the Australian continent by 2027 with voice, SMS and emergency service, as part of as revised Universal Service Obligation. Starlink Speedtest samples climbed by 166% on the day cyclone Alfred made landfall, and performance deteriorated under increased demand, highlighting the severity of the telecoms infrastructure disruptions as consumers scrambled to troubleshoot issues and turned to alternative connectivity solutions such as satellite.

Regional energy grid operator Energex, which manages the electricity grid in the parts of south Queensland hardest hit by the cyclone, reported “the greatest number of power outages in Queensland history caused by a natural disaster,” with more than 450,000 premises affected. Recovery efforts have proceeded rapidly, with 392,000 premises back online as of Wednesday March 12th. Energex forecasted that theremaining customers in the more challenging locations will have power restored by March 16th.

This cyclone, the first to hit this far south since Tropical Cyclone Zoe in 1974, has reinforced the importance of recent measures to ensure adequate communication with customers around network outages, introduced at the end of last year by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). While outages linked to natural disasters are currently excluded from the ACMA’s rules, it has indicated it is set to examine how to incorporate these kinds of outages in future, but with a view to avoiding impact on critical communications from emergency services. In the meantime, it is clear that the Australian network operators have really stepped up their communications during the outage, and have quickly moved to start restoring connectivity to affected areas. The relatively predictable path and timing of this cyclone has aided preparatory efforts.

Downdetector users highlight the impact of Cyclone Alfred across fixed and mobile services

Analysis of Downdetector® data highlights the uptick in outage reports as Cyclone Alfred made landfall, and began to disrupt the power grid and impact telecommunications infrastructure early on Saturday local time. While Telstra saw the highest number of outage reports, Optus, Vodafone and the NBN also saw spikes in user outage reports, which as of Tuesday, March 11th had still not returned to their pre-cyclone values.

Cyclone Alfred Triggers Surge in Downdetector Network Outage Reports
Downdetector® | March 2025

Mobile users in Queensland see marked declines across all performance metrics, with network impacts continuing

The impact of the cyclone has been significant across all network operators. Optus noted a total of 419 mobile sites down, with just over 60% of those restored as of 8am AEDT on March 12th, via a combination of generators, and satellite-powered mobile base stations (SatCats). At the same time, Vodafone reported they had restored power to more than 100 mobile sites, but that 117 remained without power, of which only 15 lacked overlapping coverage. In addition, Telstra noted on X that it had been able to bring 85% of its impacted mobile sites back online as of the same timeline. The NBN, the national wholesale provider which manages the fixed broadband access infrastructure across Australia, mapped out a peak of 252,000 of its connections (both wired and FWA) impacted by the cyclone on Sunday March 9th, which by March 11th had fallen to 147,000. Network outages such as these present a dual strain: increased network load as fixed broadband outages shift traffic to mobile infrastructure, and a diminished mobile site grid due to power outages at mobile sites. Together, these factors significantly degrade mobile network performance, reducing overall network availability and pushing more subscribers into the cell edge, or into overlapping cells which will tend to have poorer performance.

Analysis of Speedtest Intelligence® data highlights the significant impact of Cyclone Alfred on mobile network performance in Queensland. Download and upload speeds have witnesses sustained declines, accompanied by increased latency and jitter across all operators in the state. While some recovery has been observed from Sunday (March 9th) onwards, all performance metrics remain materially below pre-storm levels. Outages such as this will reinforce calls for greater national roaming provision and mutual assistance in the event of outages, as outlined in the recommendations of a Parliamentary report presented following the review of Optus’ major network outage in November 2023.

Cyclone Alfred Blows Down Mobile Performance in Queensland Across All Metrics and Operators
Speedtest Intelligence® | March 2025

In addition to a decline in metrics like Consistency—designed to measure the proportion of Speedtest samples reflecting a consistent quality of experience (QoE)—the storm-induced network disruptions led to a substantial increase in failed or partially completed Speedtest sessions across all operators on the day of the storm. Similarly, the severe decline in 10th percentile performance—where aggregate download speeds fell, from a high of 9.10 Mbps on March 4th, to a low of 2.56 Mbps on March 8th. 10th percentile upload speeds plummeted to a low of just 0.24 Mbps, while latency rocketed to 293 ms—highlighting the extent of performance degradation experienced by mobile users at the bottom end of the scale.

Cyclone Alfred Triggers Deterioration in Consistency Across All Operators
Speedtest Intelligence® | March 2025

LEO satellites pick up some of the slack

While significant amounts of fixed traffic will have migrated to mobile as power outages occurred, and where mobile signal was still available, we also witnessed an uptick in Starlink Speedtest samples during the ex-cylone’s passage across southern Queensland. Starlink samples hit a high on Sunday March 9th, representing an increase of 166% over samples observed at the start of March. This additional demand on the service pushed performance levels down, hitting a low of 47.11 Mbps median download speed, but recovering swiftly afterwards.

Starlink Performance During Cyclone Alfred – Queensland
Speedtest Intelligence® | March 2025

Starlink’s performance here is interesting to observe in light of the recent Australian government announcement that all mobile providers in the country should provide near nationwide coverage for voice and SMS and Triple Zero (emergency) services by 2027, as part of the Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation (UOMO), itself part of an updated Universal Service Obligation (USO). D2C services via LEO satellites are imminent in the country, with both Telstra and Optus having inked deals with Starlink, while Vodafone (TPG Group) has an agreement in place with Lynk Global. We will continue to monitor network resilience around the world in the face of severe network outages, and highlight best practice. For more information on how Downdetector and Speedtest can help respond to outages, detect areas of poor performance and optimise networks, please contact us.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

Network Resilience

About the Author

Mark Giles

Ookla Research™ Articles
| March 18, 2025

Fiber Brings Faster Fixed Broadband to North Africa with More Possibilities Ahead

Fiber deployments accelerated in North Africa in 2024, with Egypt still leading in broadband performance. This report reviews the progress made in fiber deployment and adoption since we assessed the status of fixed broadband services (excluding fixed wireless access (FWA)) in North Africa a year ago and their impact on network performance. 

Key Takeaways:

  • Egypt widened its lead in North Africa for fixed broadband performance in 2024. Egypt’s median download speed peaked at 80 Mbps in Q2 2024, driven by VDSL network expansion. Meanwhile, Morocco took second position in Q4 2024 and saw a 32% improvement in median fixed broadband download speed year-on-year to 35.57 Mbps, thanks to a steady increase in fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) customers.
  • Algeria is the largest country and FTTH market in North Africa. At the beginning of 2025, it boasted 1.8 million fiber subscribers, up from 478,000 at the end of 2022, making it one of the largest fiber markets in Africa. In November 2024, it introduced the fastest residential fiber package in the continent at 1.2 Gbps. However, the predominance of DSL lines is hampering its performance improvement.
  • Tunisia’s accelerated VDSL adoption in 2024 contributed to raising its download speed to 11.72 Mbps in Q4 2024. Tunisie Telecom’s plans to upgrade more ADSL lines to VDSL and massively increase fiber capacity will help to narrow its gap with its regional peers. Tunisia is also the first country in North Africa to launch 5G, offering opportunities to offer faster FWA services.

Egypt continues to top North Africa in download and upload speeds for fixed broadband

In the January 2024 report on internet speed in North Africa, Egypt ranked first for fixed broadband, followed by Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. According to Speedtest Intelligence®, all countries have seen an improvement in median download and upload speeds since Q3 2023, with Morocco boosting its download speed by more than 60% and Algeria and Egypt by around 38% by Q4 2024.

Egypt extended its lead within North Africa, achieving a median download speed of 77.89 Mbps in Q4 2024, while Morocco overtook Egypt in median upload speed in Q3 2022 to reach 31.86 Mbps. Algeria and Tunisia continue to show substantial improvements in median download and upload speeds.

Network Performance for Fixed Wired Broadband, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia
Source: Speedtest intelligence | Q3 2022–Q4 2024
Network Performance for Fixed Wired Broadband, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia

Fibre deployment and adoption are helping countries in North Africa boost their broadband performance

Countries in North Africa adopted different approaches to modernize their fixed infrastructure. Egypt has primarily upgraded its ADSL to VDSL and focused FTTH/B deployments in greenfield areas. Algeria focused on replacing copper lines with FTTH/B, while Morocco and Tunisia deployed VDSL while progressing with FTTH/B rollout.

Algeria has the highest number of FTTH/B connections in North Africa, with more than 1.5 million connected households at the end of September 2024 and a rapidly increasing share of fixed connections. Morocco follows closely with 990,000 connections and boasts the largest fiber percentage of the wired broadband market at 38.5%. Tunisia is in fourth position with more than 99,000 FTTH/B connections and nearly 415,000 VDSL connections. Egypt has favored the deployment of fiber-to-the-cabinet (FTTC), so it has the region’s highest number of VDSL connections, with most of its nearly 10 million fixed subscribers benefiting from this technology. 

FTTH/B Connections in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia
Source: Telecom Regulators, ISPs | 2022–Q3 2024
FTTH/B Connections in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia

Algeria is the largest FTTH market in North Africa and introduced the fastest fiber package in Africa at 1.2 Gbps

According to the Autorité de Régulation de la Poste et des Communications Electroniques (ARPCE), Algeria boasted 4 million fixed wired connections as of September 2024. The state-owned Algerie Telecom (AT) is the sole provider of wired broadband services.  

AT prioritized replacing copper lines with fiber in major cities while maintaining its ADSL services. Its ambitious fiber deployment strategy, combined with commercial and marketing initiatives to drive adoption, helped increase the number of fiber subscribers to more than 1.5 million in Q3 2024, making it one of the largest FTTH/B markets in Africa. That number jumped to 1.8 million fiber subscribers at the beginning of 2025, consolidating its position in the continent.

In 2024, it announced numerous discounts and introduced new speed packages ranging from 30 Mbps to 240 Mbps, boosting the speed of entry plans to improve the country’s median download speed. It also introduced the fastest broadband package in Africa at 1.2 Gbps, costing DZD4,200 (US$31) per month. In December 2024, it partnered with mobile operator Djezzy to introduce a media set-top box that supports fiber and 4G SIM cards.

Algeria’s median download speed increased from 12 Mbps in Q4 2023 to 15.65 Mbps in Q4 2024, while its median upload speed nearly quadrupled to 4.63 Mbps during that period. Despite the heavy investment in fiber deployment, the predominance of DSL appears to hamper gains in national speeds. Further efforts to migrate more DSL subscribers to fiber and ensure that subscribers experience the speeds supported by fiber will be needed to unlock the full potential of fiber in the market.

Network Performance for Fixed Wired Broadband, Algeria
Speedtest Intelligence® | Q3 2022 – Q4 2024
Network Performance for Fixed Wired Broadband, Algeria

AT announced its 2024-2028 strategy, centered on expanding its service offerings and supported by ambitious fiber expansion plans, including increasing the number of households covered by fiber and introducing faster plans. In this context, AT partnered with the National Agency for Housing Improvement and Development (AADL) to connect new housing developments with fiber optic internet before their distribution to citizens. AADL aims to construct 2 million housing units across the country in 5 years from 2024 to 2029, providing a large pool of potentially new fiber customers.

Egypt widened its lead in North Africa for median download speed in 2024

With over 12 million subscribers by Q3 2024, Egypt is North Africa’s biggest fixed broadband telecoms market. State-owned Telecom Egypt (TE) dominates the sector, controlling over 80.8% of the market with nearly 10 million fixed broadband subscribers.

The introduction of VDSL services in Egypt in 2018 marked a significant shift in broadband speeds, raising the maximum from 16 Mbps to 100 Mbps. TE took this opportunity to increase the speed of its entry-level plan from 5 Mbps to 30 Mbps. Raising the minimum broadband speed to 30 Mbps led to a substantial increase in the country’s median download speed, which reached 77.89 Mbps in Q4 2024, up from 49.8 Mbps in Q4 2022, according to Ookla Speedtest Intelligence.

Network Performance for Fixed Wired Broadband, Egypt
Speedtest Intelligence® | Q3 2022 – Q4 2024
Network Performance for Fixed Wired Broadband, Egypt

Telecom Egypt (TE) continued its strategic focus on upgrading ADSL to VDSL and expanding fiber to street cabinets. By mid-2024, TE had connected around 96% of households to the next-generation FTTC network (i.e., excluding the last mile). This is equivalent to over 33 million homes. It has also been deploying fiber in the New Administrative Capital (35 km east of Cairo), high-density residential areas, and government offices. Finally, as part of the “Decent Life” initiatives to connect remote areas with fiber and improve living standards in rural areas, it extended fiber coverage to 704 villages as of Q3 2024. In the medium term, TE signed an agreement with Hungarian telecoms company 4iG to invest US$600 million over the next ten years to deploy a fiber network to around six million households.

Morocco leads North Africa in terms of median upload speed and outlines an ambitious fiber deployment program

The fixed wired broadband market has expanded rapidly in Morocco, increasing from just over 1.6 million in 2019 to over 2.5 million connections in September 2024 (out of around 8 million households). According to Speedtest Intelligence, Morocco’s fixed median download speed reached 35.57 Mbps in Q4 2024, up from 26.86 Mbps a year earlier. Morocco leads North Africa in upload speed with 31.86 Mbps in Q4 2024, achieving near parity with the median download speed.

Network Performance for Fixed Wired Broadband, Morocco
Speedtest Intelligence® | Q3 2022 – Q4 2024
Network Performance for Fixed Wired Broadband, Morocco

The incumbent operator, Maroc Telecom (MT), controls the copper infrastructure which spurred other ISPs, inwi and Orange, to develop their own fiber infrastructure and lease capacity from local utility and transport companies. 

The Moroccan government unveiled ambitious plans under the “Maroc Digital 2030” program, which has a budget of US$1 billion. Among the strategy’s key objectives is to connect 4.4 million households with fiber in 2025 and 5.6 million by 2030, potentially making Morocco one of the largest FTTH/B markets in Africa. 

However, fiber deployment should be accompanied by adjustments to the regulations to allow MT to offer an entry fiber package at a lower price to attract DSL customers looking to upgrade. Currently, MT’s starting fiber package is at 100 Mbps, while inwi and Orange offer cheaper fiber plans with speeds of 20 Mbps or 50 Mbps, but their fiber coverage is much more limited. Promoting infrastructure sharing could also stimulate competition between operators and increase the likelihood of the country hitting its 2030 target.

Tunisia made steady improvements in performance and aims to transform its network in the short term

The wired broadband sector has consistently grown, reaching over 1.2 million subscribers by Q3 2024. Growth came from VDSL, which more than doubled to nearly 415,000 compared to Q3 2023, while fiber connections increased by 70% to almost 100,000 during the same period. Most wired connections are still on ADSL, but their share has been decreasing.

According to Ookla Speedtest Intelligence, Tunisia achieved a download speed of 11.72 Mbps in Q4 2024. This network performance could be attributed to the limited coverage of high-speed broadband services and their unaffordability for many households. For example, a 50 Mbps VDSL or fiber line costs around $25/month. 

Network Performance for Fixed Wired Broadband, Tunisia
Speedtest Intelligence® | Q3 2022 – Q4 2024
Network Performance for Fixed Wired Broadband, Tunisia

Tunisie Telecom (TT), a state-owned entity, holds the majority stake in the fixed broadband sector. TT controls the national copper infrastructure, operates the nationwide fiber-optic backbone, and competes directly and indirectly in the retail market via its subsidiary, Topnet. Alternative operators access TT’s infrastructure and use a mix of ADSL, VDSL, FWA, and FTTH/B.

TT aims to upgrade most DSL ports to VDSL and expand its FTTH coverage and capacity from 100,000 connections in 2022 to 500,000 by 2025. These initiatives will contribute to enhancing fiber service accessibility and improve the country’s median download and upload speeds.

In February 2025, Tunisia became the first market in North Africa to launch 5G. This was an opportunity for the local operators to introduce 5G FWA services, offering speeds of up to 100 Mbps. 5G tariffs were priced at the same level as fiber packages, with some operators including additional benefits, such as Wi-Fi 6 routers and subscriptions to video streaming services. This development will help to increase FWA’s share of the fixed market, which already represents one-third of total connections, and provide high-speed broadband to more customers.

Fiber can further unlock the connectivity potential in North Africa

North African ISPs have adopted various strategies to roll out fiber and promote its take-up. They have made considerable strides in enhancing fiber accessibility and fixed broadband speed since 2020. These initiatives continued during 2023 and 2024, helping to lift the countries in the Speedtest Global Index™. Further efforts will be required to make high-speed broadband services more affordable and accessible to support national digital transformation agendas and boost economic growth.Ookla has been working with ISPs and telecoms regulators to support their national broadband plans, track fiber connectivity and coverage improvements, and promote their networks to consumers. If you are interested in Ookla’s solutions and services for network intelligence and management, get in touch.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

About the Author

Karim Yaici

Ookla Research™ Articles
| March 19, 2025

5G Standalone: Global Deployment Trends and Monetization Strategies

5G SA

As 5G networks continue to mature globally, the industry is witnessing a pivotal shift toward 5G Standalone (5G SA) architecture, which offers significant performance improvements compared to the initial Non-Standalone (NSA) 5G deployments that began in 2019. This evolution to 5G SA represents not just a technical upgrade but a fundamental reimagining of what mobile networks can deliver to both consumers and enterprises. 

The global 5G SA landscape shows significant regional variations in deployment strategies, performance metrics, and monetization approaches. Using network data from Speedtest Intelligence® and market analysis from Omdia, this article looks at the current state of 5G SA development across different regions and the innovative ways operators are working to monetize these investments.

For a deeper dive into these topics, including expert analysis and interactive data visualizations, watch our recent webinar featuring Ookla and Omdia analysts. Additionally, our collaborative study with Omdia – “Global Evaluation of Europe’s Digital Competitors in 5G Standalone” – provides comprehensive analysis of 5G SA networks, their performance benchmarks, and the business considerations telecom operators face. 

Global 5G SA Deployment Status

Understanding where different regions stand in their 5G journey is crucial for operators planning their network evolution and investment strategies with 5G SA. The global landscape of 5G SA deployment shows striking variations that reflect different market priorities, regulatory environments, and competitive dynamics.

Our analysis shows that China, India, and the U.S. have established clear leadership in 5G SA deployment, with China showing over 80% 5G SA sample share in Ookla’s network measurement data. Meanwhile, Europe lags significantly behind, despite the European Commission setting some of the most ambitious 5G infrastructure targets of any advanced liberal economy. 

These regional disparities highlight the different approaches operators are taking, with some focusing on early competitive launches (to maintain network leadership and cater to the premium market segment), while others are being more cautious and balancing deployment against investment constraints. Several key trends are shaping the global 5G SA landscape:

  • Regional momentum: Despite a slow start, the EMEA region has accelerated its deployment pace, accounting for 70-75% of commercial SA launches in the last two years, with Spain and Austria emerging as regional leaders.
  • Performance gains: 5G SA is delivering consistent improvements across markets, particularly in reducing latency and providing faster median download speeds, with the U.S. emerging as a global performance leader through T-Mobile’s multi-band spectrum strategy.
  • Regulatory impact: Government funding programs and regulatory requirements have proven effective in driving deployment, with countries like Spain (Unico funding program), the U.K. (merger-related coverage obligations), and Germany (spectrum auction conditions) showing stronger progress.

The data clearly shows that no one-size-fits-all approach works for 5G SA deployment, with operators in each market pursuing strategies that reflect their specific circumstances. Countries implementing targeted regulatory measures and spectrum strategies are showing stronger progress, suggesting that supportive policy frameworks play a significant role in accelerating deployment.

Consumer 5G Monetization Strategies

Many operators have struggled to increase average revenue per user (ARPU) despite significant 5G investments over the last several years. With 5G Standalone technology, operators now have new opportunities to create premium offerings that customers truly value, moving beyond simply selling larger data packages.

The most successful operators are finding ways to turn technical capabilities like faster speeds, lower latency, and guaranteed service levels into premium services that target specific customer groups. A recent Omdia survey of 19,000 consumers showed people are willing to pay more for specific benefits like faster speeds, priority video streaming, location-based speed boosts, reduced gaming lag, and better performance for work applications. These consumer preferences are already translating into real-world offerings, with several innovative approaches emerging across markets:

  • Speed tiers: Elisa in Finland offers SA-enabled “5G Plus Premium” with an 18% price premium over standard 5G service
  • Performance guarantees: Three Austria provides bandwidth guarantees for 5G home internet, with premium tiers commanding a 23% price premium
  • Event-based services: Singtel offers special “Event Pass” options for sporting events and concerts, giving customers priority connections when networks are congested
  • Gaming packages: Deutsche Telekom’s 5G Plus Gaming service combines reduced lag times with a bundle of over 100 games for €10
  • Priority connections: U.K. operators target premium subscribers with “Network Boost” and “5G Ultra” services that provide prioritized connections in crowded areas

These early examples demonstrate a clear shift toward more targeted service offerings. Operators are finding that different customer segments have different priorities and different willingness to pay for enhanced services, and the most successful approaches recognize these differences rather than treating all customers the same. While premium operators pursue advanced technical capabilities and guarantees, value-focused providers can still compete effectively with simpler offerings at competitive price points.

Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) Opportunities

5G Standalone technology is helping operators deliver competitive home internet service through Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), creating new revenue streams beyond mobile subscriptions. The approach varies by market, but the enhanced capabilities of SA networks — particularly through network slicing (creating dedicated virtual sections of the network for different services) — allow operators to deliver reliable home broadband while ensuring mobile customers maintain a good experience.

Effective FWA strategies depend heavily on local market conditions. Some operators use FWA to compete with traditional broadband providers, while others focus on underserved areas where fiber deployment is impractical. Key FWA deployment patterns include:

  • Dedicated capacity management: Operators like Elisa use network slicing to separate FWA traffic from mobile traffic, protecting their valuable smartphone customers while delivering better home internet performance
  • Market-specific strategies: U.S. operators have enough spectrum to deploy FWA widely without needing to separate traffic, while European operators in markets with extensive fiber networks must be more selective about where they offer FWA service
  • Targeted customer segments: FWA appeals to specific customer groups like students and temporary residents who value flexibility, while also serving as an alternative in areas underserved by traditional broadband
  • Competitive positioning: Mobile-only operators use FWA as an entry point into the home to compete with traditional broadband providers

FWA represents a significant opportunity for operators leveraging 5G SA capabilities. Our webinar highlighted how FWA approaches vary significantly by market, with operators adapting their strategies based on spectrum resources, existing broadband infrastructure, and competitive dynamics. These tailored approaches allow operators to target specific customer segments and market gaps where FWA offers the most compelling advantages.

Conclusion

The transition to 5G SA represents both a technical evolution and a business opportunity, but success requires understanding what consumers actually value. Beyond raw speed, consumers care about a consistent quality of experience, and the good news is that 5G SA is already delivering tangible improvements in network performance and the user experience.

Operators deploying 5G SA are recognizing that different customer segments have distinct priorities. By creating tailored offerings that address these needs — whether for entertainment, productivity, or other use cases — they are turning 5G SA’s technical advantages into services consumers are willing to pay more for.

For deeper insights into global 5G SA deployment, performance metrics, and monetization approaches, watch our webinar and check out our comprehensive report “Global Evaluation of Europe’s Digital Competitors in 5G Standalone.”

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

5G SA

About the Author

Dave Andersen