Ookla | January 9, 2025

[White Paper] How APC Towers Leverages Network Intelligence for Strategic Site Selection

APC Towers, a national tower developer operating across 37 states, partners with Ookla® to optimize their tower site selection and development process. In our new white paper, learn how APC Towers uses Cell Analytics™ and Speedtest Insights™ data to identify underserved markets, showcase competitive advantages, and build stronger partnerships with mobile network operators (MNOs).

Read on for key highlights from the white paper, or download the complete version for an in-depth look at APC Towers’ data-driven approach to site selection.

Custom solutions backed by real-world performance metrics

APC Towers analyzes Speedtest Insights data to develop targeted solutions for MNOs based on their unique network challenges. By examining detailed performance metrics, they can propose strategic tower placements that directly address carrier-specific issues around speed, latency, and capacity.

Visualizing opportunities through network intelligence

Using Cell Analytics and Speedtest Insights, APC Towers creates compelling visualizations that demonstrate the value of their tower locations. The white paper showcases two case studies where Ookla’s data validated expansion opportunities: one justifies adding a new tower to an underserved Los Angeles community, while the other identifies potential tenants for an existing tower in Hartsville, Indiana.

Strategic market analysis through network performance data

By importing geospatial data into Cell Analytics and analyzing real-time performance metrics, APC Towers identifies high-value deployment opportunities. This data-driven approach allows them to show MNOs exactly where new tower deployments would deliver the strongest impact on network coverage and user experience.

Want to learn more about how network intelligence drives strategic tower deployment? Download the white paper for the complete analysis, including detailed use cases and insights from both APC Towers and Ookla.

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.

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Ookla

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Affandy Johan | December 24, 2024

5G Boosting Overall Performance Gains In Kazakhstan

Mobile operators in Kazakhstan have made significant progress in enhancing mobile network coverage and quality. Major operators are now focusing on expanding 5G services across the country. This article reviews the mobile performance and quality of experience of Beeline, KCell, and Tele2 at a national level in the first half of 2024. It also showcases their notable achievements in the key cities of Almaty, Astana, and Shymkent.

Key Takeaways

5G networks in Kazakhstan delivered median download speeds -more than ten times faster than 4G. In the first half of 2024, 5G networks in Kazakhstan delivered median download speeds -more than ten times faster than 4G, with 5G achieving 332.11 Mbps compared to 4G’s 32.59 Mbps. Similarly, 5G median upload speeds were 2.6 times faster.
Tele2 topped performance in all technologies combined and 4G in the first half of 2024, while Kcell led in 5G download speed. Tele2 reported the highest median download speed across all technologies combined, at 55.12 Mbps, compared to Kcell’s 48.70 Mbps and Beeline’s 27.94 Mbps. Tele2’s 4G speed was 38.44 Mbps, surpassing Kcell’s 26.96 Mbps and Beeline’s 28.68 Mbps. For 5G, Kcell had the fastest median download speed at 347.80 Mbps, slightly ahead of Tele2’s 323.26 Mbps.
Tele2 delivered the best mobile video experience in Kazakhstan. In the first half of 2024, Tele2 achieved the highest Video Score of 69.79, outperforming Kcell (67.51) and Beeline (63.30). In mobile gaming performance, Tele2 and Kcell were nearly tied, with Tele2 slightly ahead, recording a Game Score of 73.49 compared to Kcell’s 73.08.

5G download speed is 10 times faster than 4G during first half 2024 in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan’s mobile market is highly competitive, with the three main operators, Beeline, Kcell, and Tele2, driving much of the country’s telecommunications development, providing widespread mobile network coverage and achieving high penetration rates. The country was one of the first in Central Asia to commercially launch 5G, with Kcell and Tele2-Altel having been the primary drivers in the rollout of 5G technology within the market. Since early 2023, both operators have been actively deploying 5G base stations throughout the country’s major cities after being awarded the two 100 MHz blocks of spectrum in the 3.6 – 3.7 GHz and 3.7 – 3.8 GHz spectrum bands. As of June 2024, 1,144 base stations had been installed in 20 cities, as both operators continue to expand their 5G coverage across the country.

4G and 5G Performance, Kazakhstan
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

While the current 4G network in Kazakhstan may serve the daily connectivity needs of most mobile users, 5G technology offers a considerable performance uplift that can improve the user experience. When we compare 5G and 4G performance in Kazakhstan for the first half of 2024, the 5G median download speed of 332.11 Mbps was more than 10 times higher than the 4G median download speed of 32.59 Mbps. Similarly, the 5G median upload speed (32.26 Mbps) was 2.53 times faster than 4G’s upload speed of 12.61 Mbps during the same period.

Tele2 topped performance in all technologies combined and 4G, while Kcell led in 5G download speed

Based on Speedtest Intelligence® data in the first half of 2024, Tele2 led Kazakhstan’s mobile network performance across multiple categories, particularly in 4G and all technologies combined. During that period, Tele2 achieved the highest median download speed across all technologies combined, reaching 55.12 Mbps, surpassing Kcell’s 48.70 Mbps and Beeline’s 27.94 Mbps. Tele2 also led in median upload speed among the operators, with a speed of 17.16 Mbps, and maintained a competitive multi-server latency of 39 ms, indicating a responsive network experience.

Mobile Operators All Technologies Combined Network Performance, Kazakhstan
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

For 4G, Tele2 recorded a median download speed of 38.44 Mbps in the first half of 2024, outperforming Kcell’s 26.96 Mbps and Beeline’s 28.68 Mbps. Additionally, Tele2 led in 4G median upload speeds with 13.93 Mbps and achieved the lowest latency at 41.2 ms.

Mobile Operators 4G Network Performance, Kazakhstan
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

Kazakhstan was one of the first countries in Central Asia to commercially launch 5G, with Kcell and Tele2-Altel being the primary drivers in the rollout of 5G technology within the market. Both operators were awarded the two 100 MHz spectrum blocks in the 3.6 – 3.7 GHz and 3.7 – 3.8 GHz spectrum bands in a 5G spectrum auction in December 2022. Beeline did not participate in the auction. The competitive dynamics between Tele2 and Kcell are instrumental in driving the country’s mobile network evolution, offering enhanced services to its consumers.

The data shows that for 5G, Kcell reported the fastest 5G median download speed at 347.80 Mbps, slightly ahead of Tele2’s 323.26 Mbps. Tele2 exhibited a better median upload speed of 33.56 Mbps compared to Kcell’s 29.30 Mbps. Both operators demonstrated comparable 5G latency, with Tele2 at 30.1 ms and Kcell at 31.2 ms.

Mobile Operators 5G Network Performance, Kazakhstan
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

Almaty reported the fastest download speed for major cities

Mobile network performance varied across Kazakhstan’s three largest cities – Almaty, Astana, and Shymkent – with Almaty achieving the highest median download speed based on Speedtest Intelligence data from the first half of 2024. Almaty recorded a median download speed of 71.67 Mbps, significantly higher than Shymkent’s 56.25 Mbps and Astana’s 52.31 Mbps. Upload speeds in all three cities were relatively close, ranging from 17.28 Mbps in Shymkent to 17.90 Mbps in Astana. Latency was lowest in Almaty at 33 ms, followed by Astana at 34 ms, and Shymkent at 41 ms.

Mobile Network Performance In Kazakhstan's Major Cities
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

Mobile performance differs among operators across the three major cities of Kazakhstan

Data from Speedtest Intelligence shows that the performance of mobile operators varied across the three major cities, with some providers performing better in specific locations. Overall, Kcell and Tele2 are strong competitors, while Beeline, which lacks a 5G network, fell behind in several key performance indicators.

Mobile Operators All Technologies Combined Network Performance, Major Cities in Kazakhstan
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

Kcell topped median download speed In Shymkent, recording a speed of 133.57 Mbps, while Tele2 lagged behind with 83.94. In Almaty, both Kcell and Tele2 recorded almost similar performance levels, with Kcell reporting a median download speed of 104.38 Mbps, followed closely by Tele2 with 102.99 Mbps. Beeline’s download speeds were significantly lower in both cities, at 38.26 Mbps in Almaty and 25.62 Mbps in Shymkent.

For upload speeds, Tele2 led in both cities, reaching 20.04 Mbps in Almaty and 23.20 Mbps in Shymkent. Latency was low across both cities for Kcell and Tele2. In Almaty, both recorded 31 ms, compared to Beeline’s 35 ms. In Shymkent, Kcell reported 32 ms, Tele2 39 ms, and Beeline 47 ms.

In Astana, Tele2 outperformed its competitors, achieving a median download speed of 78.55 Mbps, while Kcell followed with 64.69 Mbps and Beeline recorded only 26.57 Mbps. Tele2 also led in upload speeds at 24.89 Mbps, ahead of Kcell’s 18.63 Mbps and Beeline’s 10.98 Mbps. Latency was lowest for Tele2 at 31 ms, with Kcell at 33 ms and Beeline at 37 ms.

Mobile Operators 4G Network Performance, Major Cities in Kazakhstan
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

Tele2 delivered the highest 4G median download speeds in all three cities, with 46.59 Mbps in Almaty, 42.46 Mbps in Astana, and 44.57 Mbps in Shymkent. Beeline reported a download speed of 38.81 Mbps in Almaty, 26.69 Mbps in Astana and 25.92 Mbps in Shymkent.

In terms of 4G median upload speeds, Beeline led in Almaty with 17.54 Mbps, while Tele2 delivered higher upload speeds in Astana and Shymkent, at 17.47 Mbps and 16.85 Mbps, respectively. Latency performance was relatively close among the operators in Almaty and Astana, while Kcell achieved the best latency in Shymkent at 33 ms.

Mobile Operators 5G Network Performance, Major Cities in Kazakhstan
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

In the first half of 2024, Kazakhstan’s 5G mobile providers—Kcell and Tele2— showed competitive 5G network performance results across Almaty, Astana, and Shymkent. In Almaty, Kcell reported a median download speed at 374.92 Mbps, slightly outperforming Tele2, which recorded 355.83 Mbps. Both operators performed similarly in upload speeds, with Tele2 at 27.02 Mbps and Kcell at 27.00 Mbps. Latency was nearly identical, with Tele2 reporting 26 ms and Kcell 27 ms.

In Astana, Tele2 led in both download and upload speeds. It achieved a median download speed of 226.89 Mbps, ahead of Kcell’s 159.03 Mbps, and recorded an upload speed of 35.95 Mbps, outperforming Kcell’s 22.17 Mbps. Latency was comparable, with Tele2 at 26 ms and Kcell at 28 ms.

Shymkent saw Tele2 record the highest download and upload speeds. Tele2 reported a download speed of 479.43 Mbps, while Kcell followed with 438.84 Mbps. In upload speeds, Tele2 led with 43.91 Mbps, compared to Kcell’s 32.55 Mbps. However, Kcell achieved lower latency in Shymkent at 28 ms, compared to Tele2’s 36 ms.

The deployment of 5G networks in Kazakhstan is still currently ongoing, with Kcell and Tele2 working on expanding 5G coverage in major cities. Tele2 has been proactive in expanding its 5G infrastructure, deploying base stations in 18 cities and exceeding the license obligations by the end of 2023. Similarly, Kcell has partnered with Ericsson in a seven-year agreement to accelerate 5G deployment across key regions, including Almaty and Shymkent, aiming to cover at least 50% of Kazakhstan’s territory by 2030. These improvements not only cater to the growing demand for faster and more reliable services but also support emerging use cases such as mobile gaming, video streaming, and other data-intensive applications.

Tele2 edges the competition on mobile video and gaming quality of experience

While fast speeds are essential, providing good customer experience are also key indicators of network quality, especially when it comes to key use cases such as video streaming and mobile gaming. Speedtest Intelligence Quality of experience (QoE) measurements provide valuable insights into consumers’ real-life connectivity and quality of experience across various services like video streaming and mobile gaming. Ookla’s Speedtest Video Score™ and Game Score™ are unique measures to assess consumer video and gaming experience across different networks.

Video and Game Score, Kazakhstan
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

Based on 1H 2024 data, Tele2 provided the best mobile video experience in Kazakhstan, recording a Video Score of 69.79, ahead of Kcell and Beeline, which reported a Video Score of 67.51 and 63.30 respectively. Tele2 reported a video adaptive start time, which measures the time spent waiting for the video to start playing in the adaptive bitrate stage of the test, of 0.98 seconds during the same period.

Kazakhstan’s mobile gaming market is experiencing significant growth, with projected revenues reaching $156 million in 2024, driven by the widespread adoption of smartphones, and Kazakhstan’s youthful and tech-savvy population facilitating greater access to mobile games. Tele2 and Kcell reported almost similar Game Score in the first half of 2024, with Tele2 having a small edge with a Game Score of 73.49, and followed closely by Kcell with a score of 73.08.

Kazakhstan’s mobile network landscape in the first half of 2024 highlights ongoing network improvements, particularly in the expansion of 5G networks by leading operators Kcell and Tele2. Additionally, regulatory support, such as the allocation of spectrum and national digitalization programs like “Digital Kazakhstan,” has created a favorable environment for the development of more advanced mobile networks. These efforts are expected to bridge the digital divide, boost economic productivity, and position Kazakhstan as a regional leader in digital transformation.

We will continue to monitor both 4G and 5G performance in Kazakhstan, see how operators scale networks, and assess real-world performance as more consumers connect with 5G devices. If you want to learn more, subscribe to Ookla Research™ to be the first to read our analyses.

About the Author

Affandy Johan

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Mark Giles | December 22, 2024

Ringing in the New Year - How do 5G Networks Cope Under Stress?

5G Networks Support NYE Festivities Across Major Cities

Major events present a unique challenge for mobile networks, particularly sporting events where users congregate in concentrated numbers, and where sharing of video to social media, and to friends and family is a key use case. Ringing in the New Year is another case in point – for many years network operators published statistics on the number of voice calls made, messages sent, and the amount of data traffic their networks handled. While the rise of over-the-top (OTT) communications platforms such as WhatsApp have put a damper on these press releases, there remains a sizeable impact on operators’ networks. For example, Belgian operator Proximus noted a 95% increase in mobile data traffic on New Year’s Eve in 2023 compared to 2022. The trend isn’t uniform across markets, with Australia’s Telstra consistently seeing lower data usage on New Year’s Eve, with its customers using 30% less data than average, according to a news source. What is clear is that the New Year presents network operators with the challenge of serving sufficient bandwidth to customers attending major New Year celebrations, allowing them to share the moment, but also to support the mass wishing of “Happy New Year” across a variety of channels.

We reviewed Speedtest Intelligence data for New Year’s Eve 2023/24, to analyse how 5G networks coped with the surge in demand and change in traffic patterns at New Year, across a selection of major cities featuring some of the largest New Year celebrations around the globe. We focused in on median performance alongside the 10th percentile, in order to evaluate the spread of performance from the median user to those experiencing more challenging network conditions which would impact their experience at New Year.

Worst 10% of Speedtest samples reveal network challenges

We zeroed in on 5G upload performance first. Network operators universally allocate more spectral capacity to the downlink, as most mobile use cases lean more heavily on downloading data to the end-user device. However, the usage profile at the New Year is different, with video sharing, video streaming and calling, as well as uploading content to social media, more prevalent. These are all activities that are supported by uplink from the device.

Our data shows a significant gap between upload performance for the median user, and those in the lower 10th percentile – those experiencing the worst 10% of performance samples. Half the cities in our analysis recorded 10th percentile upload performance of less than 1 Mbps, with speeds ranging from 0.30 Mbps in Berlin, to 6.09 Mbps in Dubai. These sub-par speeds make it nearly impossible to upload photos or videos.

User Experience – Assessing the Worst 10% of Performance Samples on New Year's Eve
Speedtest data, New Year's Eve 23/24, 8pm – 1am

It was a similar picture for New Year revellers based on download speeds and latency. Despite more capacity being allocated to the downlink, performance for the lowest 10% of samples tumbled significantly compared to the median experience, with cities in APAC (Bangkok, Hong Kong, Sydney and Tokyo) in particular suffering, recording 10th percentile 5G download speeds of less than 10 Mbps. Latency was more of a mixed story across cities. At one end of the scale, Tokyo recorded a variance in latency between the median and 90th percentile (the worst 10% of latency samples) of just 19 ms, while Sydney saw a much wider gap of almost 200 ms. At 200 ms of latency users are likely to experience frustratingly slow loading times, unresponsive applications, and poor video quality.

Our data also showed the degree to which New Year usage pulled down 5G performance for the worst 10% of samples. New York, and cities in Europe saw less of an impact at New Year’s Eve compared to their global counterparts. Berlin, London, New York and Paris saw 5G download speeds for 10th percentile drop by between 1.13 Mbps and 6.88 Mbps. In contrast, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Sydney saw performance drop by between 15.13 Mbps and 21.44 Mbps. Dubai and Rio de Janeiro recorded the largest variance, however with faster 5G speeds they still outpaced the remaining markets by a significant margin. Upload performance for the worst 10% of samples followed a similar trend to download, however latency performance was more varied. Berlin, Dubai, New York, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo saw very little difference between New Year Eve latency performance and the Q4 2023 average. However, Paris, Hong Kong and London saw an increase in latency for the worst 10% off samples of between 22 ms and 36 ms, while Bangkok and Sydney fared worst, with an increase of 61 ms and 171 ms respectively.

Impact of New Year's Eve Traffic on Users With the Worst 10% of Samples
Speedtest data, Q4 2023 vs New Year's Eve 23/24, 8pm – 1am

Addressing network pain points

Addressing network pain points for users affected by poor performance in dense urban areas is a challenging task. For major events like the recent Paris Olympics, which we reported on earlier this year, network operators will typically deploy temporary network assets such as cells on wheels (CoWs) to add extra network capacity, which can then be removed once the event concludes. Network operators can also look to build private networks, to provide dedicated capacity to support the operations of the event, including routing traffic for broadcasting purposes. However, city authorities also have an important role to play here, as highlighted in our recent whitepaper with Dublin City Council and the City Telecoms Association. Having a holistic view of network performance and its evolution across a city, as well as international benchmarks, provides city authorities with the data and insights to engage more constructively with network operators and regulators, and help introduce more effective policies to deliver meaningful change for end-users. We’ll continue to benchmark and report on city and state performance, based on Speedtest Intelligence data. For more information, please contact us.

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Mark Giles

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Ookla | December 20, 2024

How Batelco Makes Strategic Network Improvements in Bahrain with Ookla Data [Case Study]

For tier-one operators like Batelco, part of Beyon group, continuous innovation is required to meet the rising user demands and deliver exceptional service quality across the Kingdom as well as positioning itself among the best networks globally. To achieve its goal, Batelco not only relies on its expertise and traditional methods it also leverages on data from Ookla Cell Analytics™ and Consumer QoE™ to identify areas for strategic network optimization and enhance the end-user network experience.

Situation

For telecommunications operators, prioritizing the right investments can be challenging, especially when the ultimate aim is to continue delivering the best customer experience and driving service improvements for users.

Batelco tackled this challenge using Ookla data as the foundation for informed decision-making. This data enabled Batelco to implement innovative solutions including coverage enhancements, enhanced content delivery methods, and the refarming of existing 3G spectrum to improve the consumer network experience.

Read the full case study here.

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Ookla

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Dave Andersen | December 19, 2024

Global Broadband Development: Using Ookla Data to Bridge the Digital Divide

The global digital divide continues to widen. While nearly a quarter of consumer broadband subscribers in developed markets now use gigabit plans – projected to reach 50% by 2029 – developing countries often struggle to keep pace. This emerging “digital divide 2.0” represents not only a gap in access to basic connectivity, but also in the quality of broadband infrastructure. With pioneering countries like Singapore implementing nationwide 10-gigabit strategies, advanced markets are rapidly deploying high-speed fiber networks, whereas emerging markets often struggle to maintain even basic connectivity standards.

To better understand these disparities, comprehensive network data can offer valuable insights into connectivity performance. The Fiber Development Index (FDI) – a collaboration between Ookla, the World Broadband Association (WBBA), and Omdia – benchmarks fiber development across 93 countries by analyzing infrastructure development, market trends, and quality of experience measurements. Using median download and upload speeds, latency, and jitter data from Speedtest Intelligence, the FDI provides crucial insights into actual broadband performance and availability worldwide.

In this article, we’ll examine the current state of global broadband development, explore what sets market leaders apart, and analyze some key challenges facing U.S. broadband expansion. For deeper insights into these topics, including expert analysis from Ookla, the WBBA, and Omdia, watch our full webinar!

Global Broadband Trends

The demand for high-speed broadband continues to surge, with fixed broadband growing at a remarkable rate. Between 2020 and 2023, fixed broadband saw 20% growth compared to just 5% for mobile broadband, and similar growth is projected over the next few years. Three key factors drive this increased demand for gigabit and multi-gigabit connectivity:

Connected devices: The number of connected devices per household typically doubles every five years, with projections showing an average of a staggering 45 devices per household by 2030.
High-bandwidth applications: Modern applications demand increasingly higher speeds, from 50 Mbps for 4K video to 300 Mbps for 8K content, with next-generation XR applications requiring speeds up to 1 Gbps.
Cloud shift: Usage patterns are rapidly evolving from primarily saving files locally to accessing cloud-based services for storage and computing, a transition accelerated by XR and AI applications.

Looking ahead to 2028-2029, about half of all fixed broadband connections worldwide are expected to be gigabit-capable. This shift to fiber networks, which enable both higher speeds and improved latency, is necessary to support these evolving demands.

Fiber Development Index (FDI) Findings

The Fiber Development Index provides unprecedented visibility into global broadband development, analyzing 93 countries across multiple metrics including investment patterns (infrastructure funding, market incentives, regulatory policies) and real-world performance data.

To enable meaningful comparisons between markets at different stages of development, the FDI organizes countries into three distinct clusters:

Cluster One – Advanced Markets: These highly developed fiber broadband markets – such as Singapore, the UAE, and Qatar – demonstrate the impact of strong government support and clear national strategies. Singapore highlights cluster one success stories, with its nationwide fiber initiative.
Cluster Two – Transitioning Markets: Markets with developed broadband infrastructure actively expanding their fiber adoption. France, Chile, Switzerland, Australia, and the Netherlands have all improved their FDI rankings through expanded fiber coverage and improved performance metrics.
Cluster Three – Emerging Markets: Regions with low overall broadband penetration often face fundamental connectivity challenges. However, success stories like Peru, which jumped 11 spots in the FDI rankings, show how targeted investment and regulatory improvements can accelerate development.

This clustering approach shows that successful fiber deployment isn’t only about current performance; it’s also about the trajectory of improvement and the policies enabling that growth. For example, while Switzerland and Hungary show similar fiber penetration rates, Switzerland’s higher FDI ranking reflects its continued investment in core networks – illustrating how infrastructure commitment can shape a country’s development path.

Solutions and Best Practices

Understanding what drives success in leading markets can help guide countries working to close their own digital divides. From Singapore’s comprehensive strategy for fiber deployment to Peru’s improvements in regulatory policy and infrastructure investment, successful countries share a few key characteristics in their regulatory approaches and usage of data-driven decision making:

Effective Regulatory Framework: Leading markets implement detailed national broadband plans with specific targets and timelines. They streamline municipal approvals, promote infrastructure sharing, and provide financial incentives through universal service funds.
Data-Driven Planning: Speedtest Intelligence metrics provide granular data on network performance – including speeds, latency, and jitter, among other KPIs – revealing where networks are underperforming against FCC broadband speed standards. These insights help operators target infrastructure investments for maximum impact.
Market-Specific Strategies: Success looks different across markets. For example, while Singapore pursues its nationwide 10-gigabit fiber service, other countries are focused on expanding basic fiber coverage. Speedtest Intelligence metrics can help countries set realistic goals based on their current development stage.

U.S. Broadband Progress

To see how these global trends and challenges play out in a specific market, the U.S. presents a unique example of broadband development, with significant variations across states in both coverage and performance. In early 2024, the FCC raised its minimum broadband speed standard from 25/3 Mbps (25 download/3 upload) to 100/20 Mbps (100 download/20 upload), setting a higher bar for adequate connectivity.

Speedtest Intelligence data from the first half of 2024 reveals how service providers, regulators, and state governments are both making progress and facing persistent challenges in meeting these new standards.

State Leadership: New Jersey leads the nation with 66.4% of Speedtest users achieving FCC minimum standards of 100 Mbps download speed and 20 Mbps upload speed, followed by Connecticut, North Dakota, and Maryland.
Urban-Rural Divide: The gap between rural and urban connectivity access varies dramatically by state. Washington state in particular shows a stark urban-rural divide, with 61.1% of urban residents having access to the FCC’s minimum broadband standards, compared to just 28.7% of rural residents. Delaware demonstrates more equity, with 69.2% of urban residents and 66.8% of rural residents having access to these same standards.
Infrastructure Challenges: Geographic and terrain factors significantly impact deployment costs and feasibility. States like Alaska face unique challenges with frozen ground and vast distances between population centers, making traditional fiber deployment particularly complex and expensive. Data-driven approaches can help identify where alternative solutions might be more practical.

Breaking Down the Digital Divide
Percentage of urban and rural Speedtest users in each state with access to broadband speeds of 100/20 Mbps.

To learn more about connectivity performance in U.S. states, check out our recent analyst report looking at broadband speeds across the 50 states.

Future Outlook

The path toward closing the digital divide requires a multi-faceted approach that combines strategic infrastructure investments, supportive regulatory policies, and data-driven decision making. While fiber remains the gold standard for future-proof connectivity, a hybrid approach incorporating fixed wireless access and satellite technology may offer interim solutions for challenging deployments.

Looking ahead, the industry faces several key developments:

Accelerating Gigabit Adoption: The shift from basic broadband to gigabit connectivity will continue, with projections showing 50% of connections reaching gigabit speeds by 2029.
Investment Priorities: BEAD funding and similar initiatives worldwide will shape deployment strategies, particularly in underserved areas.
Technology Integration: Markets will likely adopt hybrid approaches, using a mix of fiber, fixed wireless, and satellite technology to ensure complete coverage.

Understanding this evolving landscape requires comprehensive network intelligence. Ookla’s complementary datasets – combining Speedtest’s crowdsourced performance metrics, RootMetrics’ controlled drive testing data, and Downdetector’s service outage monitoring – provide stakeholders with the complete picture needed to make informed decisions about broadband development.

For a deeper dive into global broadband development, including detailed analysis of the Fiber Development Index and expert insights from WBBA and Omdia, watch our full webinar on demand!

About the Author

Dave Andersen

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Luke Kehoe | December 16, 2024

DIGI makes a splash as fourth MNO in Belgium, leans on convergence

Belgium’s new entrant jolts the market with aggressive pricing, eyes Wi-Fi 7 in bid for QoE advantage

Romania’s DIGI has taken another bold step in its ambitious multi-country expansion strategy—the largest in Europe in over a decade—by launching fixed and mobile services in Belgium. It is replicating its signature disruptor strategy to swiftly capture market share, introducing a cut-price mobile tariff priced at €5 per month for 15 GB of data, alongside a fixed broadband offering at €10 per month for a 500 Mbps full-fibre connection.

The long-anticipated commercial launch is founded on a rebranded joint venture between Citymesh (51%), a subsidiary of IT services group Cegeka specialising in the B2B segment, and RCS & RDS, a subsidiary of the DIGI group. A five-year national roaming agreement with Proximus, Belgium’s largest mobile operator, has enabled DIGI’s market entry while it works to deploy its own greenfield radio infrastructure. DIGI aims to achieve 30% 5G population coverage by the end of 2025 and establish a network of 4,500 sites by the end of this decade.

As part of this roaming agreement, Proximus proposed to decommission and transfer around 400 of its own mobile sites to InSky, the company responsible for deploying the infrastructure for DIGI and Citymesh. With extensive spectrum holdings, including assets in the 700, 900, 1800 and 2100 MHz bands, along with a valuable 50 MHz of unpaired 3.6 GHz spectrum and 2.6 GHz frequencies it secured from neutral host operator Dense Air, it is fully equipped to execute its mobile network rollout.

DIGI subscribers rely on Proximus’ 4G network as it races to deploy its own 5G Standalone (SA) infrastructure

Subscribers to the new operator may initially be surprised by the limited availability of 5G services. DIGI’s roaming agreement with Proximus is restricted to its 4G network, with 5G access reliant on the progress of DIGI’s own greenfield site deployment. Whether this rollout will enhance Belgium’s international standing in 5G coverage remains to be seen, as the country continues to lag behind most of its developed peers due to delays in network deployment caused by conflicts between regional governments at the start of the 5G cycle.

Belgium continues to lag its neighbours in 5G Availability
Speedtest Intelligence® | Q3 2023 – Q3 2024

Analysis of Speedtest Intelligence® data from Q3 2024 reveals that Proximus, DIGI’s roaming partner, led the market in 4G download speed performance. Proximus’ subscribers enjoyed median 4G download speeds of 55.68 Mbps in the period, outperforming Telenet (47.91 Mbps) and Orange (36.22 Mbps).

DIGI subscribers will roam on Proximus' 4G network, which leads the Belgian market in 4G download speed performance
Speedtest Intelligence® | Q3 2023 – Q3 2024

However, this performance advantage does not extend to network reach. In Q3 2024, Proximus lagged behind its competitors in 4G Availability. Telenet led the market with 93.74% 4G Availability, followed by Orange at 86.02% and Proximus at 81.07%. Proximus’ comparatively lower 4G Availability has also contributed to its subscribers spending more time on 3G than those of other operators. On Proximus’ network, 11.21% of devices spent the majority of their time on 3G, compared to 7.92% on Orange’s network and just 3.41% on Telenet’s network.

Proximus' subscribers spend more time on 2G and 3G compared to competitors, primarily due to lower 4G Availability
Speedtest Intelligence® | Q3 2024

Fibre ambitions put convergence and Wi-Fi 7 in the spotlight

DIGI’s ambitions in Belgium extend beyond disrupting the mobile market—it is taking aim at fixed broadband too. The operator has introduced ‘DIGI Fiber’, bringing its signature aggressive pricing to the FTTH market. Launching with a limited footprint in select Brussels suburbs, DIGI Fiber offers download speeds of up to 10 Gbps for as little as €20 per month. It plans to scale this fibre footprint rapidly, as it has done in Spain, targeting 2 million households within two years.

DIGI’s fibre offering is highly competitive in the Belgian market context, promising speeds that are many multiples of the country-wide median of 101.97 Mbps observed across fixed networks in Belgium in Q3 2024. While Proximus’ fibre service led the market during this period with median download speeds of 303.25 Mbps, DIGI’s entry may disrupt the market order.

Proximus Fiber leads in fixed download speed performance across Belgium's largest cities
Speedtest Intelligence® | Q3 2024

The operator is placing significant emphasis on Wi-Fi performance as part of its foray into the home, providing Wi-Fi 6-capable CPE as standard and preparing to introduce Wi-Fi 7 solutions “soon” for customers subscribing to its 10 Gbps service. This follows the playbook of other leading fixed operators seeking to differentiate fibre services through an enhanced focus on quality of experience (QoE) in the home, with BT’s EE in the UK and Iliad’s Free in France also debuting Wi-Fi 7 solutions in a bid to sell premium fibre experiences.

DIGI aims to leverage converged bundling of fixed and mobile tariffs to maximise customer retention and minimise churn, as it seeks to position itself as a leader in both price and network quality in Belgium. However, this convergence strategy is far from novel in the Belgian market, where competitors have successfully offered triple- and quad-play bundles for years. Notably, DIGI has yet to introduce a TV service in Belgium, leaving a gap in its bundling proposition at launch.

Has DIGI precipitated a race to the bottom in Belgium?

DIGI’s arrival disrupts a market long known for generating some of the highest average revenue per user (ARPU) levels in Western and Central Europe, coupled with a higher degree of market concentration compared to other countries in the region, based on analysis of GSMA Intelligence data. In Q3 2024, Belgian operators reported a monthly ARPU of €18.26, significantly outpacing neighbouring markets such as the Netherlands (€13.15) and Germany (€11.03).

Belgian operators maintain higher ARPU levels compared to many other European markets
Analysis of GSMA Intelligence data | Q3 2024

Market incumbents have been bracing for an intense price war for some time. Earlier this year, Proximus cut its dividend, increased debt and struck agreements with alt-nets to accelerate its fibre rollout in Flanders. In a strategic counter move, Orange responded to DIGI’s aggressive mobile pricing by launching an equivalently priced tariff through its budget-focused ‘Hey!’ sub-brand, setting the stage for a race to the bottom in Belgium’s telecoms market.

This development shifts the Belgian market from a three- to four-player structure, marking a notable countertrend at a time when regulators in Brussels are signalling a softer stance on merger reviews and competition policy. It also follows closely on the heels of the Vodafone-Three merger approval in the UK, highlighting the increasingly diverse regulatory dynamics at play across Europe.

DIGI's success in Spain has been a cornerstone of its revenue growth, fueling its expansion ambitions in Belgium
Analysis of DIGI Group financial accounts | 2018 – 2024

Regardless of the outcome in the Belgian market, this marks a critical litmus test for DIGI’s growth ambition in Western Europe. Over the past decade, the Bucharest-based group has nearly tripled its annual revenues, growing from €624 million in 2013 to over €1.69 billion in 2023. It continues to distinguish itself through an obsessive strategic focus on operational efficiency—a model that has been similarly instrumental to Iliad’s success in Europe and its ability to achieve economies of scale.

This emphasis on a lean organisational structure has not dampened its long-term investment commitments. Last year alone, DIGI splurged €729.7 million on network spending and sold part of its fixed network in Spain to unlock additional funds for reinvestment, as it navigates a period of record capital intensity across its markets.

About the Author

Luke Kehoe

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Affandy Johan | December 13, 2024

Performance Benchmarking of Mobile Operators in Small to Mid-Sized Markets

As mobile connectivity demand grows, particularly in urban areas, network performance has become a crucial indicator of a country’s development, competitiveness, and quality of life. This report focuses on the performance of mobile networks in small to mid-sized markets, which strike a balance between fostering competition and allowing operators to concentrate on urban connectivity. Based on the selected criteria, the top-performing operators identified in this analysis come from nine countries: Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Kuwait, Norway, Singapore, Switzerland, and the U.A.E.

Key Takeaways

Operators from the U.A.E. and Kuwait dominate the top five positions. Speedtest Intelligence® 1H 2024 data showed that U.A.E.’s e& led with a median download speed of 351.73 Mbps, followed by du at 264.41 Mbps. Kuwait’s Ooredoo (234.45 Mbps), Zain (218.06 Mbps), and stc (190.42 Mbps) rounded out the top five.
Early 5G adoption has been a key factor in driving improved network performance, with operators like e& (U.A.E.), du (U.A.E.), Ooredoo (Kuwait), and Zain (Kuwait) achieving globally competitive median download speeds since launching 5G in 2019. Speedtest Intelligence data highlights consistent growth in 5G Availability and 5G Service metrics over the past two years. For instance, Ooredoo (Kuwait) increased 5G Availability from 67.0% to 73.7% and 5G Service from 78.3% to 83.9%, while Telenor Norway improved 5G Availability from 40.4% to 55.9%, and YouSee (Denmark) reached 84.0%, showcasing the significant impact of 5G expansion on network performance.
The top-performing operators predominantly came from a select group of highly urbanized and economically developed countries. Only nine countries accounted for the top 20 mobile operators in small to mid-size markets. Notably, all operators in the top ten were from countries with urbanization rates exceeding 87%, highlighting the correlation between high urban density and network performance.

Understanding mobile performance in advanced small to mid-size markets

Mobile network performance is shaped by multiple factors, each impacting speed, reliability, and user experience. Spectrum availability, infrastructure density, and advanced technologies like 5G are essential for meeting user demand effectively. Additionally, geographic, economic, and regulatory factors influence the level of investment and an operator’s ability to deploy and optimize services. Large markets spanning vast regions pose unique logistical and technical challenges for operators trying to serve both densely populated cities and remote rural areas. In contrast, operators in smaller markets, such as city-states, focus on compact urban areas, requiring a more targeted and agile approach to network deployment.

For the purpose of this analysis, we defined small-to-mid sized markets as having populations between 4 million and 10 million. The majority of the population is concentrated in high-density areas, allowing for a clearer examination of urban network strategies without the intricate infrastructure needs of large rural areas. There are 35 markets globally that fit this criteria, and of these, more than 65% occupy land areas smaller than 200,000 km². Using Speedtest Intelligence data, we examined the mobile performance in these markets during the first half of 2024, highlighting the top 20 ranked mobile providers based on median download speed.

Operators from the U.A.E. and Kuwait dominate the top ten rankings

Using Speedtest Intelligence® data collected in the first half of 2024, we ranked the top ten mobile operators in small to mid-size markets based on all mobile technologies combined. Operators from the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait dominate the top five positions, with a few operators from Denmark, Norway, and Singapore also making it into the top ten list. Notably, all operators in the top ten were from highly urbanized countries, with an urbanization rate exceeding 87%. These markets were also economically developed, having an average GDP per capita of just under USD 60,000.

Top 10 Ranked Operators Performance, Small to Medium Markets
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

U.A.E.’s e& (U.A.E) leads by a significant margin, achieving a median download speed of 351.73 Mbps for all technologies combined. This lead is indicative of the e&’s strong investment in telecommunication infrastructure and advanced network capabilities. Following e& is du, which has a median download speed of 264.41 Mbps. Both e& and du reported similar median upload speeds, with 26.58 Mbps and 26.25 Mbps respectively. The results underscore the U.A.E.’s robust telecommunications landscape, driven by strong competition among the leading operators.

Kuwait’s Ooredoo and Zain rank third and fourth with median download speeds of 234.45 Mbps and 218.06 Mbps, respectively. Another Kuwaiti operator, stc, completes the top five with a speed of 190.42 Mbps. The presence of three Kuwaiti operators in the top five highlights the country’s substantial progress in mobile network development, driven by a concentrated urban population and high levels of mobile broadband penetration.

The dominance of operators from the Middle East, particularly the U.A.E. and Kuwait, in overall network performance highlights the significant investments and advancements in 5G infrastructure within the region. Our previous report examined how the U.A.E. was the fastest 5G market globally in 1H 2024, with a median download speed of 660.08 Mbps, with e& UAE leading both domestically and globally at 749.63 Mbps. In Kuwait, Zain topped 5G median download speed in the market with a speed of 411.06 Mbps, surpassing Ooredoo at 379.04 Mbps during the same period. These achievements underscore the region’s strategic focus on enhancing connectivity and setting benchmarks for global 5G performance.

Northern Europe also has strong representation in the top ten, with Telenor (Norway) achieving 174.34 Mbps and three Danish operators (3, Telia, and YouSee) rounding out the list, all offering speeds above 148 Mbps. Singtel of Singapore is positioned in eighth place at 159.22 Mbps, indicative of Singapore’s efficient, urban-focused mobile deployment.

European operators were the most prominent beyond the top ten

11-20 Ranked Operators Performance, Small to Medium Markets
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

The next tier of mobile operators, ranked 11 to 20 by median download speed, offers a broader view of competitive performance across smaller European and Asian markets. Leading this group is A1 of Bulgaria, with a median download speed of 140.56 Mbps, placing it just below the top 10. Close behind Telenor (Denmark) and Telia (Norway), at 135.83 Mbps and 134.53 Mbps, respectively, highlight Northern Europe’s strong network performance capabilities, where dense urban populations and advanced network deployment have created solid foundations for high-speed connectivity.

Finnish operators make up a substantial part of this ranking, with DNA at 120.72 Mbps, Telia at 103.51 Mbps, and Elisa at 93.50 Mbps. The inclusion of the three Finnish operators in the list is notable, given the complex mix of population distribution and challenging coverage requirements of the market, which make consistently high speeds difficult across various geographies.

Other European operators, such as Swisscom in Switzerland, which had a speed of 117.29 Mbps, and Yettel in Hungary, with 94.58 Mbps, demonstrated that smaller, urbanized markets could still maintain competitive internet speeds. Singapore’s StarHub, with a speed of 100.46 Mbps, ranked 18th, highlighting the country’s strong mobile infrastructure.

Proactive 5G strategies contributing to overall performance gains among top operators

The majority of the operators in the top 20 list were early adopters of 5G technology, with most launching 5G services as early as 2019 or 2020. This early adoption has proven to be a factor in enhancing their overall network performance, allowing them to deliver faster speeds, greater reliability, and a better overall user experience compared to markets that lagged in 5G rollout.

Operators such as e& (U.A.E.), du (U.A.E.), Ooredoo (Kuwait), and Zain (Kuwait) launched 5G services in 2019 and have consistently achieved higher median download speeds compared to other operators globally. In May 2019, etisalat by e& became the first operator in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to introduce 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) technology to subscribers. The U.A.E. and Kuwait have regularly ranked as the fastest operators in Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index, alongside other early 5G adopters like Qatar and South Korea.

Government support and operator investments have played a crucial role in driving 5G success in these markets. In the U.A.E., the telecom regulator TDRA waived fees for 5G frequencies above 3 GHz for five years, giving operators access to extensive spectrum resources in the 2500-2600 MHz and 3300-3800 MHz ranges. Similarly, Kuwait’s CITRA allocated additional spectrum in the 2.3 GHz and 2.6 GHz bands, enabling operators to enhance their 5G networks and prepare for the rollout of 5G-Advanced technology.

European operators, including Telenor (Norway), 3 (Denmark), and A1 (Bulgaria), as well as Singtel and StarHub in Singapore, have also leveraged early 5G implementation to enhance service quality. GSMA’s 5G Connectivity Index highlights that markets with proactive 5G strategies tend to outperform in network performance metrics.

Leading operators demonstrate ongoing 5G adoption and coverage expansion

The overall performance gains are closely linked to the increased adoption of 5G services and the expansion of 5G coverage in key markets. As more users spend a larger share of their time on 5G networks, reliance on older technologies like 4G has steadily declined. This transition has contributed to faster speeds, lower latency, and overall improvements in mobile network performance for users across these top-performing operators.

5G Availability (%) Quarterly Trend
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | Q1 2023 – Q3 2024

5G Service (%) Quarterly Trend
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | Q1 2023 – Q3 2024

Top operators have continued to expand their 5G networks across their respective markets. Over the past 24 months, quarterly data has shown a consistent upward trend in both 5G Availability—the percentage of time users with 5G-capable devices spend connected to 5G—and 5G Service, which measures the percentage of geographical areas with reported 5G coverage. This dual growth demonstrates the operators’ commitment to improving both user experience and network reach.

e& (U.A.E.) and du (U.A.E.) have shown steady increases in 5G Availability. e& rose from 13.9% in Q2 2023 to 25.6% in Q3 2024, while du increased from 16.5% to 20.9% over the same period. 5G Service also improved, with e& expanding from 41.5% in Q2 2023 to 52.9% in Q3 2024, and du growing from 56.4% to 67.2%.

Kuwaiti operators Ooredoo, Zain, and stc consistently maintained high levels of 5G Availability. Ooredoo increased from 67.0% in Q2 2023 to 73.7% in Q3 2024, while 5G Service also saw growth, with Ooredoo rising from 78.3% to 83.9% and Zain expanding from 81.1% to 90.6% during the same period.

European operators also showed notable progress. Telenor Norway achieved significant growth in 5G Availability, rising from 40.4% to 55.9%. Denmark’s YouSee maintained one of the highest levels, increasing from 72.8% to 84.0%. In Finland, DNA and Telia demonstrated consistent improvements, with DNA rising from 52.6% to 71.6% and Telia making steady advancements as well. These trends reflect the continued expansion of 5G in both urban and outskirts, supporting increased 5G connectivity across these markets.

Majority of the top operators’ 5G networks are utilizing C-band spectrum

Spectrum availability plays an important part in network performance, impacting speed and coverage. In urbanized small to mid-size markets, operators must strategically manage and, where possible, the ability to access adequate spectrum resources is crucial for reducing network congestion and maintaining a consistent, high-quality experience for users.

We analyzed the distribution of Speedtest data samples based on the primary reported 5G spectrum bands used by the top ten performing operators to gain insights into the spectrum bands utilized by operators. It’s important to note that operators will employ differing strategies to optimize spectrum utilization and the user experience. Consumer-initiated tests will attempt to saturate a network connection, and operators will tend to serve this capacity demand through the spectrum bands with the highest capacity and, where required, supplement this capacity through carrier aggregation. This gives a better indication of the maximum throughput and state of the network, in contrast with background idle-state testing, which will often camp on lower frequency bands and, more specifically, on 4G-LTE.

The results show that upper mid-band spectrum, or C-Band (3.3-4.2 GHz), is the most widely utilized spectrum band among these operators, playing a critical role in balancing performance, availability, and coverage. The C-band offers an optimal balance between speed and coverage, making it suitable for urban and broader coverage areas.

Operators like e& (U.A.E.) and du (U.A.E.) rely heavily on the C-band, with 93.5% and 78.9% of test samples reported in this range, respectively. Similarly, operators in Kuwait, including Ooredoo, Zain, and stc, show a near-exclusive reliance on the C-band (ranging from 89.1% to 99.9%), enabling them to deliver widespread 5G availability and improved median download speeds.

In Nordic markets, operators like Telenor Norway and YouSee Denmark demonstrate more diverse spectrum strategies. Telenor Norway combines significant use of the C-band (62.4%) with a notable portion of low-band spectrum (37.4%), which enhances coverage in rural and less densely populated areas. This mixed approach allows these operators to ensure nationwide 5G rollout while maintaining urban performance.

Top performing operators came from a few highly urbanized countries.

Our data shows that operators from only nine countries made up the top 20 mobile operators with the best median download speed within small to mid-size markets. Denmark had the highest representation, contributing four operators to the top 20 list. Kuwait and Finland follow closely, each with three operators ranked among the best. Other countries with top-performing operators include the U.A.E., Singapore, Norway, Bulgaria, Switzerland, and Hungary, each featuring one or two operators.

Top 20 Operators Countries
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024, World Population Review | 2023

These markets share several common characteristics that likely contribute to their high mobile network performance. Most are highly urbanized and economically developed, which facilitates the deployment of advanced telecommunications infrastructure. Additionally, these countries often have high levels of investment in digital connectivity, enabling operators to maintain robust, high-speed networks. Many of these markets, such as Singapore, Switzerland, and Norway, are relatively compact, allowing operators to concentrate network resources and deliver consistent performance across their territories.

In contrast, markets with lower urbanization levels, such as Austria (59.5% urbanization) and Ireland (64.5% urbanization), despite sharing similar characteristics with the high-performing markets—such as strong economies and investments in telecommunications infrastructure—reported lower median download speeds of 79.46 Mbps and 38.20 Mbps, respectively. This highlights the need for tailored strategies in less urbanized markets to enhance coverage and optimize performance.

Ookla will continue to monitor overall mobile performance and 5G deployments globally and benchmark countries and operators. For more information about Speedtest Intelligence data and insights, please get in touch.

About the Author

Affandy Johan

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Affandy Johan | December 12, 2024

Evaluating Mobile Network Performance Across Developing Markets in Eurasia

Eurasia’s mobile telecommunications landscape reflects a transition region, balancing urban-focused growth with efforts to extend connectivity into rural areas. While urban centers in these countries see high 4G coverage and improving data speeds, rural areas often need to catch up, a gap that mirrors challenges in other developing regions of Asia and Central Europe.

This report benchmarks the performance of top mobile providers—those with a sample share of 3% or more—in seven neighboring markets. It compares the median download and upload speeds and latency across all technologies, focusing on national-level performance and results in the two major cities within each selected country.

1. Armenia

Video start time measures the seconds a user waits for a video to begin during the adaptive bitrate stage. Adaptive start failure rate shows the percentage of video samples that fail to start playback due to timeouts or other issues in this stage. Together, these metrics provide insights into the video streaming experience for users across different operators in each market.

With video content making up a large portion of global network traffic, it’s essential to understand the actual experience of customers when they watch videos over mobile connections. This report assesses video performance using Speedtest Intelligence video metrics, focusing on two key indicators: video start time and adaptive start failure rate.

Markets in Eurasia showing continued performance improvements

Speedtest Intelligence® quarterly data shows that the mobile median download and upload speeds for all technologies across all the selected markets, apart from Mongolia, have gradually improved between the period of Q4 2022 and Q3 2024.

Quarterly Performance Trend for Selected Eurasia Markets
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | Q3 2022 – Q3 2024
Quarterly Network Performance, Select Eurasian Markets

Markets that have introduced 5G saw or are in the early stages of 5G deployment saw overall improvements in both median download and upload speeds. Azerbaijan tops median download speed in Q3 2024, increasing from 34.82 Mbps in Q4 2022 to 55.62 Mbps in Q3 2024, driven by consistent network upgrades. Kazakhstan also demonstrates strong improvement, rising from 22.44 Mbps to 46.63 Mbps during the same period, maintaining steady growth in urban and rural connectivity, and the expansion of 5G services. Kazakhstan became one of the first countries in Central Asia to commercially launch 5G, with Kcell and Tele2 leading the deployment of 5G base stations. After securing 100 MHz blocks in the 3.6–3.7 GHz and 3.7–3.8 GHz spectrum bands, both operators have actively expanded their networks across the country’s major cities. By June 2024, they had installed 1,144 base stations across 20 cities, with ongoing efforts to extend 5G coverage further.

Uzbekistan also showed notable progress, starting at 14.67 Mbps in Q4 2022 and reaching 38.96 Mbps by Q3 2024, reflecting increased investments in mobile infrastructure and early-stage 5G deployment by the operators. In Uzbekistan, the government and operators have made significant strides in enhancing mobile network performance. The Republican Telecommunications Management Center of Uzbekistan (RTMC), through its “Digital Uzbekistan 2030” initiative, has focused on improving digital connectivity nationwide. Alongside these efforts, operators have begun rolling out 5G networks, collectively driving progress in the country’s telecom sector and boosting overall network performance.

In contrast, Mongolia showed limited improvement in network performance, with median download speeds remaining around 17 Mbps over the same period. Despite a steady rise in 4G connections, increasing from 35.4% in Q4 2022 to 54.1% in Q3 2024 (GSMA Intelligence), the market continues to face challenges. As the least densely populated country in the world, with a significant portion of the population living a nomadic lifestyle, challenges include limited infrastructure investment and high network congestion in the main cities, which have hindered its growth compared to other countries in the region.

Overall, the improvement in performance across the region reflects ongoing investments in mobile networks, driven by rising consumer demand for faster internet and government efforts to expand connectivity. As operators deploy advanced technologies, including 5G rollouts in some markets, mobile performance is expected to continue improving, narrowing the performance gap with more developed regions.

Armenia

In Armenia, the primary mobile operators are Viva-MTS, Beeline, and Ucom. All three operators offer 4G coverage across major cities, with efforts underway through Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) to expand 4G coverage of the three existing operators in 80% of the settlements within the next two years. Viva-MTS, the market leader, has made investments in network upgrades, focusing on increasing capacity in urban regions to address data traffic demand. Ucom has prioritized the modernization of its network to improve end-user performance and service availability, while at the same time introducing 5G services in selected cities.

Based on data from Speedtest Intelligence® during the first half of 2024, Viva-MTS and Ucom both recorded median download speeds that are nearly identical, each just above 34 Mbps. Viva-MTS also outpaced its rivals in upload speeds, achieving 14.77 Mbps, followed by Ucom at 12.14 Mbps and Telecom Armenia at 11.95 Mbps.

All Technologies Network Performance, Armenia
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

When it comes to video quality of experience, Speedtest Intelligence reveals that Ucom had the fastest median adaptive start time for all mobile technologies combined in Armenia, at 1.38 seconds during 1H 2024, followed by Telecom Armenia CJSC at 1.55 seconds. Furthermore, Ucom reported a video start failure rate of just 2.9%, while Telecom Armenia CJSC and Viva-MTS experienced higher failure rates of 5.8% and 7.7%, respectively.

Video Experience By Mobile Operator, Armenia
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

In Armenia’s main cities, Yerevan and Gyumri, Ucom leads in download speed, achieving the highest median download speed of 52.13 Mbps in Gyumri and 38.18 Mbps in the capital, Yerevan. Viva-MTS follows closely with 44.87 Mbps in Gyumri and 35.5 Mbps in Yerevan, while Telecom Armenia CJSC significantly lags behind in both cities, recording 25.74 Mbps in Gyumri and 21.11 Mbps in Yerevan.

For upload speeds, Viva-MTS leads in both cities, reaching 15.87 Mbps in Gyumri and 15.82 Mbps in Yerevan. Ucom performs slightly lower, with 12.63 Mbps in Gyumri and 14.65 Mbps in Yerevan, while Telecom.

All Technologies Mobile Operator's Performance In Major Cities, Armenia
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan’s mobile market is primarily served by three operators: Azercell, Bakcell, and Nar. Azercell, the largest operator, has actively expanded its 4G network, achieving a population coverage of 98.35% in urban and suburban areas. All three operators have initiated 5G services, with Azercell launching a 5G pilot zone in Baku’s Fountain Square, Bakcell introducing 5G trials in select locations, and Nar deploying 5G technology in Sumgait, marking the first 5G launch outside the capital.

Bakcell leads in both median download and upload speeds during the first half of 2024, achieving 55.36 Mbps for downloads and 18.68 Mbps for uploads. Azercell follows with a download speed of 50.65 Mbps and an upload speed of 11.46 Mbps, while Nar lagged behind at 42.23 Mbps for downloads but performs comparatively better in uploads with 13.96 Mbps.

All Technologies Network Performance, Azerbaijan
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

When it comes to video quality of experience, Speedtest Intelligence reveals that Bakcell provided the most reliable and fastest video streaming experience among the three operators. In terms of video adaptive start performance, Bakcell and Azercell show relatively similar adaptive start times, with 1.26 and 1.27 seconds, respectively, while Nar has a slightly slower start time at 1.35 seconds.

Bakcell had the lowest video adaptive start failure rate at 3.7%, followed by Nar at 4.0%. Azercell showed the highest failure rate at 7.0%, suggesting that videos failed to start more often for its users compared to its competitors.

Video Experience By Mobile Operator, Azerbaijan
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

In the capital city of Baku, Bakcell leads with a median download speed of 66.62 Mbps, outperforming Azercell’s download speed of 59.51 Mbps. In Ganja, Azercell slightly outperforms Bakcell in download speed at 53.24 Mbps compared to Bakcell’s 50.16 Mbps.

All Technologies Mobile Operator's Performance In Major Cities, Azerbaijan
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

Georgia

In Georgia, Magti, Geocell (Silknet), and Cellfie (formerly Beeline) are the primary mobile network operators, driving competition in the telecom market. The market has been shaped by ongoing investments in network upgrades and a push towards next-generation connectivity. Data from Speedtest Intelligence® for the first half of 2024 highlights Geocell as the leader in median download speed, achieving a download speed of 50.20 Mbps. Magti followed with a median download speed of 40.50 Mbps and upload speed of 15.12 Mbps, maintaining a competitive position. Geocell also outperformed other operators in latency, recording the lowest median multi-server latency of 38 milliseconds, compared to Magti’s 40 ms.

Cellfie, formerly Beeline, lagged in both speed and latency metrics. However, its focus on network modernization and the targeted 5G rollouts may provide opportunities for improvement. The company has emphasized plans to enhance its infrastructure and leverage the benefits of 5G, which could help bridge the gap with its competitors.

All Technologies Network Performance, Georgia
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

Magti reported the fastest video adaptive start time at 1.50 seconds, followed by Geocell at 1.75 seconds and Cellfie (formerly Beeline) at 2.02 seconds. Geocell achieved better reliability with the lowest video start failure rate of 3.1%, while Magti and Cellfie experienced higher failure rates of 5.1% and 6.1%, respectively.

With 5G rollouts advancing in 2024, operators will look at leveraging higher bandwidth and lower latency to enhance user experiences and support the increasing use of video services in Georgia.

Video Experience By Mobile Operator, Georgia
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

In the capital city of Tbilisi, Geocell achieved a median download speed of 57.5 Mbps, surpassing Magti’s 37.92 Mbps and Cellfie’s 25.11 Mbps. Both Geocell and Magti recorded almost similar upload speeds in the capital, at around 19 Mbps. In Batumi, Magti led with a median download speed of 33.08 Mbps, while Geocell followed at 23.31 Mbps.

All Technologies Mobile Operator's Performance In Major Cities, Georgia
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

Kazakhstan

Tele2 was the fastest mobile provider in Kazakhstan, based on Speedtest Intelligence® data for all technologies combined during 1H2024, with a median download speed of 55.12 Mbps. Kcell followed with 48.70 Mbps, while Beeline lagged at 27.94 Mbps. Tele2 recorded a median upload speed of 17.16 Mbps and a latency of 39 ms.

All Technologies Network Performance, Kazakhstan
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

When it comes to video quality of experience, Speedtest Intelligence reveals that Tele2 had the fastest median adaptive start time for all mobile technologies combined in Kazakhstan, at 2.03 seconds during 1H 2024. Kcell was close behind at 2.09 seconds.

Video Experience By Mobile Operator, Kazakhstan
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

In Astana, Tele2 demonstrated strong overall performance, leading in all three key metrics: a median download speed of 78.55 Mbps, upload speed of 24.89 Mbps, and multi-server latency of 31 ms. In Almaty, KCell had a slight edge in median download speed at 104.38 Mbps, closely followed by Tele2 at 102.99 Mbps, highlighting competitive performance between the two operators in the city. Beeline, which currently lacks 5G services, reported lower download speeds of 26.57 Mbps in Astana and 38.26 Mbps in Almaty.

All Technologies Mobile Operator's Performance In Major Cities, Kazakhstan
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan’s mobile telecommunications market is served by three main operators: MEGA, O!, and Beeline. The country’s mobile landscape reflects its geographic challenges, with mountainous terrain making rural connectivity a significant hurdle. Despite this, government support has enabled gradual progress. The State Communications Agency, which regulates the telecom sector, has actively worked on policies to encourage network investment and bridging the urban-rural connectivity gap. The National Development Strategy of the Kyrgyz Republic 2018-2040 is one initiative that facilitates digital transformation to hasten the country’s economic development. Overall, Kyrgyzstan’s mobile network landscape shows steady growth, with operators competing on both speed and coverage.

Beeline edged the other operators in median download speed in Kyrgyzstan during the first half of 2024, achieving a median download speed of 34.99 Mbps, slightly ahead of O! 33.18 Mbps, and MEGA at 30.29 Mbps.

All Technologies Network Performance, Kyrgyzstan
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

O! provided the best video experience in 1H 2024 among all the operators in the market, with median adaptive start time for all mobile technologies combined at 2.17 seconds and lowest adaptive start failure rate of 2.5%. O! was followed by Beeline with an adaptive start time of 2.48 seconds and MEGA with 2.64 seconds.

Video Experience By Mobile Operator, Kyrgyzstan
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

In Kyrgyzstan’s main cities of Bishkek and Osh, Beeline reported a median download speed of 44.44 Mbps in Bishkek and 31.49 Mbps in Osh, a slight edge over both MEGA and O!. MEGA, however, led in upload speeds in Osh, with a speed of 18.3 Mbps.

All Technologies Mobile Operator's Performance In Major Cities, Kyrgyzstan
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

Mongolia

There are five top operators in Mongolia; MobiCom, GMobile, Supernet, Unitel and Skytel, each aiming to expand 4G LTE coverage to meet the growing demand for mobile internet. The country’s challenging geography and low population density create barriers for network expansion, especially in rural areas, making urban-focused network performance crucial for operators.

Based on Speedtest Intelligence® data for all technologies combined during 1H2024, MobiCom leads with a median download speed at 17.92 Mbps, followed by GMobile at 15.33 Mbps, and SuperNet closely behind at 15.07 Mbps. MobiCom also led upload speeds, with 11.81 Mbps, ahead of Unitel and GMobile. When it comes to latency, GMobile and Skytel provide the lowest median latency at 42 ms and 43 ms.

All Technologies Network Performance, Mongolia
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

MobiCom reported the fastest video adaptive start time at 1.74 seconds, followed by Unitel at 1.87 seconds and SuperNet) at 2.28 seconds. gmobile achieved better reliability with the lowest video start failure rate of 2.2%, followed by Unitel and Skytel, with failure rates of 4.5% and 7.7%, respectively.

Video Experience By Mobile Operator, Mongolia
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

In the city of Erdenet, SuperNet leads with a substantial margin, achieving a median download speed of 35.69 Mbps. MobiCom follows with 16.24 Mbps, while other operators like GMobile (10.99 Mbps), Unitel (10.86 Mbps), and Skytel (13.26 Mbps) lag behind, indicating a considerable disparity in download performance across providers in this city.

In Ulaanbaatar, the capital and most populous city, MobiCom shows the highest median download speed at 18.78 Mbps, followed by Unitel at 15.03 Mbps and GMobile at 13.87 Mbps. Skytel records the lowest performance in Ulaanbaatar with just 8.12 Mbps.

All Technologies Mobile Operator's Performance In Major Cities, Mongolia
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan has increased investments in mobile network infrastructure, supported by government incentives and growing competition among operators. In 2020, the country introduced the “Digital Uzbekistan 2030” strategy to accelerate digital transformation across industries. The Republican Telecommunications Management Center (RTMC), which oversees this initiative, has worked closely with operators to expand telecommunications infrastructure, improve service quality, and reduce the urban-rural connectivity gap.

Uzbekistan’s mobile market is served by four major operators; Ucell, Uztelecom, Beeline Uzbekistan, and Mobiuz, with Ucell being the largest operator. Based on data from Speedtest Intelligence® during the first half of 2024, Ucell achieved the fastest median mobile download speed across all of the operators with a speed of 43.91 Mbps, followed by Uztelecom at 27.30 Mbps. Mobiuz followed closely with a reported speed of 26.79 Mbps.

All Technologies Network Performance, Uzbekistan
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

When it comes to video quality of experience, Speedtest Intelligence reveals that Beeline had the fastest median adaptive start time for all mobile technologies combined in Uzbekistan, at 1.8 seconds during 1H 2024, followed by Uztelecom at 1.99 seconds, and UCell at 2.12 seconds. Furthermore, Beeline reported a video start failure rate of 3.5%, while Uztelecom and Mobiuz experienced higher failure rates of 4.6% and 4.8%, respectively.

Video Experience By Mobile Operator, Uzbekistan
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

In Uzbekistan’s two main cities, Samarkand and Tashkent, UCell led in median download speeds, achieving 83.12 Mbps in Samarkand and 83.36 Mbps in Tashkent. Uztelecom leads upload speed in Samarkand at 20.14 Mbps, while UCell ranks highest in Tashkent at 19.61 Mbps. UCell has the lowest latency in both cities, with 36 ms in Samarkand and 22 ms in Tashkent.

All Technologies Mobile Operator's Performance In Major Cities, Uzbekistan
Speedtest Intelligence® | 1H 2024

The mobile telecommunications landscape across Eurasia, particularly in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan, reveals varied network performance driven by differing levels of infrastructure investment, urban density, and regulatory initiatives.

Many operators in these countries face challenges, especially in rural and high-density urban areas where network congestion and limited infrastructure investment impact user experience. To address these gaps, several Eurasian governments are introducing policies to support 5G deployment, rural network expansion, and spectrum allocation, aiming to bridge connectivity disparities and support a growing digital economy. As these markets move towards 5G, continued regulatory support and investment in network infrastructure will be crucial to elevate service quality across the region, meeting the rising demand for fast and reliable mobile connectivity.

As operators in this region continue to modernize their networks, we are keeping a close eye on how the network deployments are progressing and the network performance end users experience. For more information about Speedtest Intelligence data and insights, please contact us.

About the Author

Affandy Johan

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Luke Kehoe | December 9, 2024

UK Telecoms at a Crossroads: Consolidation, Convergence, and Looking Ahead to 2025

After years of decline in international rankings, can the UK’s largest telecoms merger in decades revive competition in network quality?

In this special year-end article, we examine the past year in UK telecoms, assessing the country’s global competitiveness, evaluating 5G SA rollouts and monetisation strategies, highlighting the growing trend of convergence and looking ahead to what the market may bring in 2025.

The State of the UK’s Mobile Networks

The UK continued to trail its developed peers in mobile performance in 2024

Reports of mobile not-spots, outages and peak-time congestion dominated discussions around the UK’s mobile networks this year, with high-profile publications highlighting their underperformance compared to developed peers elsewhere in Europe and North America. Particular attention has been drawn to indoor coverage deficits—where over 80% of mobile traffic originates today—and lingering blackspots along key rail corridors nationwide.

Consumer research published by Ookla earlier this year, based on a survey of over 2,000 smartphone users in the UK and US, revealed significantly higher dissatisfaction among UK mobile users. Quality of experience (QoE) issues, such as slow-loading web pages (37%) and interrupted video streams (19%), were prominent, with over a quarter of UK respondents also reporting service interruptions or outages at least once a month. These experiences are likely driving a higher propensity to churn, with 27% of users planning to switch operators within the next twelve months citing coverage as their primary reason.

Analysis of Speedtest Intelligence® data underscores UK consumers’ concerns, revealing the country’s stark international underperformance. Over the past eight years, the UK has shifted from being a G7 leader to a laggard in mobile download speeds at the 10th percentile—a key measure of baseline network performance, as it reflects the experience of users with the slowest connections. These speeds are now lower in the UK than in all but one other G7 country (Japan), with the gap to the leader (France) now widening rapidly on a year-on-year basis.

Outside the G7, the UK recorded the lowest Consistency score in Europe (82.56%) during Q2-Q3 2024, ahead of only Ireland. This metric reflects the percentage of consumer-initiated Speedtest samples meeting minimum speed thresholds: 5 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload on 4G, and 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload on 5G. Market-wide Consistency in the UK saw only slight increases over the year, primarily driven by improvements in the performance of 4G networks.

Investments in RAN upgrades and site expansion are driving progress in coverage and QoE moving into 2025

Notwithstanding the challenges, there is evidence that the performance of the UK’s mobile networks improved notably during the year, as reflected in other key indicators. Speedtest Intelligence data revealed a reduction in market-wide latency to 51.83 ms, reflecting progress across three of the four operators. Moreover, the observed quality of experience for bread-and-butter activities such as gaming and video streaming moved in the right direction again after a decline last year.

Significant investments in RAN upgrades and site expansions, bolstered in part by the government’s 4G-focused Shared Rural Network (SRN) initiative, contributed to substantial improvements in network coverage across all operators over the year. Overall 5G Availability in the UK rose by nearly 10 percentage points to 36.25% between 2023 and 2024, while 4G Availability increased from 93.8% to 95.7% during the same period.

Ofcom noted, however, that there remains a substantial rural-urban divide in terms of 5G deployment progress in the UK, with 5G deployed on 42% of sites in urban areas, compared with just 16% of sites in rural areas, at the end of 2024.

Progress in the 3G sunset underlines the importance of supporting new measures to improve indoor connectivity outcomes

The shutdown of 3G networks, which reportedly accounted for less than 1% of traffic but over a quarter of operators’ RAN electricity consumption in some cases, has played an important role in freeing up spectrum for 4G and 5G. EE, for instance, has expanded its refarmed 2100 MHz spectrum deployments (n1) for 5G, increasing channel bandwidth from 15 MHz to 20 MHz during the year.

Speedtest Intelligence data reveals a decrease in overall 3G General Availability in the UK from 3.43% last year to 1.60% in 2024, indicating the percentage of users falling back to and mainly using 3G networks more than halved in the period. A potential consequence of the 3G sunset, however, is an increased reliance on 2G networks, particularly in deep indoor environments—the percentage of overall users that spend the majority of their time on 2G increased from 0.37% in 2023 to 0.76% this year.

By the end of 2025, all four of the UK’s mobile operators are expected to have completed their 3G sunsets. Reducing the propensity to fall back to 2G and enhancing the handover experience to 4G and 5G networks are likely to remain key priorities for operators’ RAN strategies. Progress in enhancing the indoor mobile network experience in the UK, enabled by deployment models such as Boldyn Networks’ small cell rollout on the London Underground and new in-building neutral host solutions from companies like Freshwave and Proptivity, will be key and may benefit from policy support.

Merger approval transforms spectrum landscape and provides certainty moving into 2025

The successful approval of the merger between Three and Vodafone by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) brings much-needed certainty to the market heading into 2025. This decision is expected to encourage long-term commitments to capital spending on network upgrades across all operators in the UK market, not just required by the merged entity for integrating its networks and complying with the CMA’s behavioural remedies. With the consolidation and redistribution of spectrum benefiting both the merged entity and Virgin Media O2 (VMO2), two of the three in-market operators will have more headroom to expand network capacity where needed.

Research published by Ookla earlier this year examined the impact of operator consolidation on network quality outcomes across Europe and a sample of other high-income countries. It found that a three-player market structure—now set to define the UK market following the merger—tends to be associated with higher median download speeds, improved network consistency and more positive consumer sentiment in the markets where it is present over time.

The UK leads Europe in the commercialisation of 5G SA

While the UK lags behind its developed peers in mobile network performance, it has emerged as a global leader in the commercial rollout of the standalone (SA) 5G architecture. It remains the only European country with three commercially available 5G SA networks at the end of 2024, as VMO2 and EE joined Vodafone this year in launching the technology, primarily targeting dense urban areas in cities and towns. Ofcom reported that there were 3,300 5G SA-capable sites by the end of 2024, representing 15% of all reported 5G sites and carrying 3% of the UK’s overall monthly mobile traffic.

Controlled network testing by RootMetrics®, an Ookla company, on EE’s 5G network in Birmingham in October confirmed the significant latency improvements unlocked by the SA architecture. With 115 MHz of channel bandwidth observed across much of EE’s SA deployments along the test route, the operator stands out as the closest European equivalent to T-Mobile in the US which, like EE, has distinguished itself through extensive SA spectrum allocation spanning multiple carriers from low-band to mid- and high-bands.

In addition to upgrading traditional rooftop and monopole sites for 5G SA, operators like VMO2 are deploying street-level 5G SA small cells in increasing numbers to boost network capacity in high-footfall areas. This approach to network densification is expected to accelerate next year as macro site grid upgrades mature and operators collaborate with local authorities to streamline deployment processes for street-level mobile infrastructure.

Stimulating consumer demand for 5G SA proves a challenge, with bundling emerging as a key sales strategy

On a business level, each operator has adopted a distinct strategy to market 5G SA in the UK, highlighting the persistent challenges of monetising 5G investments as far as mid-way through the technology cycle. Vodafone led the charge with a consumer-focused launch in 2023, branding its SA service as ‘5G Ultra’. In an effort to upsell its base, the offering was limited to postpay subscribers, with ‘improved phone battery life’ promoted as a key selling point.

In contrast, VMO2 launched its 5G SA network this year, following the playbook of operators like Iliad’s Free in the French market, by offering access to its existing subscribers at no additional cost. While the operator touted improvements in latency and uplink performance unlocked by the new 5G SA core and enhanced carrier aggregation, the aggressive pricing strategy reinforces the increasing industry consensus in Europe that consumers are unwilling to pay a premium for 5G SA alone.

Recognising this challenge in marketing the technology as a worthy consumer upgrade from the NSA architecture, and aligning with its strategy to transition from a traditional telecoms operator to a dynamic, service-led household brand, EE has taken a more ambitious approach. The operator has bundled its 5G SA offerings, restricted to its most expensive tariffs, with content packages, securing a partnership with Google to provide access to its premium Gemini Advanced AI model as part of the deal.

Bundling has proven effective for upselling in other advanced markets, particularly in Asia, where operators have successfully boosted ARPU by introducing differentiated services early in the 5G cycle. In addition to bundling Google’s AI services, EE introduced a ‘Network Boost’ subscription add-on with its 5G SA launch, offering premium subscribers the option to pay for prioritised network access during times of congestion.

This bundling strategy is expected to expand further in the UK next year, aligning with converged fixed and mobile offerings from operators like BT and VMO2. As the rollout of 5G SA matures and is afforded greater strategic priority under the government’s Wireless Infrastructure Strategy (WIS), and the device and solution ecosystem continues to mature, operators are likely to shift their focus to the enterprise segment—arguably the only market where SA-specific features, such as network slicing, hold any substantive monetisation potential.

The State of the UK’s Fixed Broadband Networks

Fibre land grab boosts the UK’s international ranking in fixed broadband performance

The recent groundswell of investment in fibre infrastructure across the UK is paying off, with median download speeds on fixed networks increasing by nearly 40% between 2023 and 2024 to 107.07 Mbps, according to Speedtest Intelligence data. This improvement trend also extended to other key metrics, including a 6% reduction in latency to 20.47 ms and enhanced QoE for gaming and video streaming across major ISPs. Ofcom reported that FTTH reached nearly 7 in 10 homes at the end of 2024, putting the UK on track to reach the government’s target of 85% full-fibre coverage by the end of 2025.

UK leads Germany and Italy in Fixed Download Speeds, but Trails G7 Leaders
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | 2018 – 2024
Spline plot comparison of median fixed download speeds among the G7 countries between 2018 and 2024 based on Speedtest Intelligence® data.

Notably, in the context of Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index™, the UK continues to rank relatively higher in fixed network performance compared to mobile performance. The significant gains in median fixed download, upload and latency performance over the last year have propelled the UK up twelve places in the index, positioning it ahead of other G7 countries like Germany and Italy. However, it remains in the lower half of Western European countries.

Wi-Fi 7 poised to become the default standard for ISPs targeting premium experiences in 2025

The growing adoption of advanced Wi-Fi solutions, including mesh routers for enhanced whole-home coverage and Wi-Fi 6E-capable access points for higher throughput on multi-gigabit FTTH connections, continues to play an important role in enhancing fixed performance outcomes in the UK. In the year gone by, fixed ISPs have increasingly relied on ‘Wi-Fi guarantees’ as a cornerstone of their marketing strategies, offering promises of minimum download speeds in every room—backed by money-back assurances.

Building on this momentum, Wi-Fi 7 is expected to become the default standard for CPE provided by UK ISPs on premium FTTH tariffs from next year. BT was among the first ISPs globally to launch a next-generation Wi-Fi 7 router earlier this year, partnering with Qualcomm to introduce its new ‘Smart Hub Pro’ and ‘Smart Wi-Fi Pro’ CPE solutions to EE Home Broadband customers.

Merger approval ups the ante on convergence moving into 2025

The merger between Three and Vodafone paves the way for the UK to have three converged operators for the first time. The merged entity, following in the footsteps of previous tie-ups between BT and EE in 2016 and Virgin Media and O2 in 2021, will aim to fully integrate its fixed and combined mobile networks to deliver a differentiated experience that is better than the sum of its individual parts.

This trend is expected to drive operators to move beyond basic cross-selling of mobile and fixed services, instead positioning converged solutions as premium tariff bundles that deliver seamless, best-in-class experiences across fixed, mobile and Wi-Fi—on any device, anywhere. BT’s ‘EE One’ converged solution, unveiled alongside its 5G SA and Wi-Fi 7 launches earlier this year, offers a preview of the kinds of solutions likely to emerge from all converged operators in 2025.

Operator investments in bringing their fixed and mobile networks closer together will play a key role in ensuring subscribers enjoy an improved experience across all access paths. VMO2, for example, recently announced the activation of its ‘Converged Interconnected Network’ architecture, which it touted as improving the operator’s ability to manage traffic flows across its fixed and mobile services by aggregating data closer to the end user before routing it back to the core network.

Key Trends to Watch in 2025

Mobile Data Traffic Growth Plateau

The UK, like other advanced mobile markets in Europe and North America, is entering a phase of declining mobile data traffic growth, following an S-curve trajectory. Ofcom reported an 18% increase in total monthly traffic in 2024, marking a slowdown from the 25% growth observed in both 2022 and 2023. This trend of moderated growth is expected to continue next year and warrants close attention, as it could significantly impact mobile operators’ capital cycles, spectrum demand and equipment vendors’ business models over the long term in the UK and further afield.

Private Network Proliferation

The removal of the requirement to individually register end-user devices for low-power use in shared bands, increased availability of medium-power licenses and the launch of a comprehensive spectrum mapping tool for the 3.8-4.2 GHz band were key milestones in Ofcom’s support for private networks in 2024. These measures contributed to the provision of 113 new shared access licenses between July and November, including 45 in the 1800 MHz band and 68 in the 3.8-4.2 GHz band. Further growth in the UK’s private network ecosystem is expected in 2025, with Ofcom set to enable low-power indoor access in the 2.3 GHz band.

Direct-to-Device (D2D) Arrival

Ofcom is developing a framework to authorise and facilitate D2D services in the UK, with a consultation scheduled for the first half of 2025. It will also review its approach to the mobile satellite service (MSS) licences in the 2 GHz band, as the current EU-wide licences are set to expire in 2027, allowing the UK to independently determine their future use. EE and O2 are the most likely potential candidates for a Direct-to-Cell (D2C) partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink, while Vodafone has been flirting with AST SpaceMobile.

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Luke Kehoe

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Bryan Darr | December 6, 2024

Maximizing BEAD Dollars: How Connectivity Data Can Guide Emergency Planning

During emergencies, mobile coverage is critical for everyone – to contact family, check evacuation warnings, and find safe routes – but network congestion and coverage gaps often create critical communication failures. As natural disasters become more frequent and severe, the need for reliable mobile connectivity has never been more urgent, particularly along emergency evacuation routes.

Fortunately, multiple funding sources will soon be available to help bolster connectivity infrastructure across the country. Several states, including South Carolina and Massachusetts, expect to have BEAD non-deployment dollars available after meeting their initial broadband deployment obligations. The FCC’s $9 billion Rural 5G Fund aims to improve mobile connectivity in underserved and unserved areas, presenting a significant opportunity in the next few years to close wireless coverage gaps.

To maximize the impact of these funds, stakeholders can leverage non-deployment dollars for a variety of projects, including those that improve mobile communications. When public safety is considered, priority may be given to critical transportation corridors such as emergency evacuation routes. These targeted investments would help improve network performance where it’s most needed during emergency situations. However, to ensure these funds are deployed efficiently, stakeholders need precise data about existing coverage gaps and network performance.

Ookla’s coverage and network performance data can provide these key insights. In October, the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) organized an event titled, “BEAD 2.0 – Maximizing Connectivity with Non-Deployment Dollars,” hosted by the South Carolina broadband office in Myrtle Beach. One of the key topics discussed was how to identify and address coverage issues using Ookla’s datasets of cellular network signal measurements.

In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of fixed and mobile connectivity in the context of a recent event that caused a massive disruption across an area’s fixed networks. We’ll also explore how Ookla’s Cell Analytics™ data can help identify critical coverage gaps, while digging into solutions for improving mobile connectivity along evacuation routes. Finally, we’ll look at the “double bottom line” effect of improving coverage – a balance of both financial and social benefits for communities and network operators.

Read on to learn how stakeholders can leverage available funding to enhance emergency communications while also driving economic growth.

Understanding the Challenge

During an emergency, reliable coverage can often mean the difference between safety and danger. Strong mobile connectivity is particularly important given that over half of Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) users chose to purchase mobile service with the benefit before the program expired in April. For many, mobile is often the only form of connectivity, especially in underserved or rural areas where broadband options may be limited or unavailable.

The importance of connectivity and the impact of coverage gaps becomes clear when looking at the volume of people running a Speedtest during emergencies. When disasters strike, people initially run tests to check if they can still connect. As service returns, test volumes then spike as people assess the performance of their restored connection. Downdetector can then provide more detailed information on outages of specific services, helping users confirm if their key services are up and running.

On September 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida and then tore a devastating path through Georgia, western South Carolina, and western North Carolina before stalling over east Tennessee. For two days, record rainfall inundated the mountains, turning smaller waterways into raging rivers, killing over 230 people and causing an estimated $120 billion in damage across those five states as well as Virginia. Recovery efforts remain ongoing as the region works to rebuild following this disaster.

Scores of counties were impacted, but Buncombe County, NC, which includes Asheville, was hit particularly hard. Ookla’s Speedtest platform recorded the impact of connectivity as our daily volume of Speedtest measurements there plummeted from an average of 668 per day to 57 on September 28th as networks failed, demonstrating how emergencies can sever vital communications. But as the networks came back online in the days that followed, test volumes spiked well above normal, peaking at over 3,800.

It’s also worth noting that Speedtest measurements on the Starlink network averaged less than 18 per day in Buncombe County prior to the storm. As recovery began, however, tests on Starlink averaged over 260, continuing to climb to 457 on the last day shown in the graph above. This underscores the importance of understanding connectivity during emergencies while highlighting the urgency many citizens feel to confirm whether their services are returning to normal performance levels.

Stakeholders and Implementation

Improving mobile coverage requires teamwork between government and private sector entities. Several key players can leverage Ookla’s data to help areas become better prepared and measure recovery progress:

Federal level:
- FirstNet Authority oversees the operation of the national first responder wireless network.
- FEMA coordinates responses to disaster areas and deploys people, equipment, food, and water.
- The U.S. Department of Transportation provides funding to repair damaged roads and bridges.
State and local level: Emergency responders, transportation planners, and broadband offices identify critical routes and coverage needs within their jurisdictions.
Wireless Infrastructure Providers: Tower companies, fiber providers, and their engineering partners design and construct the vertical assets that support wireless network expansion and densification.
Mobile operators: Mobile operators drive projects to optimize network planning and infrastructure investments. They also provide the vital communication networks that support the public and every function listed above.

Working together, these stakeholders will be able to use BEAD non-deployment dollars, Rural 5G Funds, and Ookla’s data to efficiently target improvements where they’re needed most.

Data-Driven Solutions Before Emergencies Occur

Cell Analytics data can help tackle connectivity challenges that arise during emergencies by precisely mapping areas where operators provide inadequate service and identifying common locations where all carriers struggle to deliver reliable 911 and emergency service. Awareness of problem areas can help direct funding toward improvements and save lives.

For instance, the map below shows common evacuation routes and uses Cell Analytics to highlight specific locations with poor or no coverage from individual carriers, as well as areas where no major mobile operators offer service. These insights are invaluable for enhancing emergency communication networks and ensuring more reliable connectivity when it matters most.

Once coverage gaps are identified, the next step is to make informed decisions about where to invest in improvements. Cell Analytics data offers a clear path forward, helping stakeholders make investments with precision. Results from Ookla’s controlled drive testing, meanwhile, can complement Cell Analytics data and validate critical routes while also measuring call quality and other QoS and QoE metrics.

With billions of dollars available to target wireless coverage improvements, here’s how stakeholders can leverage Ookla’s data to make more informed decisions:

Mapping signal strength to reveal precise problem areas
Identifying optimal locations for new wireless infrastructure
Supporting investment decisions for underserved areas
Tracking changes to network availability and quality over time

Double Bottom Line Benefits

While public safety may be the justification for investing in improved wireless networks, the benefits can ripple throughout a community and result in a “double bottom line.” Most areas with poor cellular service lack investment because they aren’t economically viable, but that doesn’t mean these services aren’t desperately needed.

The double bottom line approach shows how connectivity improvements create both social and economic value – from helping people stay safe during emergencies to supporting local business growth. Understanding these interconnected benefits helps stakeholders and policymakers make more informed decisions about mobile coverage investments.

Public Safety Enhancement

More effective evacuation coordination
Faster emergency responses
Better crisis communications

Narrowing the Digital Divide

Expanding internet access to school children and adult learning
Greater access to jobs and other resources
Helping state broadband offices invest effectively
Targeting coverage improvements where mobile-only users need it most

Over 50% of ACP users chose mobile service before the program expired, highlighting the key role of mobile connectivity.

Economic Benefits

Revenue growth for network operators and infrastructure providers
New opportunities to attract and retain businesses
Stronger tourism industry with improved experiences
Better connectivity for remote workers
Higher home and land values
Enhanced precision agriculture

Looking Ahead

With multiple funding sources coming available, federal agencies as well as state and local governments can begin the process of improving connectivity now by using Ookla’s data to identify and address coverage gaps. Combining resources from the Rural 5G Fund, BEAD program non-deployment dollars, along with other programs such as USDA ReConnect could maximize the impact of investments. In this context, middle mile fiber planning could play a critical role in ensuring routes travel through wireless coverage gaps, ultimately reducing the cost of infrastructure deployment.

Beyond emergency preparedness, Ookla’s complementary datasets offer comprehensive insights for network planning and optimization, from the powerful coverage analysis tool Cell Analytics to controlled drive testing with Ookla to monitoring service outages with Downdetector.

The convergence of available funding and precise coverage data creates an opportunity to enhance public safety, narrow the digital divide, and strengthen communities. By acting now, stakeholders can ensure critical communication networks are ready when emergencies arise.

It’s also important to keep in mind that while this article focuses on the U.S., Ookla’s capabilities are equally valuable for addressing connectivity challenges in other countries. Regulators and operators worldwide can leverage Ookla’s data to enhance emergency communication networks and optimize mobile coverage.

For even more on how Ookla’s data can help improve connectivity in emergencies, check out our article exploring the critical role of consistently strong connectivity in public safety. To learn more about using our data, just reach out to our team!

About the Author

Bryan Darr

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How Boingo Leverages Ookla's Comprehensive Network Intelligence

Ookla Joins Ericsson's Leading Telecommunications Open RApp System

[White Paper] How APC Towers Leverages Network Intelligence for Strategic Site Selection

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Custom solutions backed by real-world performance metrics

Visualizing opportunities through network intelligence

Strategic market analysis through network performance data

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Ookla

5G Boosting Overall Performance Gains In Kazakhstan

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Key Takeaways

5G download speed is 10 times faster than 4G during first half 2024 in Kazakhstan

Tele2 topped performance in all technologies combined and 4G, while Kcell led in 5G download speed

Almaty reported the fastest download speed for major cities

Mobile performance differs among operators across the three major cities of Kazakhstan

Tele2 edges the competition on mobile video and gaming quality of experience

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Affandy Johan

Ringing in the New Year - How do 5G Networks Cope Under Stress?

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5G Networks Support NYE Festivities Across Major Cities

Worst 10% of Speedtest samples reveal network challenges

Addressing network pain points

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Mark Giles

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Ookla

Global Broadband Development: Using Ookla Data to Bridge the Digital Divide

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Future Outlook

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DIGI makes a splash as fourth MNO in Belgium, leans on convergence

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DIGI subscribers rely on Proximus’ 4G network as it races to deploy its own 5G Standalone (SA) infrastructure

Fibre ambitions put convergence and Wi-Fi 7 in the spotlight

Has DIGI precipitated a race to the bottom in Belgium?

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Luke Kehoe

Performance Benchmarking of Mobile Operators in Small to Mid-Sized Markets

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Key Takeaways

Understanding mobile performance in advanced small to mid-size markets

Operators from the U.A.E. and Kuwait dominate the top ten rankings

European operators were the most prominent beyond the top ten

Proactive 5G strategies contributing to overall performance gains among top operators

Leading operators demonstrate ongoing 5G adoption and coverage expansion

Majority of the top operators’ 5G networks are utilizing C-band spectrum

Top performing operators came from a few highly urbanized countries.

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Affandy Johan

Evaluating Mobile Network Performance Across Developing Markets in Eurasia

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Markets in Eurasia showing continued performance improvements

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Affandy Johan

UK Telecoms at a Crossroads: Consolidation, Convergence, and Looking Ahead to 2025

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The State of the UK’s Mobile Networks

The UK continued to trail its developed peers in mobile performance in 2024

Investments in RAN upgrades and site expansion are driving progress in coverage and QoE moving into 2025

Progress in the 3G sunset underlines the importance of supporting new measures to improve indoor connectivity outcomes

Merger approval transforms spectrum landscape and provides certainty moving into 2025