Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® data illustrates the continued expansion of 5G networks globally, with Speedtest users in India in particular adding many new locations during the course of 2023. Our recent analysis of global 5G performance showed that newer 5G markets such as India, Malaysia, and Brazil have all contributed to an uplift in worldwide median performance. While the number of locations with 5G continues to rise, 5G download speeds show no sign of levelling off, increasing by 17% in 2023 to reach 207.42 Mbps. However, 5G upload performance has stagnated, up only 1% year-on-year to 19.90 Mbps, and latency continues to drag on the 5G experience, with no statistical difference year-on-year, with the median user globally experiencing a 5G connection latency of 44 ms.
To fully appreciate the continued expansion of 5G networks around the world, we’ve created a high-resolution downloadable poster (mobile friendly version available here), detailing locations with 5G based on consumer initiated Speedtest samples.
Ookla will be at Mobile World Congress this year, located at in Booth 2I28 in Hall 2. Please drop by to discuss the state of connectivity in your market, and how Ookla’s network insights can help deliver better connected experiences.
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.
To gain insight into the current performance of networks, we analyzed Speedtest® data in Q3 2023. Our analysis compares changes in 5G performance to the previous year, identifies the top 10 countries with the best performance, and discusses customer satisfaction with 5G. We also ranked countries based on the performance of their fixed networks and investigated the connectivity gap across the world.
Global 5G download speed improved. The median global 5G download speed experienced a substantial 20% increase in Q3 2023, reaching 203.04 Mbps, compared to 168.27 Mbps in Q3 2022. This improvement aligns with a significant rise in global 5G subscriptions, indicating positive progress in user adoption of 5G and the performance of 5G networks.
Top 5G performers have shifted. The top 10 countries for 5G performance witnessed notable changes, with the United Arab Emirates claiming the top spot, surpassing South Korea. Malaysia, India, and the Dominican Republic also made significant strides, showcasing a dynamic shift in the global 5G landscape.
Speedtest user ratings indicate room for 5G improvement. Despite advancements in 5G technology, there has been a decline in the Net Promoter Score (NPS) among 5G users. Factors contributing to this dissatisfaction could include unmet expectations and discrepancies between actual 5G speeds and advertised speeds.
Fixed Networks Advancements. On a global scale, fixed networks demonstrated significant performance improvement, with a 19% increase in median download speed (83.95 Mbps) and a 28% increase in upload speed (38.32 Mbps) in Q3 2023 compared to the previous year. This highlights the ongoing transition to more advanced broadband technologies, particularly Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH).
The imperative of closing the connectivity gaps. Despite improvements in global connectivity, there are still areas that fall outside of network coverage. Speedtest® data highlights disparities in internet performance between fixed and mobile networks across different regions, emphasizing the importance of addressing connectivity challenges worldwide.
5G Networks
Global 5G download speed improvements
The median global 5G download speed has experienced a noteworthy surge, registering a 20% increase and reaching 203.04 Mbps in Q3 2023, compared to 168.27 Mbps in Q3 2022, according to Speedtest Intelligence® data. This improvement coincides with a substantial rise in global 5G connections, reaching 1.4 billion according to GSMA Intelligence, representing a 65% year-on-year increase from 872 million a year ago.
In terms of upload speed and latency, only a very modest improvement of 1% occurred. Median 5G upload speeds reached 18.93 Mbps in Q3 2023, compared to 18.71 Mbps in the same period last year; multi-server latency, a critical metric for network responsiveness, improved from 45 ms in Q3 2022 to 44 ms in Q3 2023.
Speedtest users experiencing the top 10% of 5G download speeds globally have seen a 9% increase, rising from 525.54 Mbps in Q3 2022 to 573.12 Mbps in Q3 2023. However, speeds have not yet reached Gigabit levels, primarly because of network economics. 5G was originally designed to deliver peak data rates of up to 20 Gbps based on IMT-2020 requirements, but we are still a ways off before gigabit speeds become the new normal. For instance, symmetrical download, upload speeds, and ultra-low latency haven’t been realized, partially because the vast majority of 5G networks are not ‘true 5G’ as they have been deployed in Non-Standalone (NSA) mode, meaning they rely on a 4G LTE network core. According to GSA, over 40 operators have launched 5G standalone (SA) in public networks, but the rollout is not yet complete. Nevertheless, the industry is actively exploring the prospect of 5G Advanced, which promises symmetrical upload and download speeds and ultra-low latency, signaling a proactive stance ahead of the eventual transition to 6G.
Malaysia joined South Korea and the U.A.E at 5G speeds podium
During Q3 2023, the United Arab Emirates and South Korea stood out as leaders in 5G performance, boasting the fastest median 5G download speeds globally at 592.01 Mbps and 507.59 Mbps, respectively. Our top 10 list also includes Malaysia, Qatar, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Kuwait, Macau, Singapore, and India. The shift in the top 10 rankings reveals dynamic changes, with Malaysia, the Dominican Republic, and India making significant strides, while Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, and Bahrain dropped out of the rankings.
The U.A.E showcased a 14% increase in its median 5G download speed, reaching 592.01 Mbps in Q3 2023, up from 511.68 Mbps in Q3 2022, allowing the U.A.E to take the top spot from South Korea. Key factors contributing to the U.A.E.’s 5G leadership include fierce market competition driven by Etisalat and du, resulting in extensive 5G coverage and widespread access to 5G services. Additionally, the allocation of a 100 MHz of contiguous spectrum, as discussed in our 5G spectrum article, has played a pivotal role in achieving faster speeds, lower latency, and improved spectral efficiency.
The regional shift in 5G performance leadership is noteworthy. In 2022, half of the top 10 countries were from the Middle East, while in 2023, the same proportion hailed from the Asia Pacific region. Our analysis suggests that early adopters in the Asia Pacific region have outperformed major European markets in 5G performance, due to factors such as early spectrum availability and supportive government policies.
Malaysia’s remarkable achievement in reaching the third spot globally for 5G download speed, with a reported speed of 485.24 Mbps in Q3 2023, is particularly noteworthy. Despite launching its nationwide 5G network less than two years ago, Malaysia’s unconventional deployment strategy has proven effective. India has also made a significant leap, with its median 5G download speed of 312.26 Mbps allowing India to reach the top 10 worldwide. The country’s climb of 72 places on the Speedtest Global Index™ between September 2022 and August 2023 is primarily credited to the launch of 5G. Following a 5G spectrum auction in India, operators have successfully addressed network congestion issues by offloading 4G traffic onto 5G networks.
In Brazil, 5G download speed increased 1.4 times, jumping from 312.09 Mbps in Q3 2022 to 443.93 Mbps in Q3 2023. Before Brazil’s 5G spectrum auction, operators had offered 5G using DSS since July 2020. While DSS can provide broad 5G coverage, its speeds are often similar to those on 4G LTE networks. In November of 2021, however, Brazil’s multi-band 5G spectrum auction closed, which not only generated BRL47.2 billion ($8.5 billion) in total commitments, but it also allowed operators to deliver much faster speeds on dedicated 5G spectrum compared to DSS. National operators – Telefonica Brasil (Vivo), Claro Brazil, and TIM Brazil – ended up with 40 MHz or 50 MHz in the 2.3 GHz spectrum band and 100 MHz each in the 3.5 GHz band. The subsequent simultaneous activation of 5G networks in July 2022 marked a transformative moment with the continuous expansion of 5G services to 623 municipalities by December 2023. An upcoming spectrum auction expects to improve Brazil’s 5G standing even further.
The Dominican Republic’s entry into the top 10 fastest 5G countries was marked by its official launch of 5G services in December 2021, making it the first Caribbean nation and the third in Latin America to adopt a 5G network.
Disparity Between 5G Performance and Consumer Perception
The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a tool that gauges customer loyalty and satisfaction. At the end of Speetest, users may be asked to answer “How likely is it that you would recommend [provider] to a friend or colleague?” on a scale from 0-10. Net Promoter Scores are applied to both users and providers. Users are categorized into Detractors (score 0-6), Passives (score 7-8), and Promoters (score 9-10). NPS is the percent of Promoters minus the percent of Detractors and is displayed in the range from -100 to 100. Providers are ranked in descending order of NPS. NPS categorizes users into Detractors (those that score 0-6), Passives (scores between 7 and 8), and Promoters (scores of 9-10). NPS represents the percentage of Promoters minus the percent of Detractors displayed in the range from -100 to 100.
In our article discussing whether 5G was meeting customer expectations, we found that 5G users typically rate their network operator with NPS scores universally higher than those for 4G LTE users. In Q3 2023, that trend continued, as 5G users that were on 5G network when answering the NPS question still scored higher than those on 4G across all markets analyzed. It isn’t surprising given that at a global level, 5G had a 637% better median download speed than 4G and a 130% better median upload speed.
While 5G NPS still outpaces scores on 4G, our data shows that 5G NPS has been decreasing annually. This could point to the fact that excitement about 5G as a new technology is waning as users become used to faster speeds, or as customers await new use cases that can take advantage of the faster speeds that 5G can provide. After all, we are still waiting for that killer app for 5G, the way the video and streaming were for 4G.
While it is difficult to fully explain the reasons behind the 5G NPS decrease without further research, we can clearly see that network performance isn’t the only factor at play influencing NPS declines. Others can include customer care, pricing, and other services. For example, in South Korea, one of the first countries to launch 5G with one of the world’s fastest speeds, consumers scored 5G networks -41.47 in Q3 2023 compared to -20.51 in Q3 2022.
In March 2021, South Korean consumers launched a class action suit against operators because they felt they were being misled by the promises of 5G in the country. Recently, South Korea’s antitrust regulator fined three 5G operators a total of 33.6 billion won ($25.06 million) for making exaggerated claims about the level of performance their networks could achieve. South Korean operators claimed consumers could experience theoretical 5G speeds, which are not practically achievable in a “real world” environment, as factors such as spectrum usage, network densification, user location, and device capability significantly affect actual performance. Our data shows that the top 10% of 5G users in South Korea experienced speeds of 1.004 Gbps in Q3 2023, which, although impressive, are far lower than the advertised 20 Gbps speeds.
Fixed Networks
Fiber driving fixed performance gains
On a global scale, fixed networks have demonstrated significant advancements, achieving a median download speed of 83.95 Mbps and an upload speed of 38.32 Mbps in Q3 2023, per Speedtest Intelligence data. This signifies a substantial 19% improvement in download speed and an impressive 28% enhancement in upload speed compared to those in 2022. This also indicates that more fixed connections have migrated to fiber networks.
According to the World Broadband Association (WBBA) report titled “Next Generation Broadband Roadmap 2023 to 2030” Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) is identified as the natural progression from copper-based xDSL broadband networks. The shift towards FTTH varies across different countries and regions, but the industry is committed to embracing more advanced and efficient broadband technologies.
Oftentimes, despite improvement in underlying broadband technology, Wi-Fi is the bottleneck that reduces customer experience. Our research has shown that Wi-Fi performance can lag behind ethernet in markets where advanced cable and fiber connections are replacing legacy broadband technology (such as DSL or coax cable). Wi-Fi speeds typically range from 30-40% of ethernet, indicating a need to accelerate the adoption of more advanced Wi-Fi technologies and optimize the home network environment.
The UAE, Singapore, and Hong Kong are in the lead for fixed
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore led the way in fixed network performance.
The UAE achieved a median download speed of 247.63 Mbps in Q3 2023, representing a notable 1.83 times increase compared to the previous year. Most customers in the UAE have access to fiber networks, and additional measures have been implemented by operators in the region to enhance internet speeds, such as increasing the minimum download speed from 250 Mbps to 500 Mbps and offering price discounts to incentivize users to upgrade to higher-tier plans.
Singapore also leads on the 2023 Fiber Development Index (FDI), with maximum scores in seven of the nine metrics. Singapore, along with Qatar and South Korea, has achieved 100% FTHH coverage. One of the reasons for this success, besides having a smaller area, is that Singapore’s regulator mandates building owners and real estate developers to provide adequate space, facilities, and accessibility for network operators to pre-install fiber networks.
Hong Kong also demonstrated significant progress, with a 37% increase in median download speed and a 40% increase in upload speed. To track broadband adoption, the Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) in Hong Kong monitors broadband adoption by advertised speed and technology mix; as of August 2023, 66% of residential clients already subscribed to the Internet with a download speed equal to or greater than 1 Gbps.
Chile has seen a 14% improvement in median download speed and a 29% improvement in upload speed on the back of a greater fiber adoption. Chile has been the top-performing fixed broadband market across Latin America, consistently outperforming other regional markets but over the last three years, it has also closed the performance gap with other leading markets globally. Chile’s strong fixed broadband performance — an anomaly in the region — is primarily due to strong competition among Chilean ISPs. Chile has seven ISPs with over 5% market share, all heavily focused on migrating customers to fiber.
Thailand is a newcomer to the ranking as FTTH continues to grow strongly. FTTH constitutes an impressive 95% of fixed broadband users in Thailand, equivalent to around 58.96% of household penetration. Operators have been actively rolling out fiber in adherence to the Digital Thailand National Policy.
In the United States, there has been a 26% improvement in median download speed and a 7% improvement in upload speed. In this very competitive market, with a range of access technologies vying for customers, a combination of migration to fiber, 5G fixed-wireless access (FWA), and faster cable connections is helping drive higher performance levels. In line with the demand for faster network performance in the market, the FCC recently announced that it is seeking input on a planned increase to its definition of broadband/high-speed internet to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, up from the current 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload standard.
As discussed in our recent article, several European countries are making substantial progress in offering high-speed broadband. Across Europe, Denmark had the fastest median download speed for fixed broadband (196.43 Mbps), followed by Spain (176.08 Mbps) and France (170.51 Mbps). Denmark experienced a 25% improvement in median download speed and a 16% improvement in upload speed. Spain also showed significant improvement, with a 32% increase in median download speed and a 29% increase in upload speed. France exhibited even stronger progress, with a 53% increase in median download speed and a 41% increase in upload speed. The speed gains we’ve seen in Spain and France are correlated with an increase in fiber adoption; for example, Spain boasts nearly 90% fiber optic coverage, thanks to private initiatives and government support, while France expects a full-fiber rollout by 2025.
Connectivity for All
The imperative of closing the connectivity gap
Massive investments are being made to bridge the connectivity gap as recognition of connectivity as a fundamental human right is growing. According to a WBBA Whitepaper, a high level of broadband penetration is critical to the country’s socioeconomic development. However, it’s not only about being connected to the network per se; the quality of that broadband connection is equally crucial. Unlike other utility services like gas and electricity, where quality is generally stable, with broadband, the quality of the network experience is crucial to ensure users can benefit fully from multiple applications.
To assess the digital divide, we mapped mobile and fixed internet performance using data from the Open Data Initiative, which Ookla provides as part of Ookla for Good.
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Determining where a digital divide exists is a complex issue that involves identifying where network infrastructure is located, where people need connectivity, and how affordable it is. Although it can be challenging to dig into a specific location, it is evident that there are varying levels of Internet performance worldwide. A quick glance at our data shows that fixed broadband customers are more likely to experience faster networks (measured as an average download speed of 100 Mbps and above) than mobile across the Americas and Europe. The opposite is true for mobile networks across Africa and APAC, where mobile networks are often the primary means of connectivity. Compared to urban areas, rural communities are often ill-equipped for broadband access. Due to a lack of bandwidth (and therefore slower speeds), people in these areas need help doing many things on the internet, such as streaming videos. The US regulator FCC defines broadband in the United States as access to 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds. Areas without those speeds are classified as broadband “digital deserts,” even if those areas have internet access. Although broadband definitions can vary considerably from country to country, we can see in the next section that many areas fall outside any standards of connectivity globally.
Despite the world becoming increasingly connected, many rural and remote areas still struggle to access the internet. For example, large swathes of South America and Africa fall outside terrestrial network coverage. As discussed in our recent article, cellular networks are critical to connecting individuals and businesses as internet access in Africa is predominantly mobile. Before we can start discussing 5G, connecting communities with the internet in general is a priority. Affordable 4G smartphones and targeted financing for under-served demographics are key for bridging the digital divide and reducing poverty, as a World Bank study found that 4G coverage can help cut poverty by up to 4.3%.
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5G technology can potentially replace fixed internet access in situations where the cost of fiber deployments is high and rolling out traditional fixed broadband networks isn’t commercially viable. However, in countries like Indonesia, satellite technology may be a more effective solution for connecting remote areas. While 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and satellite technology can complement each other, the adoption of satellite technology is currently limited by factors such as coverage, device affordability, and service cost. As revealed in our recent article, Starlink outperforms GEO satellites and is a suitable replacement for fixed networks in rural areas. While it may not match the leading cable or fiber providers in terms of median speeds or multi-server latency, satellite internet provides a viable alternative in places where cable and fiber access networks are unavailable. This is mainly due to a more consistent distribution of download performance across Speedtest samples, unlike FWA and DSL-based services, where performance is impacted by the distance from the cell site or exchange/DSLAM.
Fixed and mobile network operators across the globe widely use Speedtest data to enhance Internet quality, improve accessibility, and inform network expansion. The United States Federal Communications Commission and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission rely on Speedtest data to ensure accountability of telecommunications entities and allocate funds for rural and urban connectivity development. Ookla also licenses data to NGOs and educational institutions to help bridge the digital divide between areas with and without modern Internet access. Our mapping data is used to track results and determine whether broadband infrastructure can handle growth as more people connect devices and technologies demand more bandwidth. We are also actively involved in discussing best practices for ensuring digital transformation and connectivity for all in the APAC region, Central Asia, and Europe. If you are interested in working with us, please reach out.
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.
The Asia Pacific region has successfully implemented 5G technology despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, global economy, and geopolitical climate. South Korea, China, and Japan have led the way in 5G network deployment. With the continued rollout of 5G networks in other regional markets, Asia Pacific is on track to become the largest 5G market globally.
Key messages
Advanced Asia Pacific markets have taken the lead in the 5G rollout. Countries such as South Korea, Australia, and China, were among the first in the world to launch commercial 5G networks as more markets joined the ranks.
5G performance outranks Europe. Early adopters in the Asia Pacific region have outperformed major European markets in terms of 5G performance. This is mainly due to factors like early spectrum availability and supportive government policies.
5G Availability varies. The region experiences varying levels of 5G Availability and adoption due to factors like population density, device affordability, and tariffs.
Seoul and Kuala Lumpur are the top cities for 5G performance, boasting median download speeds of 533.95 Mbps and 523.44 Mbps, respectively.
5G helps to narrow the digital divide. 5G FWA is a viable alternative to traditional fixed broadband to narrow down the digital divide in the region
South Korea sets the pace as 5G networks expand across the region
Many of the more advanced markets in the Asia Pacific have been the frontrunners in terms of 5G rollout. South Korea was the first market in the world to deploy a nationwide 5G network in April 2019, followed by Australia, the Philippines, China, and New Zealand later that year. As predicted by GSMA Intelligence, the recent second wave of 5G rollouts in the region in countries such as Indonesia, India, and Malaysia will see Asia Pacific becoming one of the largest 5G markets in the world by 2025.
Allocation of spectrum resources is crucial
In our recent spectrum analysis, we discussed how important spectrum is for the performance and coverage of 5G. In general, regulators in the Asia Pacific region have been quick to allocate spectrum for 5G applications, and in many cases, operators have been able to secure substantial bandwidth in the key C-band.
The mid-band spectrum is the most frequently awarded spectrum band in the Asia Pacific region. It is the top choice for commercial 5G deployment because it balances 5G coverage and capacity. In some markets, 5G deployment uses low-band (sub 1 GHz) frequencies, allowing for wider outdoor 5G coverage and better penetration inside buildings in urban and suburban areas. However, this may come at the expense of the median download speed, which typically peaks at around 100 Mbps.
For some markets, 5G spectrum awards are subject to strict milestones and requirements. Operators in South Korea were required to have 22,500 base stations by the end of 2021, 45,000 by the end of 2023, and 150,000 base stations upon completion of their 3.5 GHz spectrum rollout. Additionally, within three years, there were required to install 15,000 base stations utilizing 28 GHz. However, a review by South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) found that all mobile operators met the minimum requirements for the 3.5GHz spectrum but not the 28GHz spectrum. Consequently, the ministry has withdrawn all operators’ spectrum licenses in the 28GHz band. In our recent mmWave analysis, we thoroughly covered the performance and progress inherent in that spectrum band.
Asia Pacific outpaced major European markets in terms of 5G performance
While Europe and the Asia Pacific markets share similarities such as large cultural diversity, customers with varying demographics, and mixed regulations and policies, our recent analysis of European 5G performance revealed that early 5G adopters in the Asia Pacific region performed better than some major European markets.
According to Speedtest Intelligence® H1 2023 data, several markets in the Asia Pacific region had faster median download performance compared to the top five European economies. Malaysia and South Korea led the pack with speeds of over 500 Mbps, with Malaysia reporting a median download performance of 512.10 Mbps, and South Korea at 503.99 Mbps – an impressive accomplishment for Malaysia, which launched 5G 3.5 years after South Korea and has caught up to them in performance. Both countries have notable differences in terms of their telecommunications landscapes. The Malaysian government went with a nationwide single wholesale network (SWN) approach as its 5G deployment plan. Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) was established in 2021 to construct and operate the 5G network infrastructure and provide 5G services to mobile network operators at wholesale prices. South Korea has long been at the forefront of mobile technology and boasts one of the highest internet penetration rates globally. As a result of its early commitment to 5G development, South Korea became the first market in the world to launch a commercial 5G network.
During the same period, Singapore, India, New Zealand, China, and Australia achieved a median 5G download speed exceeding 200 Mbps. In comparison, only France recorded speeds above 200 Mbps among the European countries mentioned, while Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, and Spain, recorded median download speeds below 150 Mbps.
5G Availability and adoption vary across the region
5G Availability (the percentage of users on 5G-capable devices that spend most of the time with access to 5G networks) varied widely across the Asia Pacific region during H1 2023. Factors such as access to low-band spectrum and affordability and availability of 5G devices influence each market’s reported 5G Availability. Analysis based on data from Speedtest Intelligence shows that Hong Kong stands out as the only country analyzed to have surpassed 40% 5G Availability, reaching 42.3% in H1 2023. Part of the reason is the city’s high population density, 5G coverage that reaches over 90% of the population, and a high 5G smartphone penetration rate, which Counterpoint Research reported as 78% in Q1 of 2023.
Despite Australia being 78 times larger than South Korea, and being one of the least densely populated countries, both countries reported similar 5G Availability rates, at around 36.6%. Counterpoint Research reported a 5G smartphone penetration rate of more than 80% for both countries, with South Korea at 88% and Australia at 82%. Across the European markets, France, Spain, Germany, and the U.K. ranged between 20%-30%. Similarly, Thailand also falls within this range at 26.8%.
Based on Q2 2023 data from GSMA Intelligence, South Korea, China, and Japan led in 5G adoption, measured as the percentage of 5G connections compared to total connections, higher than the selected European markets looked at in this report. South Korea had a total of 31.3 million 5G connections, which accounted for more than 48% of all mobile connections in the country, while China boasts over 700 million 5G connections, equivalent to 41% of connections. Other early adopters of 5G in the region, such as Japan, Hong Kong, and Australia, have all seen a considerable rise in their total 5G connections from the previous year. Japan experienced a 76% increase of 5G connections between Q2 2022 to Q2 2023, to 60.8 million connections. Hong Kong increased by 65% to 4.8 million, and Australia had 8.8 million connections, up by almost 40% during the same period of time.
Seoul and Kuala Lumpur are the top cities in the Asia Pacific region for 5G speeds.
Given that both Malaysia and South Korea are ahead in 5G performance among their peers, it is unsurprising that their capital cities came first as well in the ranking of selected cities. In H1 2023, Seoul had a median download speed of 533.95 Mbps, while Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, reported a median download speed of 523.44 Mbps. Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), Malaysia’s designated 5G wholesale provider, reported 90% 5G coverage of populated areas (COPA) throughout Kuala Lumpur at the end of 2022.
Despite being one of the latest markets to launch 5G, the Indian cities of Delhi and Mumbai performed well in the cities’ speeds ranking. Both cities reported median download speeds of over 300 Mbps in H1 2023, with Delhi at 357.43 Mbps and Mumbai at 319.45 Mbps. While Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, and Delhi have shown 5G performance comparable to or even exceeding those of well-established 5G markets in the region, their 5G networks are still relatively new. As a result, these cities have lower 5G Availability than others as anticipated.
Metro Manila, with one-third of the population of the Philippines, had the lowest median download speed among all the cities in this report for H1 2023, with a speed of 135.51 Mbps. During the same period, Metro Manila reported a 5G availability rate of 35.7%, slightly lower than Seoul (35.9%) and Sydney (39.2%).
Breaking the digital divide with 5G FWA
The benefits of 5G go beyond the faster speeds compared to 4G. It also plays a role in bringing connectivity to underserved areas. Although developed markets in the Asia Pacific are leading in ultra-fast, fixed fiber broadband, there is still a portion of the region where internet connectivity is expensive, unavailable, or insufficient. Many people in these underserved regions rely on mobile devices to access the internet. According to GSMA Intelligence, mobile broadband networks are accessible to more than 96% of the population, making it the primary option for internet access in many households.
In some markets, mobile operators see 5G, particularly 5G fixed-wireless access (FWA) services, as a viable alternative to traditional fixed broadband. While FWA is not a new concept, the use of 5G technology is expected to accelerate its growth, especially in areas where it is not economically feasible to deploy high-speed fixed broadband networks. According to GSMA Intelligence, nearly three in five users who either have upgraded or plan to upgrade to 5G find the idea of using 5G for home broadband appealing. FWA is becoming one of the operators’ primary 5G use cases, providing an opportunity to increase revenue and monetize network investments and wireless spectrum.
The Asia-Pacific region is seeing a rise in the adoption of 5G FWA, with Southeast Asia leading the way. In 2019, Globe Telecom in the Philippines, became the first country in the region to launch FWA. Other regional operators, such as Telkomsel in Indonesia and AIS in Thailand, have also begun offering FWA services. In New Zealand, operators plan to provide FWA coverage to 90% of the population by the end of 2023.
While 5G FWA shows promising growth potential, operators need to ensure that as 5G adoption in the network increases, they have the capacity to support their FWA services and the spectrum to guarantee quality. When the demand for 5G FWA service grows, operators may have to look at utilizing the mmWave spectrum to maintain the quality of their FWA services while keeping network capacity intact.
We will keep a close eye on the progress and effectiveness of 5G implementation throughout the Asia Pacific region. If you are interested in benchmarking your performance or if you’d like to learn more about internet speeds and performance in other markets around the world, visit the Speedtest Global Index™.
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.
Top-performing global 5G market and network operator. The U.A.E. was the fastest 5G market globally in Q2 2023 according to OoklaⓇSpeedtest IntelligenceⓇ data, with growing competition between the nation’s two network operators helping to drive overall performance in the market to reach a median download speed of 557.63 Mbps. etisalat by e& was the fastest 5G operator globally with a median download speed of 680.73 Mbps.
5G networks trump 4G-LTE for mobile gaming and video streaming experiences. Users accessing both etisalat by e&’s and du’s 5G networks experienced median gaming latency of 43 ms and 57 ms respectively, lower than those recorded across 4G LTE. 5G users also experienced improved video start times and experienced less buffering when streaming video compared to those on either 4G LTE or Wi-Fi.
Improved network experience driving industry leading Net Promoter Scores (NPS). With 5G driving improved experiences across use cases such as mobile gaming and video streaming, and with the U.A.E. ranking first in terms of median 5G performance, it’s no surprise that NPS in the market are leading the industry. Indeed, 5G users in the market are more likely to recommend the nation’s networks when compared to 4G, with etisalat by e& leading the market with a score of 64.7 in Q2 2023, and du following with 46.7.
Lower 10% of Speedtest samples point to room for improvement. du led the market for 5G Consistency – the proportion of Speedtest samples that met a minimum performance threshold of 25 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload during Q2 2023. Reviewing 5G performance of the lower 10% of samples at a city-level highlights where etisalat by e& has been targeting improvements, while du’s has seen its performance erode quarter-on-quarter.
Return to economic growth driving mobile market competition
etisalat by e& and du both launched commercially available 5G services across the U.A.E. in Q2 2019, following the allocation of spectrum for 5G use by U.A.E. regulator, the TDRA (Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority). Since then, both operators have rolled out 5G networks aggressively, achieving near universal 5G population coverage as of 2022. Both operators have had to contend with a challenging macroeconomic environment brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to declining mobile revenues, constrained prepaid spending, and reduced roaming and device revenues.
However, 2022 saw growth return to the market with etisalat by e&’s U.A.E. mobile revenues increasing by 6.0% to reach 11,406 million AED, while du’s mobile revenues grew by 8.4% to reach 5,748 AED million. The outlook for the U.A.E. economy going forward is very positive, with the IMF predicting GDP growth of 3.5% in 2023, following a strong rebound in 2022 of 7.4% as COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, international visitors returned to the country and rising oil prices helped bolster economic growth. For the nation’s mobile network operators, this return to growth is driving increased competition as both operators seek to demonstrate network leadership, convert prepaid users to postpaid, while also focusing on driving enhanced customer experiences and offering new digital services.
Both mobile network operators are prioritizing the growth of their postpaid customer bases. For example, subscribers of either operator can choose plans that allow them to pick and choose additional services with a strong focus on entertainment options, such as video streaming services, live sports, and mobile gaming, among others.
U.A.E. leads on 5G performance globally
The U.A.E. was the fastest 5G market globally in Q2 2023, according to Ookla Speedtest Intelligence data, recording a median download speed of 557.63 Mbps, with South Korea placing second at 501.56 Mbps.
etisalat by e& places first in global 5G performance stakes
etisalat by e& was the fastest operator within the U.A.E. and globally on 5G, recording a median download speed of 680.73 Mbps during Q2 2023, ahead of du’s 453.93 Mbps. The same was true for 4G LTE, with etisalat by e& recording a median download speed of 83.35 Mbps, ahead of du’s 64.96 Mbps. 5G performance between the two mobile operators remained similar throughout 2022, peaking in time to support Dubai EXPO 2020. Both operators increased speeds through Q4 2022 and Q1 2023, helping drive overall 5G performance in the U.A.E. to reach 557.63 Mbps, but du’s performance declined in Q2 2023, with etisalat by e& extending its 5G performance lead to 226.80 Mbps.
Among a selection of the top-performing 5G networks globally by median download speed, etisalat by e& ranked first in Q2 2023. Du’s 5G performance also ranked it among the world’s fastest, which reflect the strong position of the GCC States, and leading markets in Asia Pacific, in terms of 5G performance.
Recent news indicates that both operators will continue to drive investment toward further performance gains, while also looking to offer new use cases over their 5G networks. At MWC Barcelona 2023, etisalat by e& announced the commercial launch of its 5G Standalone (SA) network in the U.A.E., which will initially be dedicated to fixed-wireless access (FWA) customers. At the same time, du announced an agreement with Huawei to collaborate on 5G-Advanced technology and use cases.
etisalat by e& leading on 5G download performance across U.A.E. cities
Speedtest Intelligence data showed that etisalat by e& was the leading operator across all major cities in the U.A.E. for both median 5G download performance and multi-server latency in Q2 2023. It also led on median 5G upload speed in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, however there was no statistically significant difference between it and du in Al Ain and Ajman.
Lower 10% of Speedtest samples point to need for further improvement
Median 5G performance allows us to gauge the midpoint of user experience on 5G networks, however it doesn’t always tell the full story, as 5G performance can vary widely, depending on factors such as the spectrum used, network congestion, and the distance and any obstacles between the user device and the cell site. Ookla tracks network Consistency, which for 5G networks records the proportion of samples which meet or exceed 25 Mbps download speed (the recommended speed for streaming in 4K) and 3 Mbps upload speed.
du and etisalat by e& both performed strongly on 5G Consistency, with scores of 92.1% and 90.9% respectively. Drilling down into the city-level data, and looking at performance for the lowest 10% of samples, reveals some potential improvement points for both operators. For the city of Ajman, etisalat by e& has recorded a significant improvement in the lower 10th percentile of 5G samples, increasing from 9.76 Mbps in January to 93.67 Mbps in June. However despite the increase, its performance in Ajman remains below that recorded in other U.A.E. cities. du on the other hand has returned more stable 5G performance among the lower 10% of samples in the city over the past six months, but is seeing performance decline, from 138.33 Mbps in January to 50.85 Mbps in June.
5G delivering improved mobile gaming and video streaming experiences
With both operators keen to grow their customer bases and prioritizing migration toward higher value postpaid subscribers, translating 5G performance gains into discernible improvements for the end-user experience is vital.
Consumers in the U.A.E. spent on average 4.7 hours per day playing mobile games during 2021, the most of all MENA markets, according to data.ai’s State of MENA 2022. Usage continues to grow, fueled by a young and tech-savvy population with high disposable income. 5G offers the potential for lower latency than previous generations of mobile technology, which alongside higher throughput, enables improved experiences for both consumer and enterprise use cases that rely on a high level of network responsiveness. This is particularly true for online gaming and cloud streaming of games. For example, network response times are critical for Call of Duty Mobile (which etisalat by e& has bundled with some of its postpaid plans.)
According to Ookla Consumer QoE™ data, etisalat by e& recorded lower median latency across both its mobile and fixed networks when compared to du during Q2 2023. 5G latency for both operators was lower than for 4G LTE, with etisalat by e& achieving a 5G latency of 43 ms, and du 57 ms. Wi-Fi performance differed between the operators, with etisalat by e&’s Wi-Fi recording the lowest latency across all access types, while du’s Wi-Fi latency lagged behind its mobile network latency performance.
Video content is a primary focus for both network operators in the U.A.E. and a common route for operators globally to add value to consumer mobile subscriptions. We examined Ookla Consumer QoE data, looking at two key video streaming metrics as measures of the consumer experience delivered: video start time and video rebuffering ratio.
Video start time measures the time between when a user clicks play, or the video auto-starts, and when the first frame of a video is rendered. Based on Ookla’s Consumer QoE data for Q2 2023, our results showed that 5G networks offered a faster video start time for both network operators compared to their 4G LTE or Wi-Fi networks, of almost half a second.
Video rebuffering ratio compares the time users have experienced buffering during a video to the total playtime of the video, excluding the initial video start time. Rebuffering occurs when the video stalls during playback and the user must wait for the video to resume. It is a major source of poor quality of experience, and if rebuffering is severe enough, it can lead to audience abandonment and can also serve as an indication of poor overall network performance. In good news, Ookla’s Consumer QoE data for Q2 2023 showed a substantial reduction in median video rebuffering ratios for both network operators, with rebuffering reduced to nearly 0% on 5G for both networks.
5G driving an uplift in industry-leading NPS scores for both operators
With the fastest median 5G download performance globally, it’s no surprise that NPS for 5G users within the U.A.E. are leading the industry. NPS is a key performance indicator of customer experience, categorizing users into Detractors (score 0-6), Passives (score 7-8), and Promoters (score 9-10), with the NPS representing the percentage of Promoters minus the percent of Detractors, displayed in the range from -100 to 100.
Ookla’s Speedtest Intelligence data showed that du’s 5G service recorded the largest difference in NPS when comparing users on its 4G LTE network to those on 5G during Q2 2023, with an uplift of 61.0 basis points to reach 46.7. etisalat by e& recorded the higher NPS scores on its 5G network, of 64.7, while its 4G LTE NPS score of 40.4 was equally impressive.
Both operators in the U.A.E. are in prime position to capitalize on their 5G network investment to date, which is already helping drive improved consumer experiences on their networks. They are also poised to take advantage of the deployment of 5G Standalone networks in the market, offering further performance gains, but also opening up opportunities to target services for key enterprise verticals that among other things often demand highly reliability, as well as low latency communications.
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.
Exaggerated 5G network speed claims led South Korean operators to a 33.6 billion won ($25.06 million) fine. South Korean operators claimed consumers could experience theoretical 5G speeds, which are not practically achievable in a “real world” environment, as factors such as spectrum usage, network densification, as well as user location and device capability significantly affect actual performance.
Recorded speeds of the top 10% of users fall well short of operators’ advertised speed. Reviewing the top 10% and lower 10% of Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® Q2 2023 samples reveals significant performance disparity among South Korea’s 5G users, with 5G speeds peaking at over 900 Mbps for the top 10% of users, while the lower 10% recorded speeds below 135 Mbps.
South Korean operators have delivered consistent 5G performance over the past year. SK Telecom leads the market with a median download speed of 531.89 Mbps, while LG U+ and KT reported speeds of 489.35 Mbps and 470.28 Mbps respectively.
Reality check for South Korea’s 5G operators
Despite having one of the fastest 5G networks globally, South Korea’s antitrust regulator recently fined three 5G operators in South Korea a total of 33.6 billion won ($25.06 million) for making exaggerated claims about their network speeds. According to the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC), the operators had exaggerated their achievable 5G service speeds and unfairly advertised that they were the fastest relative to their competitors.
In a statement by KFTC, it said, “The three mobile carriers have delivered false or exaggerated information on their services’ speeds by deceiving consumers that they can experience 20 Gbps speed, which is only a target in theory for the 5G technology.”
Based on many marketing messages around 5G, it is unsurprising that consumer expectations are for 5G to deliver a notable increase in performance. However, operators cannot guarantee 5G performance as factors such as the spectrum used, the level of network densification operators have pursued in their markets, network congestion, and the distance and any obstacles between the user device and the cell site can all impact observed network performance.
South Korea’s 5G speeds vary greatly
Speedtest Intelligence® data provides insights into real-world performance based on consumer-initiated tests. While median 5G download speed is a useful metric to benchmark performance, it falls short of providing a complete picture of what users are experiencing. Speedtest Intelligence data from Q2 2023 reveals a substantial variance in performance between the top and bottom 10% of users on 5G networks in South Korea. The top 10% of users in South Korea recorded speeds of at least 968.83 Mbps on average, while the lowest 10% of users experienced speeds of 132.02 Mbps or slower on average. Even if we focus on the top 10% of users experiencing the highest 5G performance, this still lags far behind the 20 Gbps advertised by the operators.
South Korean operators have delivered consistent performance every quarter for the past year. During that time frame, SK Telecom has outperformed its competitors on 5G performance, reporting a median download speed of 531.89 Mbps for Q2 2023, while LG U+ and KT reported speeds of 489.35 Mbps and 470.28 Mbps respectively during the same period.
Using real-world performance to manage consumer expectations
Operators must establish clear expectations regarding 5G performance to avoid disappointing customers. Part of the solution to manage this gap is for the operators to rely on data from consumer-initiated tests to understand the real-world performance as experienced by their customers. We will keep a close eye on South Korea’s progress in 5G performance as it competes with other major markets on the global stage while managing domestic consumer expectations. To find out more about Speedtest Intelligence, please get in touch.
Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.
In this article, we look at the performance of mobile networks in the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) during the first half of 2023 for their ability to support gaming services. To this end, we introduce Ookla’s Game Score™ to quantify the gaming experience and analyze four network metrics that typically impact mobile gaming: download speed, upload speed, latency, and jitter.
Key takeaways
The Gulf region offers strong growth potential for mobile gaming. The region benefits from a large youth demographic, a growing casual gaming base, widespread smartphone adoption, and high-speed internet access. Operators and governments are also helping to increase public engagement in gaming.
The U.A.E., Bahrain, and Qatar had the highest Game Scores in the Middle East (83.49, 83.24, and 82.81, respectively, on a 100-point scale). These countries have superior mobile network performance that helps to deliver a good gaming experience. Their Game Scores were also higher for 5G compared to 4G, highlighting the importance of network upgrades and migrating customers to 5G.
Relatively high latency in some markets can make some games glitchy. Most casual gamers should be able to enjoy a smooth experience over 5G thanks to fast download and upload speeds, but some latency-sensitive games (like multiplayer shooters) may have noticeable lags. Mobile operators can explore different approaches (such as deploying edge computing infrastructure) to improve game responsiveness and prepare their networks for more data-intensive games.
Ookla’s Game Score™ helps quantify the gaming experience
Game Score™ compares the performance of operators’ networks in terms of their ability to offer the best gaming experiences to consumers. The score is composed of different components, each measuring a different aspect of a consumer’s gaming experience based on multiple network key performance indicators. Game Score™ is based on Ookla’s consumer-initiated Speedtest Intelligence® results for download and upload speeds, as well as Consumer QoE’s™ latency and jitter measurements taken on real-world game servers.
Each component is evaluated and scored on a scale of 0-100 for each eligible operator. Finally, scored components are combined in a weighted average to produce a Game Score for each operator. For this article, we aggregated the scores of eligible operators to obtain a country-level Game Score. More details about our Game Score methodology can be downloaded from this link.
The Gulf region offers strong growth potential for mobile gaming
According to BCG, the Middle East region has the highest gaming penetration: more than 60% of the population are game enthusiasts. The audience for live-streaming games is expected to exceed 200 million in 2025, making the Middle East one of the fastest-growing regions for gaming.
The GCC region, in particular, has strong growth potential in terms of active gamers and e-sports participants thanks to its large youth demographic, sizable disposable income, access to high-speed connectivity, and the ongoing development of gaming infrastructure (such as hosting local gaming servers and setting up gaming arenas and e-sports facilities). The market will expand as gaming becomes more mainstream and more female users and older demographics engage in gaming.
5G is also helping to increase mobile gaming adoption as it enables smoother gameplay than 4G. According to the GSMA, around half of surveyed 5G users (or those intending to upgrade to 5G) in eight developed markets game frequently compared to around 30% among non-5G users. More operators are also bundling gaming services into their 5G plans, making mobile gaming more mainstream. Operators consider gaming as a growth area and a means to increase customer engagement and differentiate their connectivity propositions (see table below).
Local governments have also implemented strategies to develop a local gaming ecosystem to diversify their economies. For example, Saudi Arabia has a national gaming and e-sports strategy while the U.A.E. aims to encourage global gaming producers to establish a local presence.
Recent gaming-related propositions and initiatives
Bahrain
Batelco introduced a mobile gaming portal in 2022 stc offers stc play app and organizes e-sports tournaments. It partnered with gaming infrastructure provider Subspace in 2019 to improve the multi-player experience in the region
Zain offers a mobile game pass with a dedicated data allowance for popular games
Kuwait
Zain has a dedicated e-sports division that hosts tournaments. It partnered with PLAYHERA to establish a gaming and e-sports platform in 2022 Ooredoo offers gamer-dedicated 5G and fiber plans with reduced latency. It also organizes e-sports competitions
stc offers a 5G plan add-on that promises to reduce latency, jitter, and packet loss
Oman
Omantel launched ‘GeForce NOW’ cloud gaming service in partnership with NVIDIA. It also offers an add-on to get 100 Mbps extra speed on fiber and a dedicated mobile add-on for game data traffic Ooredoo organizes local e-sports tournaments
Qatar
Ooredoo launched the first e-sports tournament in Qatar, part of its e-sports brand, Ooredoo Nation – Gamers’ Land, in 2021. In 2023, it launched Ooredoo Nation League as a hub for Qatari gamers Vodafone commercialized the Vive Cosmos headset with a subscription to VIVEPORT Infinity, a repository of VR games, apps, and videos
Saudi Arabia
stc launched ‘stc play’ e-sports and game distribution platform and rolled out the Blacknut cloud gaming platform. It also offers a mobile data add-on tailored for gamers
Mobily launched an e-sports platform for gamers powered by D11 Gaming. It also offers Game Mode, an add-on for unlimited use of PUBG Mobile and League of Legends: Wild Rift games Zain launched ‘GeForce NOW’ cloud gaming service. It also offers a fiber package dedicated to gaming that includes a low-latency router, up to 500 Mbps for download and 200 Mbps for upload speeds
U.A.E.
Etisalat by e& launched ‘Arena Play’ mobile add-ons to enable customers to play without incurring data charges. It also introduced ‘Arena eLife’ fixed broadband add-on to access many games online from home du launched Games Instant Play as part of its ‘My World’ mobile portal
Bahrain, Qatar, and the U.A.E. had the highest Game Scores in the Middle East
The U.A.E., Bahrain, and Qatar had the highest Game Scores during the first half of 2023 in the Middle East. That means that users in these countries get the best mobile gaming experience in the region. The U.A.E. is home to the fastest 5G operator globally in Q2 2023, according to Ookla Speedtest Intelligence™ data. The U.A.E. comes first with a Game Score of 83.49 on a 100-point scale (considering all mobile technologies). The U.A.E. was closely followed by Bahrain with a score of 83.24 and Qatar with a score of 82.81. These results reflect the superior mobile network performance in these three markets which helps to deliver a good gaming experience. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Oman were further down the Game Score ranking, achieving scores of 80.41, 78.74, and 75.40, respectively.
Game Scores were consistently higher for 5G than 4G users in all Gulf countries. The gaming experience benefits from the larger bandwidth and lower latency offered by 5G, contributing to smoother and more responsive gameplay. Game Scores on 4G lagged those on 5G by a range from 5.37% in Oman to 8.26% in Saudi Arabia. Gulf operators have the potential to improve the gaming experience by continuing to improve their 5G infrastructure, migrating more customers to 5G, and establishing local gaming servers.
In the following sections, we break down the Game Score into its components to understand how being on a 4G or 5G network can affect the everyday gaming experiences of Gulf-based mobile users.
Gaming download and upload speeds are markedly higher on 5G than on 4G, making mobile gaming more enjoyable
Download speed is essential in creating a smooth gaming experience without interruptions or degradations in streaming quality. High download speeds are also important for downloading digitally distributed games and updates. Download speed requirements for online mobile gaming vary depending on the game type (for example, cloud gaming needs higher bandwidth than a game played on a smartphone), gamer profile (for example, competitive gamers will need higher bandwidth than casual players) and use cases (for example, downloading game updates compared to playing preload games).
For the purpose of this analysis, we assume that 25 Mbps is the minimum download speed to enjoy a good gaming experience for casual gamers (who represent the majority of gamers). According to Ookla’s data, all Gulf markets comfortably exceed that requirement on 4G and surpass it significantly on 5G. Kuwait had the lowest download speed over 4G in the first half of 2023 at 35.12 Mbps. In contrast, Oman had the lowest 5G download speed at 176.79 Mbps.
U.A.E. offers the fastest median download speeds for both 4G and 5G at 69.17 Mbps and 566.10 Mbps, respectively, ahead of Qatar and Bahrain which rounded out the top 3 in the region. 5G offers significantly better performance than 4G in all markets. The median 5G speed across Gulf countries was 6.8X faster than the median 4G speed (345.53 Mbps vs. 43.9 Mbps).
Upload speed also plays an essential role in creating a smooth gaming experience without interruptions or quality degradation, particularly in multiplayer games. We use 3 Mbps as a reference point based on the recommended minimum upload speed for a good gaming experience for casual gamers.
Ookla’s data shows that Gulf markets are crushing it when it comes to exceeding upload requirements for both 4G and 5G. The lowest median upload speed recorded on 4G was in Saudi Arabia at 10.87 Mbps; For 5G, it was in Oman at 17.28 Mbps. Median upload speeds on 5G were 1.27X faster than those on a 4G network in the region. The gap between 4G and 5G upload speeds is larger in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the U.A.E., which means that gamers in these countries could see the most significant improvement in gameplay and streaming quality when switching from 4G to 5G. In absolute terms, Qatar, Bahrain, and the U.A.E. offer the fastest upload speeds, reaching a maximum of 38.48 Mbps for the latter.
Relatively high latency in some markets can make some multiplayer games glitchy on 5G
Game Latency is a measure of latency to popular gaming server locations. Latency affects how quickly a gamer’s response is reflected in gameplay and is of particular interest to those who prefer games where reaction time is crucial. Low latency can provide smooth and lag-free gaming. For this analysis, we consider a sub-100 ms latency to be good for many games and most casual gamers.
Ookla’s data shows that most countries, except Oman, recorded latency below 100 ms on 5G. Bahrain had the lowest latency on 5G at 72.01 ms, and Oman had the highest latency at 115.46 ms. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait also had a relatively high 5G latency at 93.2 ms and 90.31 ms, respectively, which means that some multiplayer shooters, racing, fighting, and multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games might have a noticeable lag. Operators have room to improve the conditions for multiplayer games, especially for competitive gamers.
Users saw more modest differences in latency between 4G and 5G than for download and upload speeds. That means that multiplayer gamers can still get decent gameplay on either network technology and may not perceive an improvement in response time when switching to 5G. However, enhancements in 5G infrastructure will widen 5G’s advantage over 4G and provide a stronger incentive for gamers to migrate over time.
The variation in latency to popular gaming servers, known as Game Jitter, can also cause laggy gameplay or distorted audio if it is too high. For smoother gameplay, latency should be consistently low. A jitter below 30 ms is considered good for casual mobile gamers.
Results show that the Gulf region has low jitter, especially on 5G. Jitter ranged from 8.26 ms in Bahrain to 13.43 ms in Oman during Q1-Q2 2023. Jitter on 4G was slightly higher than 5G in all countries except in Oman where it was surprisingly lower at 11.55 ms – both Ooredoo and Omantel recorded lower jitter on their 4G network than on 5G during the first half of 2023.
The localization of gaming servers, the rollout of 5G Standalone (SA), and edge computing can push mobile gaming performance to new heights
Mobile operators can explore different approaches to improve connectivity consistency, speeds, and latency compared to current 5G in order to support more data-intensive games, enhance the multi-player gaming experience on smartphones, and cater to competitive gamers.
Shorten the distance between the users and the game servers. According to data published by the Saudi’s telecoms regulator, users can save, on average, 60 ms in latency when playing popular games with servers located in the GCC compared to servers in Europe. We expect more Gulf-based operators will host game servers in their data centers as more publishers strive to offer the best experience to local gamers.
Deploy 5G Standalone (SA) to increase bandwidth and speed and enable ultra-low latency. Most of the 5G networks deployed in the Gulf region use the Non-Standalone (NSA) model, where the radio antennas (part of the radio access network) are based on 5G but the core uses a 4G infrastructure. As of July 2023, the GSA reported that seven operators in the Gulf region were evaluating 5G SA, while six have either deployed or launched the service. The migration to 5G SA is expected to reduce latency to sub-5 ms, which should help the multiplayer and cloud gaming experience.
Deploy edge computing infrastructure to make gaming experiences more immersive. Edge computing enables new use cases with stringent bandwidth, latency, and availability requirements. Some local operators, such as Etisalat by e& and stc, have partnered with vendors and hyperscalers to develop edge computing capabilities to target enterprise customers. Operators should explore how to exploit these resources to support their own gaming and entertainment initiatives and support those of their partners.
The GCC region has a vibrant and untapped gaming market poised for tremendous growth. This potential hinges on the robustness of the telecoms infrastructure. Gulf operators’ investments in 5G infrastructure helped them climb Ookla’s Game Score leaderboard and demonstrated their commitment to putting their countries on the gaming map. Operators can continue to improve the gaming experience and further minimize latency by deploying local gaming servers, edge computing infrastructure, and 5G SA to make games more responsive and smooth. These improvements will put the region in an even better position to lead game development and foster the local gaming ecosystem.
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.
Ookla® data shows that in India over the past year, mobile download speeds in the country have seen significant improvement. In fact, India jumped 72 places on the Speedtest Global Index™ over the past year, with India’s 5G launch largely responsible for boosting the country’s ranking.
Key messages
India ranked 47 in August 2023. The country’s speed performance has seen a 3.59 times increase since the introduction 5G, with median download speeds improving from 13.87 Mbps in September 2022 to 50.21 Mbps in August 2023. This improvement has led to India’s rise in the Speedtest Global Index, moving up 72 places, from 119th place to the 47th position.
5G benefits extend to all telecom circles. 5G deployments have led to an improved overall user experience across all telecom circles thanks to operators investing in backhaul infrastructure. The launch of 5G technology by operators like Jio and Airtel has led to a substantial increase in 5G subscribers, and operators still have ambitious rollout plans, with the deployment of a significant number of 5G base stations across the country.
Not only faster speeds. 5G has not only brought faster speeds but also higher customer satisfaction, as indicated by the Net Promoter Score (NPS), which shows that 5G users in India consistently rate their network operators more positively compared to 4G users. Additionally, 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services have been introduced to provide broadband connectivity in areas where laying fiber is costly or impractical.
India climbed by 72 places on Speedtests’s mobile rankings thanks to 5G rollouts
Speedtest Intelligence® data shows that median download speeds across India increased by 259% since before 5G launched, jumping from 13.87 Mbps in September 2022 to a median download speed of 50.21 Mbps in August 2023. As a result, India’s position on the Speedtest Global Index™ improved by 72 places, from 119th in September 2022 to 47th in August 2023. This puts India ahead of its neighbors, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, but also some G20 countries, such as Mexico (90th), Turkey (68th), the UK (62nd), Japan (58th), Brazil (50th place), and South Africa (48th place).
Mobile performance improved in all telecom circles
Mobile users in India are among the most data-intensive consumers in the world. However, India’s 4G networks have been unable to keep up with consumer expectations, primarily due to network congestion caused by population density, lack of cellular infrastructure, backhaul, as well as spectrum constraints. Following the 5G spectrum auction, operators have been able to addres some of those issues and help to offload 4G traffic onto 5G networks, thus reducing 4G network congestion – the strategy has proven successful already, as 25% to 35% of traffic is already getting offloaded on 5G from 4G.
According to Speedtest data, India’s median download speed has improved remarkably, increasing by 3.59 times since 5G was launched in the country. Back in October 2022, for example, India’s median download speed ranged from 10.37 Mbps in North East to 21.49 Mbps in Jammu and Kashmir. However, by August 2023, the range of median download speeds had widened significantly, with each circle clocking a speed of more than 28 Mbps. The North East saw a median download speed of 28.02 Mbps, while Jammu and Kashmir recorded a high of 150.95 Mbps.
In August 2023, Jammu and Kashmir, located in the northernmost part of India, emerged as the leader in mobile median download speeds at 150.96 Mbps, surpassing Bihar (73.00 Mbps) and Kolkata (66.47 Mbps). Jammu and Kashmir was one of the last states to launch a mobile network in 2003, and due to security concerns and internet shutdowns, there were occasional disruptions in mobile network services. However, the local administration has been focusing on developing infrastructure in various tourist places, particularly in Kashmir.
Fast-paced 5G adoption
Jio and Airtel have been implementing 5G technology since October 2022, following the acquisition of 5G spectrum licenses. At first, they concentrated on launching in major cities, but their coverage has expanded significantly, and 5G performance has improved across all telecom circles. In October 2022, there was a noticeable difference in the performance of 5G networks on 5G-compatible devices. Median download speeds ranged from 512.57 Mbps in Gujarat to 19.23 Mbps in Uttar Pradesh West as the networks were under development. In fact, in nine telecom circles: Andhra Pradesh, Kolkata, North East, Haryana, Rajasthan, Bihar, Punjab, Kerala, and Uttar Pradesh West, median 5G download speeds were below 100 Mbps because networks were in early testing stages. However, by August 2023, median 5G download speeds exceeded 240 Mbps across all telecom areas, with Kolkata leading the pack with a median download speed of 385.50 Mbps.
Jio also has ambitious rollout targets – it aims to deploy nearly 1 million base stations by December 2023 to address growing data consumption on its network. According to The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the country had 338,572 5G base stations (BTS) as of August 28, 2023, a significant increase from the 53,590 reported at the beginning of the year. The three most populous states in India – Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Bihar – account for 25% of all wireless subscribers in the country and also hold a 25% share of 5G BTS.
5G speeds in India are particularly impressive compared to those on 4G; in August 2023, for example, median download speeds on 5G were 2,003% faster than those on 4G, with 5G showing a median download speed of 316.24 Mbps compared to 14.97 Mbps on 4G. The speed increase has been heavily propelled by operators investing in fiber technology to improve backhaul.
5G has a positive impact on Net Promoter Scores
The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a tool that gauges customer loyalty and satisfaction. NPS is a key performance indicator of customer experience, categorizing users into Detractors (those that score 0-6), Passives (scores between 7 and 8), and Promoters (score of 9-10), with the NPS representing the percentage of Promoters minus the percent of Detractors, displayed in the range from -100 to 100.
In our recent article, we found that 5G users, on average, rated their network operator with NPS scores that were universally higher than those for 4G LTE users. The story is similar in India, where in Q2 2023, 5G scored 15.80 compared to -29.65 for 4G. In most telecom regions, except for the North East, the 5G NPS consistently outperforms that of 4G/LTE.
Ookla understands real-life consumer experience
Median 5G performance allows us to understand the midpoint of the user experience on 5G networks, but it doesn’t paint the complete picture. Speedtest® is designed to thoroughly saturate a user’s connection, uniquely allowing us to accurately measure the maximum speeds available. This is especially important for 5G connections, which can be capable of tremendous speeds, such as those we observed in India. Using Speedtest data, we can see that operators in India have already achieved maximum download speeds exceeding 1.7 Gbps. Speedtest simultaneously measures download speeds from multiple servers to ensure a fully utilized connection.
Early days for 5G FWA
In addition, operators have introduced 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services to complement their existing 5G offerings. FWA offers an excellent opportunity to cover areas that are too costly to lay fiber and is an alternative to fixed networks. 5G FWA offers an opportunity in India because it will use 5G as the last-mile technology to provide broadband connectivity.
5G FWA has already been very successful in the United States, South Africa, and the Philippines. Bharti Airtel launched ‘Airtel Xstream AirFiber’ in Delhi and Mumbai in August 2023, extending their services beyond their fiber footprint. Their plans start at Rs 799 ($9.64) per month and offer download speeds of up to 100 Mbps. Jio also launched ‘JioAirFiber,’ in September, initially available in eight cities, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Pune. There are several plan options available for ‘AirFiber’ and ‘AirFiber Max’ with download speeds ranging from 30 Mbps to 1 Gbps. Pricing starts at INR 599 ($7.22) per month and goes up to INR 3,999 ($48.23).
We will continue to monitor 5G performance in India, see how operators scale networks, and assess the real-world performance as more consumers will connect with 5G devices and use 5G FWA. If you want to learn more, subscribe to Ookla Research™ to be the first to read our analyses.
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.
The Greater Bay Area (GBA) in China refers to the integrated city cluster in the Pearl River Delta of South China. Sometimes considered China’s Silicon Valley, it has emerged as one of the most economically developed regions in China, and as such has been at the forefront of its 5G rollout plans.
In this report, we will examine the 5G performance across the Greater Bay Area. We benchmark the results among the eleven cities in the area, focusing in particular on the four major cities of Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, and Shenzhen.
Key takeaways
The Greater Bay Area’s 5G growth is supported by policies and initiatives promoting 5G technology. The Greater Bay Area 5G Industry Alliance and network-sharing agreements are initiatives that foster collaboration among industry stakeholders, while also boosting deployment efficiency. Additionally, subsidy programs further encourage 5G expansion in the GBA.
It is still early days for Macau, but the city’s 5G network has the fastest median download speed in the Greater Bay Area at 383.59 Mbps, while early adopter Hong Kong lags behind with a median download speed of 136.65 Mbps.
Improved integration between cities in the Greater Bay Area. Efforts to improve 5G infrastructure and connectivity between cities in the Greater Bay Area result in better coverage in highly populated areas and increased coverage along major connecting roads. Coverage plots show significantly more SS-RSRP samples of better than -92 dBm in Q2 2023 as compared to the previous year.
Operators have made strides in expanding 5G coverage within indoor settings. In under a year, over half (51.8%) of Macau’s buildings have reported indoor 5G coverage. Shenzhen (81.5%), Guangzhou (68.2%), and Hong Kong (63.2%) have also seen an increase in the number of buildings with 5G coverage in Q2 2023 compared to the previous year.
Coordinated initiatives and policies driving 5G deployment
The Greater Bay Area encompasses nine cities, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Huizhou, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, and Zhaoqing, as well as two Special Administrative Regions, Hong Kong, and Macau. With a population of 87 million, the region’s combined gross domestic product (GDP) was nearly US$2 trillion in 2022, accounting for almost 11% of China’s GDP.
5G technology is integral to China’s government vision and technology policies. The technology is a big part of the country’s development policy and goals for 2021 – 2025, as detailed in its 14th Five-Year Plan for National Plan. Benefiting from the central government policy, the Greater Bay Area has emerged as a thriving hub for established and emerging tech companies and startups.
Given this dynamic, federal, and local governments are actively promoting 5G technology within the Greater Bay Area. One example is the establishment of the Greater Bay Area 5G Industry Alliance in 2019 by China Mobile Hong Kong, China Mobile Guangdong, CTM, and the Guangdong Communication Industry Association. The alliance members consist of operators, leading companies in the industry, social organizations, academic researchers, and enterprises involved in 5G technology. Their primary goal is to enhance and encourage the development of 5G industries among stakeholders and operators in the GBA region.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in China also facilitated sharing of 5G networks and encouraged commercial partnerships among 5G operators. As a result, China Unicom and China Telecom have signed a cooperation agreement to share their 5G infrastructure. Providing subsidies is also a common tactic regulators and governments use to encourage 5G deployment. In Hong Kong, for example, from May 2020 till the end of December 2022, the Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) ran a subsidy scheme to encourage various sectors, through financial incentives, to deploy 5G technology.
As a result, the GBA has witnessed significant investments and a rapid rollout of 5G infrastructure. By 2021, all cities in the region have launched 5G networks, with Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong leading the way.
Macau’s early 5G performance impresses
According to Speedtest Intelligence® Q2 2023 data, Macau outpaced all the other cities in the Greater Bay Area on median download speed, being the only city that topped 300 Mbps at 383.59 Mbps. Despite being the most recent city in GBA to launch its 5G network, operators in Macau began deploying as early as 2020, ahead of being granted their 5G licenses in November of 2022. CTM, one of the providers, stated that their 5G network has been fully operational since June 2021. Macau’s regulatory body, the Macau Post and Telecommunications Bureau (CTT), also mandated as part of the 5G license award that operators must cover 50% of the territory within the first year and provide full coverage within 18 months.
Within Guangdong Province, the nine cities have reported median download speeds ranging from 188 Mbps to 255 Mbps in Q2 2023. The cities of Zhaoqing and Zhongshan are the only cities in the province to report speeds of over 250 Mbps. Zhaoqing has a speed of 254.17 Mbps, while Zhongshan reports a speed of 251.13 Mbps.
Despite being an early adopter of 5G, Hong Kong’s median download speed of 136.65 Mbps in Q2 2023 falls behind the other cities in the GBA. One factor contributing to the lower median download speed is a preference for low bands to fulfill coverage obligations. CMHK, for example, has been deploying its 700 MHz 5G spectrum, enabling better indoor penetration and broader 5G coverage at the expense of median download speed.
Macau operators rank highest for 5G performance in the Greater Bay Area
In this section, we drill down into the operators’ 5G performance in the major cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macau to understand which operators are driving 5G performance in these cities. Speedtest Intelligence data shows considerable variation in the median 5G download speeds across these four cities.
As with any new launches, it is not surprising that the operators in Macau rank higher in terms of performance than those in the other three cities. During Q2 2023, China Telecom in Macau reported a median download performance of 418.13 Mbps, while CTM Macau achieved 374.51 Mbps during the same period. While operators in Macau continue to invest in 5G solutions, it’s worth noting that users could see 5G speeds decline after more and more users join and congestion ticks up.
On the other end of the chart, SmarTone, csl, and Hutchinson in Hong Kong reported speeds of 153.62 Mbps, 122.15 Mbps, and 105.34 Mbps respectively. CMHK tops the 5G operators in Hong Kong with a recorded median download speed of 166.41 Mbps in Q2 2023. Although reporting comparatively slower speeds than its neighboring cities, the number of 5G users in Hong Kong exceeded four million in April 2023, representing over 60% of the population.
Low latency comes to the fore with 5G
China remains one of the biggest gaming markets globally, with three in ten (29%) Chinese consumers claiming to spend most of their time gaming each week. 5G technology is expected to revolutionize how gamers connect to the internet by providing a much more reliable connection as more casual and serious gamers adopt mobile gaming. This has created a demand for low-latency network connections so gamers can enjoy seamless and lag-free mobile gameplay. Latency, or the reaction time of a connection, is a crucial metric for achieving optimal performance in technologies like gaming, video conferencing, and AR/VR. Aiming for a latency of 59 ms or less is recommended for the best gaming experience.
During Q2 2023, gamers in Macau and Hong Kong experienced significantly lower median latency on 5G, with both cities registering latency below 30 ms. Macau emerged ahead with a median latency of 18.22 ms, whereas Hong Kong reported a median latency of 25.97 ms.
On the other hand, GBA cities in Guangdong Province reported a 5G median latency of over 60 ms during the same time frame. It’s worth noting that approximately 80% of tests conducted in Guangdong Province utilized servers based in Hong Kong and Macau, which influenced the higher latency results in these cities.
While gaming is usually top of mind when we talk about latency, having a low-latency network also plays a crucial role in driving digital transformation and achieving high levels of automation and responsiveness in key industries, such as manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare. The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hospital (CUHK) has partnered with Huawei Hong Kong to establish a 5G smart hospital. CUHKMC is utilizing the high throughput and low latency capabilities of 5G technology to facilitate innovative medical digital transformation. These include remote consultations and collaboration, telemedicine, and other applications to enhance patient treatment experience.
Boosting Cross-Border Connectivity
The Chinese government has implemented several measures to enhance the integration of Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Macau, along with the seven other cities in Guangdong Province. To encourage greater mobility across the Greater Bay Area, operators in the region are enhancing infrastructure by building more 5G sites and creating data plans that can be used while roaming within the GBA, reducing cross-border roaming expenses.
Comparing the 5G signal strength using the SS-RSRP metric from Ookla® Cell Analytics™ between Q2 2022 and Q2 2023, shows improvements in terms of 5G coverage in heavily populated areas of the region. The plot indicates significantly more samples along arterial routes connecting the main cities in Q2 2023, with more recorded samples with SS-RSRP of more than -92 dBm.
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Similar effort on expanding 5G indoor coverage
With 70 to 80 percent of data traffic projected to be generated indoors, improving indoor coverage and user experience has become a priority, especially in highly dense cities such as those within the Greater Bay Area. China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued a 5G spectrum license to China Unicom, China Telecom, and China Broadnet to share the 3.3–3.4 GHz band as part of an effort to prioritize 5G indoor coverage. There has also been a significant drive by mobile operators in the GBA to extend 5G coverage to be readily available in public transport infrastructures. In Hong Kong, csl provides 5G network coverage along the MTR lines, with dedicated 5G spectrum on some routes.
We analyzed data from Ookla® Cell Analytics™ to compare the percentage of buildings in Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou with reported 5G coverage in Q2 2022 and Q2 2023. Deployment of 5G primarily uses high-frequency spectrums, which poses challenges for indoor penetration. In this analysis, we have only considered buildings taller than 10 meters as they are more likely to be high-rise buildings with in-building solutions such as distributed antenna systems (DAS) or served by sites nearby.
Macau, which did not have any commercial 5G network a year prior, undeniably has the most significant increase in the percentage of buildings with 5G coverage over the past year. The operators in the city have managed to provide 5G coverage to more than 50% (51.8%) of the city’s buildings in less than a year.
Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong also saw increased buildings with reported 5G coverage. Shenzhen and Guangzhou had 81.5% and 68.2% of buildings with reported 5G coverage in Q2 2023, respectively, equating to an 18.2% and 17.4% increase from the previous year. Hong Kong, one of the most densely populated cities in the world, reported a total of 63.2 % of buildings with 5G indoor coverage in Q 2023, an increase from 55.5 % a year before. Operators’ use of sub-1 GHz frequencies in 5G deployment is one of the contributing factors to the reported increase in in-building 5G coverage.
The outlook for the Greater Bay Area
The Greater Bay Area has embraced 5G technology, unlocking its potential to revolutionize various industries and drive automation and digitalization, and will continue to be a key driver of China’s economic growth. The region’s 5G network infrastructure has brought transformative opportunities across diverse sectors. However, there are still improvements to be made in terms of in-building coverage and implementation of more advanced 5G use cases. We will closely monitor the progress and implementation of 5G technology within the Greater Bay Area. If you are interested in benchmarking your performance or want to learn more about internet speeds and performance in other markets worldwide, visit the Speedtest Intelligence®.
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.
Malaysia launched its nationwide 5G network less than two years ago, adopting a distinctive 5G deployment approach. Ookla® data shows that the country’s 5G performance has been impressive, ranking as one of the top performers globally. In this article, we will compare Malaysia’s 5G performance with 5G in select countries, and we will also look at Malaysia’s 5G utilization based on the devices running Ookla Speedtest®.
Key takeaways
Malaysia continues to improve its Speedtest Global Index ranking. Malaysia’s overall mobile speed performance has steadily increased since the introduction of 5G at the end of 2021. In September 2023, the country’s median download speed was 61.50 Mbps, 2.9 times faster than its pre-5G speeds in September 2021. This led to a 45-place climb on the Speedtest Global Index™, from 86th place in September 2021 to 41st place in September 2023 after 5G had been deployed in Malaysia.
Malaysia is one of the top performing 5G markets globally. Malaysia ranks third globally for 5G download speed, with a reported speed of 485.25 Mbps, according to Speedtest Intelligence® data for Q3 2023. This puts Malaysia not only ahead of its Southeast Asian neighbors but also some developed markets, including the United Kingdom, Japan, and Germany.
A proportion of 5G-capable devices have yet to utilize the 5G network. Over 55% of all nationwide tests were conducted on 5G-capable devices in Q3 2023. However, only 25.1% of those tests were conducted on a 5G network. Operators with a lower subscriber base in the country reported a better percentage of Speedtests conducted on Malaysia’s 5G network.
4G LTE performance sees continued improvement alongside 5G rollout. Median download speeds on 4G have increased from 24.04 Mbps to 36.95 Mbps from Q3 2022 to Q3 2023. 5G network offers much stronger performance than 4G, with 5G providing thirteen times faster download speeds and five times faster upload speeds than 4G.
Unique deployment strategy utilizing a Single Wholesale Network
In 2021, the government of Malaysia established Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), responsible for rolling out a nationwide single wholesale network (SWN) to deliver 5G coverage. According to DNB, the 5G SWN model aimed to centralize infrastructure rollout, promoting efficient resource use, cost savings, and equitable 5G access across urban and rural landscapes.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) assigned 5G spectrum to DNB in the 700 MHz, 3.5 GHz, and 26-28 GHz bands. DNB is currently utilizing 3.5 GHz spectrum across selected deployment areas. As discussed in our recent spectrum analysis, the upper mid-band (otherwise known as C-band) offers the best of both worlds in terms of coverage and capacity, which is important for DNB as they aim to reach 80% of populated areas by 2024. As of the end of September 2023, DNB has achieved 70.2% coverage of populated areas (COPA), with more than 5,800 sites deployed.
Yes was the first operator to enter into the Access Agreement with DNB and launch 5G services in Malaysia in Q4 2021. Following Yes, other operators such as Celcom, Digi, Unifi (Telekom Malaysia), and U Mobile launched their 5G services in early November 2022. In August 2023, Maxis became the latest operator to launch 5G services in Malaysia.
5G helped Malaysia climb 45 places in Speedtest’s mobile rankings
Ookla’s Speedtest Intelligence® data reveals that Malaysia has experienced a noteworthy increase in mobile median download speeds for all technologies since the launch of Malaysia’s first 5G network. In September 2023, Malaysia’s median mobile download speed increased to 61.50 Mbps, 2.9 times faster than the country’s 21.27 Mbps median download speed recorded in September 2021, before the launch of 5G in the country. As a result, Malaysia has improved its position on the Speedtest Global Index™, climbing 45 places from 86th in September 2021 to 41st in September 2023. This development places Malaysia ahead of some of its Southeast Asia neighboring countries, such as Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, and Vietnam, as well as some developed markets, including the United Kingdom, Japan, and Germany.
Malaysia leads on 5G performance in Southeast Asia
In our recent report discussing 5G in the Asia Pacific region, we discussed how the region is on track to become the largest 5G market globally, with some markets in the region outpacing major European markets in terms of 5G performance. Comparing global 5G performance, Malaysia has emerged as one of the top performers in 5G connectivity. According to Speedtest Intelligence data in Q3 2023, Malaysia ranked third globally for 5G download speed, with a reported speed of 485.25 Mbps. This puts Malaysia ahead of its Southeast Asian neighbors, such as Singapore (338.36 Mbps), Thailand (141.65 Mbps), and the Philippines (124.58 Mbps).
4G performance continues to see improvements in the 5G era
5G rollout has also propelled an increase in 4G LTE speeds thanks to the modernization of the underlying infrastructure. Improvements in 4G LTE speeds are also partly from offloading 4G traffic to the 5G network, reducing 4G network congestion.
Speedtest Intelligence data shows that, at a country level, the median download speeds for 4G between Q3 2022 and Q3 2023 have increased from 24.04 Mbps to 36.95 Mbps. Upload speeds on 4G also continued to improve over the same period, albeit slightly.
As part of the 12th Malaysia Plan (2021–2025), the government is implementing the Jalinan Digital Negara (Jendela) initiative to address the need and demand for better quality fixed and mobile broadband coverage. Operators across Malaysia continue to roll out 4G to adhere to Jendela rollout targets. According to Jendela’s Phase 1 concluding report, 4G Coverage in Populated Areas achieved its target of providing 96.9% coverage by the end of 2022.
While current 4G network performance may meet the needs of most users for everyday tasks, such as browsing, streaming, and online communication, it is still far from the uplift in performance offered by 5G.
When we compare 5G and 4G performance in Malaysia for Q3 2023, Ookla’s data show that the median 5G download speed (485.25 Mbps) was 13 times faster than that of 4G (36.95 Mbps), while the country’s median 5G upload speed (54.62 Mbps) was 5 times faster than that of 4G LTE (10.61 Mbps).
Customers residing in areas outside of urban areas or in lower-income states may be reluctant to adopt 5G technology, as it may lead to higher subscription and upfront costs compared to previous mobile technologies. To that end, convincing consumers of the transformative advantages offered by 5G becomes pivotal in this context.
Potential to increase the adoption and usage of 5G technology
Apart from looking at the 5G performance in Malaysia, we also examined the percentage of devices utilizing the 5G network. This was done to gauge consumer uptake of 5G in the country. Using Speedtest Intelligence Q3 2023 data, we compared the proportion of unique devices that conducted consumer-initiated Speedtest using a 5G network to the total number of devices running Speedtest, regardless of network technology.
According to our analysis, in Q3 2023, out of all the mobile tests initiated by consumers in Malaysia across all technologies, 30.1% of them were carried out on the 5G network. This suggests that the adoption and usage of 5G technology among the general population in Malaysia still needs to improve. Although Malaysia launched its 5G network later than most neighboring countries in the region, its percentage of 5G users, while lower, is still noteworthy. In comparison, early 5G adopters such as Thailand and Taiwan, which launched their 5G network almost two years ahead of Malaysia, have a slightly higher percentage of devices connected to 5G, at less than 10 percentage points more.
Single wholesale network model levels the playing field
Unlike Malaysia’s previous 4G era, which followed a conventional approach to network rollout where individual operators owned the spectrum and were responsible for establishing their networks separately, Malaysia’s 5G SWN initiative takes a different approach from the traditional method adopted by most countries.
As stated by DNB, adopting the 5G SWN model can bring about several benefits, one of which is eliminating the duplication of infrastructure. Other advantages include ensuring uniform national coverage and encouraging operators to move towards a more service-oriented business model. While the long-term benefits remain to be seen, upon launch, operators with smaller 4G network footprints can immediately benefit from 5G coverage areas similar to those of larger and more established operators.
Ookla’s data shows that operators with smaller subscriber bases in the country reported a higher percentage of Speedtests performed on 5G-capable devices on the 5G network. Yes, the first operator to enter into an Access Agreement with DNB and the first to launch 5G in Malaysia in Q4 2021 reported the highest percentage at 53.3% in Q3 2023. U Mobile and Unifi, which launched their 5G networks in Q4 2022, reported 40.7% and 38.9% respectively.
Maxis, one of the larger mobile operators in Malaysia, had 33.0% of tests carried out on 5G. This is a notable uptake considering that Maxis only launched its 5G services in August 2023 after delays in its decision to enter into the Access Agreement with DNB. Both Celcom and Digi reported percentages below 22%.
One of the reasons for the variation in the number of 5G users is that the implementation of the 5G SWN model has enabled relatively smaller mobile players to offer more competitive plans, creating a more equitable playing field in the market. At the time of this report, Yes, U Mobile, and Unifi automatically included 5G services to their current and new customers. In contrast, Maxis, Digi, and Celcom, depending on which current plan their customers are on, imposed an additional surcharge between MYR 10 to MYR 20 (USD 2.20 to USD 4.40) per month for customers on lower-tiered plans to upgrade to a 5G plan.
Proportion of 5G-capable devices shows opportunities for better adoption
As DNB continues to expand its 5G network access to all populated areas across the country, motivating consumers to subscribe to the newer technology is critical. Operators already have a base of consumers who own 5G-capable devices, and we expect to see more consumers investing in 5G-capable devices going forward.
According to Speedtest Intelligence data, in Q3 2023, over 55% of all tests conducted in Malaysia were carried out on unique 5G-capable devices. Of these devices, 30.1% of the tests were conducted on 5G networks, while the remaining 21.5% were on non-5G networks.
Around 50% of Celcom’s and Digi’s customer bases own 5G-capable devices, but only 16.7% of Celcom’s and 21.6% of Digi’s customers conducted tests on 5G in Q3 2023. Maxis, which has the highest percentage of 5G-capable devices (62.8%), saw only 33% of its customers perform tests on 5G. For these operators, approximately 30% of their customer base that own 5G-capable devices have yet to initiate a Speedtest on the 5G network. There is an opportunity to transition these customers to adopt 5G as they likely have not yet subscribed or reside in areas without 5G coverage. Again, it is important to note that Maxis launched 5G services in August.
Unifi and U Mobile had 18.9% and 12.5%, respectively, of users that own 5G-capable devices yet to take advantage of the 5G network. On the other hand, Yes customers with 5G-capable devices are already benefiting from 5G, with less than 8% of them yet to subscribe to 5G or reside in areas without 5G coverage.
The government’s active participation is instrumental in achieving the national 5G connectivity agenda
Over the years, Malaysia has consistently invested in enhancing its digital infrastructure. With its National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan (NFCP) and the MyDIGITAL initiative, it is already ahead of some of its neighbors in terms of connectivity. This groundwork creates a conducive environment for 5G and the readiness to embrace next-gen technology into its digital infrastructure.
Malaysia has adopted a distinctive strategy by implementing a single wholesale 5G model. DNB serves as a neutral party responsible for deploying 5G infrastructure and network across the country. By the end of 2022, the country has achieved its target of providing 40% coverage of populated areas. The performance of 5G technology has been impressive so far, making Malaysia one of the top performers globally. However, DNB has an obligation to expand its coverage to 80% of populated areas by 2024. 5G performance is also expected to decrease over time as network traffic grows and more and more users switch to 5Gs.
A few pieces of the puzzle still need to fall into place before 5G can be widely adopted in Malaysia. Apart from encouraging users with 5G-capable devices to adopt 5G services, around 45% of tests were carried out on non-5G devices, leaving a significant portion of users in the country still reliant on 4G. To further encourage the adoption of 5G, The Communications and Digital Ministry recently kicked off the 5G Rahmah initiative, where participating operators will now offer more affordable 5G data and device bundle plans to Malaysians, with additional incentives for low-income groups and civil servants.
It is evident that the government and regulatory authorities have a vital role in making 5G accessible to consumers. Now that all operators have agreed to provide 5G services, they also have the responsibility to keep the service’s cost affordable and educate consumers about its benefits. Earlier this year, the Malaysian government announced its plan to transition to a dual network model once the current rollout under DNB has reached the targeted 80% coverage of populated areas. However, the impact of this transition and factors such as the speed of the rollout, 5G adoption, and infrastructure management by operators remains to be determined and requires further assessment.
We will keep a close eye on the progress and effectiveness of 5G implementation in Malaysia. If you are interested in benchmarking your performance or if you’d like to learn more about internet speeds and performance in other markets around the world, visit the Speedtest Global IndexTM.
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.
Taiwan’s mobile market is fiercely competitive, driven by three major operators – Chunghwa Telecom, FarEasTone, and Taiwan Mobile, and two smaller ones, Asia Pacific Telecom (GT) and Taiwan Star (T Star). Earlier this year, two major mergers of telecom operators were approved, which is expected to alter the telecommunication competitive landscape of the country. In this article, we will examine the current state of 5G in Taiwan before the mergers take place and evaluate the potential impact these mergers will have on Taiwan’s telecommunications market.
Key Takeaways
Recent mergers are set to alter Taiwan’s mobile market dynamics. The number of operators will be reduced from five to three major players, each with a comparable market share. Far EasTone and Taiwan Mobile will inherit additional spectrum bandwidth as a result of the mergers, enabling both operators to enhance customer experience, introduce new services, and compete more effectively with Chunghwa Telecom, the largest operator.
Taiwan’s 5G network performs well compared to other countries in the region. In Q3 2023, Taiwan’s 5G network had a median download speed of 263.35 Mbps, outperforming other countries in the region, such as Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Japan.
Chunghwa Telecom leads the way in terms of 5G download speeds. Based on Speedtest Intelligence® data for Q2-Q3 2023, Chunghwa Telecom had the fastest median download speed with a reported speed of 361.83 Mbps. Far EasTone and Taiwan Mobile came in second and third place, respectively. GT and T Star ranked fourth and fifth, with median download speeds of 190.48 Mbps and 113.85 Mbps.
Chunghwa Telecom’s 5G network extends to 97.6% of locations in Taiwan with 5G coverage. Chunghwa’s 5G network reached more locations across the island than its competitors, with next-placed Far EasTone following with 88.9%, and Taiwan Mobile with 85.6%.
Change in Taiwan’s Telecom Landscape
The Asia Pacific telecommunications markets have witnessed several notable mergers and acquisitions in recent years. This trend is primarily attributed to heavy investments in 5G technology, as companies strive to stay competitive in the market and sustain their growth in the face of economic challenges. Taiwan’s market is one such example, where the National Communications Commission (NCC) approved two mobile operator mergers earlier this year, which will significantly transform Taiwan’s telecommunications market landscape.
Mergers will increase market competition with three major players
The two mergers involve the consolidation of two major operators with minor operators. The first merger involves the integration of Taiwan Mobile and Taiwan Star Telecom (T Star), while the second merger sees Far EasTone partnering with GT’s parent company Asia Pacific Telecom (APT). As a result of the mergers, the number of operators will be reduced from five to three players with comparable market share. More importantly, this will give the new entities additional scale, allowing them to directly compete with Chunghwa Telecom, the current largest operator.
The merged operators could provide more competition to Chunghwa Telecom across all market segments, not only mobile. For instance, the newly merged entities could look at convergent offerings to compete with Chunghwa Telecom, which currently leads the fixed broadband market share and differentiates its services with value-added and bundling packages.
Additional spectrum for 5G use for merged entities
The merging of these operators will bring about significant benefits through synergies. Far EasTone and Taiwan Mobile will inherit the spectrum bandwidth previously held by the two dissolved entities, increasing their competitive edge in the market. The availability of increased resources will enable more efficient use of 5G spectrum, optimize network infrastructure, and reduce energy usage by decommissioning redundant base stations, resulting in a more cost-effective network.
After the consolidation, Far EasTone will see an increase of its 28 GHz spectrum holding from 400 MHz to 800 MHz, in addition to the 80 MHz of the 3.5 GHz band it initially acquired. Taiwan Mobile will now have a block of 100 MHz of the 3.5 GHz band, making it the operator with the most medium frequency bandwidth capacity in the market. When it comes to the high band of 28 GHz, Taiwan Mobile only holds 200 MHz, much less than Far EasTone’s 800 MHz, and Chunghwa Telecom, which holds 600 MHz. The additional spectrum bandwidths will come in very handy to enhance customer experience and introduce new enterprise offerings post-merger.
While the additional spectrum is welcome, in compliance with regulations, operators may only own up to one-third of the available spectrum. After merging with Taiwan Star, Taiwan Mobile will have 60MHz of sub-1GHz spectrum, exceeding one-third of the total available. They will need to divest 10MHz of their frequencies. Similarly, following its merger with GT, FET will be required to surrender any excess spectrum in bands below 3GHz, bands between 3GHz and 6GHz, and bands above 24GHz. How these operators will divest the excess spectrum remains to be seen.
Close scrutiny by the NCC on coverage and service enhancements
As the Taiwanese market undergoes a significant shift, it will naturally require thorough regulatory scrutiny to ensure a smooth transition. Apart from the disposal of excess bandwidth as mentioned earlier, the NCC also imposed additional conditions, including coverage targets, and ensuring uninterrupted subscriber services during the transition period.
Both Taiwan Mobile and Far EasTone will be required to increase 4G coverage across the island to 99% of the population, while 5G coverage must be at least 98% by 2027. The operators will also need to explore ways to reduce carbon emissions and implement effective energy-saving systems to achieve an annual energy saving of approximately 160 million kWh.
Taiwan’s 5G performs well compared to its regional counterparts
Taiwan rolled out its 5G network in 2020, with Chunghwa Telecom being the first operator to introduce 5G services in July of that year. Since then, Taiwan has experienced significant growth in mobile performance, particularly in 5G performance, compared to other countries across the globe.
In Q3 2023, Speedtest Intelligence® data revealed that Taiwan’s 5G network had achieved a median download speed of 263.35 Mbps, outperforming its regional counterparts, including Vietnam (257.95 Mbps) and China (245.94 Mbps). Furthermore, Taiwan’s 5G network was notably faster than those of Hong Kong (136.51 Mbps), the Philippines (124.58 Mbps), and Japan (102.72 Mbps).
Chunghwa Telecom tops 5G performance in Taiwan
Based on Speedtest Intelligence data, Chunghwa Telecom reported Taiwan’s fastest median 5G download speed during Q2-Q3 of 2023. It recorded a median download speed of 361.83 Mbps and a median upload speed of 34.22 Mbps. Far EasTone and Taiwan Mobile came second and third, respectively. The smaller operators, GT, and T Star, had median download speeds of 190.48 Mbps and 113.85 Mbps, placing them fourth and fifth in the rankings.
5G Coverage in Taiwan
Taiwan’s terrain consists of rugged mountains dominating the length of the island, while the western part where most of the population lives is relatively flat. This contrast poses significant challenges in providing nationwide 5G coverage. In order to assess the reach of operator 5G networks, we examined Speedtest Intelligence data to plot locations with access to 5G across the island, with the results shown in the following maps.
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Chunghwa Telecom’s 5G network extended furthest across Taiwan, at 97.6% of locations with 5G coverage during Q2-Q3 2023. Far EasTone followed with 88.9%, and Taiwan Mobile with 85.6%. GT and T Star have an almost equal 5G footprint, reporting 49.7% and 49.0% respectively.
The full impact of the mergers will become apparent over time
It may take a while before we witness the effects of the two mergers. In fact, it may take years before consumers can benefit from the newly combined entities. However, one thing is sure – the market’s competitive landscape will change due to the reduction of major operators from five to three in Taiwan. We will continue to keep a close eye on the progress of these mergers and how they affect mobile performance in Taiwan. If you are interested in benchmarking your performance or want to learn more about internet speeds and performance in other markets around the world, visit the Speedtest Global Index™.
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