Tag: India

Ookla Research™ Articles
| March 10, 2025

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

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

Key Takeaways

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

A Massive Gathering with High Connectivity Demand

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

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

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

Animation of maps of Speedtest Sample Density in Prayagraj, India

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

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

5G performance stands up to demand surge

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

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

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

5G Sustains High Performance Despite Unprecedented Mobile Traffic

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

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

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

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

Jio’s 5G Availability Nearly Twice That of Airtel

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

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

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

5G Improves Response Time, Delivering a Better User Experience

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

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

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

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

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

Ensuring Robust Network Performance Amidst Massive Gatherings

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

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

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

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

About the Author

Affandy Johan

Ookla Research™ Articles
| December 2, 2024

Too Big to Fail? The Largest Outages in 2024 According to Downdetector

Downdetector

Our reliance on technology is so total that for many it feels like the world is ending when a popular site or service on the internet is inaccessible, and 2024 saw many outages that reminded us how much one such interruption can disrupt the daily lives of millions. We analyzed Downdetector® data from Q1-Q3 2024 to see where that pain of disconnection was felt most acutely. Read on to revisit the largest outages of 2024 at a global level and sorted by region.

Note that while some companies experienced more than one large outage during this time period, we’ve listed only the largest incident per company in each chart.

The world’s biggest outages this year

Chart of World's Largest Outage i, Downdetector, Q1-Q3 2024

Users of social media sites, internet providers, and gaming sites and services suffered the most disruptions this year according to Downdetector data on the world’s biggest outages. Facebook had the largest outage on our list. On March 5, over 11.1 million people across the world reported issues with the popular social media site.

The second largest global outage may be the most memorable. While CrowdStrike is not a service most people think of, we saw nearly 5 million reports to services that rely on it (or rely on Microsoft which relies on Crowdstrike), including emergency services, airlines, and ride sharing apps when a routine software update went bad on July 19.

AT&T suffered the third largest outage in the world, according to Downdetector data, when an equipment configuration error caused customers across the entire United States to lose network access for over 12 hours.

Biggest outages in each region

Asia Pacific region hit by global outages

Chart of Largest Outage in Asia-Pacific Region, Downdetector, Q1-Q3 2024

The March 5 Facebook outage also topped the list of outages in the Asia-Pacific region, instigating over 908k user reports to Downdetector and taking Instagram down with it as the second largest outage. The third largest outage happened on June 26 when over 168k Microsoft 365 users in the Asia-Pacific region reported service disruptions on the service. Japan was especially hard hit with over 139k user reports from that country alone.

People in the Asia-Pacific region were also affected by local outages, with over 76k users reporting issues with Japanese payment system PayPay in May, and 65k users in India reported issues with Jio during a September service disruption.

Europe struggles with social media sites

Chart of Largest Outage in Europe, Downdetector, Q1-Q3 2024

Social media sites were the main source of disconnection in Europe according to data from Downdetector. Over 3.4 million European users reported issues with Facebook during the March 5 outage, making that the largest outage in Europe during Q1-Q3 2024. WhatsApp users suffered the second largest outage in Europe with over 1.1 million people reporting issues during an outage in early April.

Two German companies also showed up on our list of largest outages in Europe with over 218k reports of issues with 1&1 and over 209k reports of issues with Deutsche Telekom when the two companies experienced service disruptions almost a week apart in late May.

Latin America feels pain from global social outages

Chart of Largest Outage in Latin America, Downdetector, Q1-Q3 2024

Latin America’s top three outages mirrored those in Europe with social media sites causing the most pain for users according to data from Downdetector. The March 5 Facebook outage was felt profoundly with almost 850k user reports on Downdetector in Latin America for issues related to Facebook and over 260k related to Instagram. WhatsApp had the second largest outage in the region with almost 420k user reports during the two hours the service was down on April 3.

Bait, a Mexican Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) owned by Walmart, suffered an outage on April 2 where almost 99k users reported issues to Downdetector. And on September 24, over 74k users reported issues with Brazilian fintech bank Nubank.

Middle East and Africa experience mix of local and global outages

Chart of Largest Outage in the Middle East and Africa, Downdetector, Q1-Q3 2024

Outage patterns in the Middle East and Africa differed from those in other regions with users reporting about as many issues with local sites and services as global ones. The two largest outages, Microsoft 365 on March 14 and Facebook on March 5, were part of global events.

The third largest outage in the region was with South African telecommunications provider Telkom. Almost 55k users across Africa reported issues to Downdetector when Telkom experienced an outage on May 13. MTN, Vodacom, and du are other telecom providers that made our list of top outages in the Middle East and Africa during Q1-Q3 2024.

United States and Canada

Chart of Largest Outage in U.S. and Canada, Downdetector, Q1-Q3 2024

As we saw with much of the rest of the world, Facebook topped the list of outages in the U.S. according to Downdetector with over 5.8 million users reporting issues with the service during its outage on March 5. The Crowdstrike and AT&T outages also hit the U.S. hard with almost 5 million and over 3.4 million user reports, respectively. Gaming sites and services and telecom providers filled out the rest of the list in the U.S.

Downdetector is your source for information about service disruptions, monitoring real-time performance for thousands of popular web services globally. Find Downdetector on the web or in the free Speedtest app for Android or iOS. We’ve recently introduced push notifications so you can learn about outages as soon as they happen. Businesses looking for early alerting on service issues may be interested in Downdetector ExplorerTM.

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.

Downdetector
Consumer

About the Author

Isla McKetta

Ookla Research™ Articles
| April 14, 2024

Early 5G Results for the Samsung Galaxy S24 Family: How do New S24 Models Stack up to Previous Generations and iPhone 15’s on 5G? 

Consumer

Consumers around the world eagerly awaited Samsung’s release of the latest line of its flagship Galaxy S series of smartphones on February 1, 2024. Was the wait worth it? In this article, we analyze how the Samsung Galaxy S24 family measures up against its predecessors in terms of 5G speed and latency during its first several weeks on the market (February 1 – March 24, 2024). 

With new chipsets and technologies alongside plenty of other cool new features in Galaxy S24 devices, we examined early results from Speedtest® users in 15 select countries around the world to see whether the Galaxy S24 lineup — comprising the S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra models — outpaced Samsung’s earlier S22 and S23 families for 5G performance. Additionally, we’ve compared the 5G speeds and latency of Apple’s iPhone 15 family — including the iPhone 15, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max — against Samsung’s offerings.

It’s important to note that device performance metrics can vary significantly from one country to another. Factors such as government and mobile operator investments in 5G infrastructure, spectrum allocations, and the extent of 5G network deployment all contribute to these variations.

Key takeaways:

  • The Samsung Galaxy S24 family showed a statistically significant lead for median 5G download speeds in seven out of 15 countries in this study. On the other hand, the Apple iPhone 15 family posted the fastest 5G speeds in only one country. It’s worth noting, however, that speed differences between Galaxy S24 devices and iPhone 15’s were relatively minor in some of the countries analyzed (see the charts below for details). 
  • The S24 family recorded the lowest median 5G multi-server latency in 10 of 15 countries, whereas iPhone 15 devices offered the highest median 5G latency in 10 markets.
  • Samsung Galaxy S22 models unsurprisingly offered the slowest median 5G download speeds in eight countries, while the Galaxy S23 family was slowest in four countries. 
  • Devices in the Galaxy S24 family experienced the fastest median 5G upload speed in 13 of the 15 countries examined for this analysis. However, upload speeds were much slower than 5G download speeds, ranging from 11.83 Mbps to Mbps to 66.52 Mbps, with median 5G upload speeds of 50 Mbps or better found in only three countries (South Korea, Qatar, and the U.A.E.). 

To learn more about what speeds mean in real-world terms, check out our article looking at how much speed users need for a variety of daily mobile activities.

Take me straight to the data!

Asia Pacific | Middle East & Africa | Europe | North America 

New chipsets and modems in the Galaxy S24 family 

Everyone wants to know if the newest technology is worth the upgrade when they’re investing in an expensive new smartphone. Each device within the Galaxy S24 family has various upgrades (including new AI features), but when it comes to features that impact speed and latency performance, here’s a look at the chipsets and modems for each line of smarthpones in our study:

  • Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra models use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset globally, while the S24 and S24+ use it only in Canada, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the United States. The Samsung Exynos 2400 is used elsewhere for the S24 & S24+.
  • The Galaxy S23 series uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 worldwide, while Samsung S22 models use an Exynos 2200 chipset in Europe and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 elsewhere. 
  • Galaxy S24 devices utilize the Snapdragon X75 5G modem, S23 models have a Qualcomm Snapdragon X70 modem, while S22 models have a Qualcomm Snapdragon X65 modem.
  • Apple iPhone 15 models use Apple’s A16 Bionic chipset, while iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models use the A 17 Pro chip. All devices in the Apple iPhone 15 family utilize Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X70 5G modem. 

Do you own one of these devices? See how your speeds compare by taking a quick Speedtest. And to learn more about mobile and fixed broadband performance in cities and regions across the world, visit the Speedtest Performance Directory™, where you’ll find ISP recommendations, insights on mobile and fixed broadband performance, and more. 

Digging into the Data: Where does the Samsung Galaxy S24 Family Lead its S22, S23, and iPhone 15 Counterparts Around the Globe? 

Early findings from Speedtest Intelligence® reveal that the latest Galaxy S24 family outperformed its predecessors — especially S22 models — in terms of 5G speed across several of the countries we analyzed. While differences in speed between devices were minimal in some countries, S24 models showed significant speed advantages over previous generation Samsung devices in markets like Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and others. 

Does that mean users in those locations should upgrade immediately? Not necessarily. The decision to upgrade depends on various factors, from price to features to performance and more. However, if speed is your primary concern, the Galaxy S24 series is a compelling option, especially for consumers currently utilizing devices from the Galaxy S22 lineup, which is now over two years old.

Read on to see our complete analysis of all 15 countries in this study or select a region below to dig into more localized results. 

Asia Pacific | Middle East & Africa | Europe | North America 

Asia Pacific

“> Chart of Samsung Galaxy S24 Family vs. Its Earlier Counterparts in Hong Kong
“> Chart of Samsung Galaxy S24 Family vs. Its Earlier Counterparts in India
“> Chart of Samsung Galaxy S24 Family vs. Its Earlier Counterparts in Indonesia
“> Chart of Samsung Galaxy S24 Family vs. Its Earlier Counterparts in Japan
“> Chart of Samsung Galaxy S24 Family vs. Its Earlier Counterparts in Philippines
“> Chart of Samsung Galaxy S24 Family vs. Its Earlier Counterparts in South Korea
“> Chart of Samsung Galaxy S24 Family vs. Its Earlier Counterparts in Thailand

Consumers in Hong Kong who want new features might want to upgrade

Speedtest Intelligence data revealed strong performance for all device families in Hong Kong, with the new Galaxy S24 family performing particularly well, boasting a median 5G download speed of 165.74 Mbps and the lowest median 5G multi-server latency in the market at 21.74 ms. However, the S24’s median 5G download speed was statistically comparable to that of its older Samsung and iPhone 15 peers, making the choice to upgrade currently more about new features than about performance.

Bottom line: With strong — and similar — 5G download speeds across all device families in Japan, upgrading to a new Galaxy device isn’t a must just yet, unless you want to enjoy the S24 family’s new features.

5G speeds were fast across the board in India, where the Samsung Galaxy 24 family held a slight edge 

In the early days following the release of the Galaxy S24 series in India, the latest Samsung models led for both 5G download speeds and 5G multi-server latency. While 5G speeds impressed across all device families in India — all notched speeds of at least 273.78 Mbps — Galaxy S24 models posted the top median 5G download speed at 302.43 Mbps and the lowest median 5G multi-server latency at 41.56 ms. On the other hand, Galaxy S22 devices showed the slowest — but still impressive — speeds in India at 273.78 Mbps, while the Samsung Galaxy S23 was just a tick behind at 279.93 Mbps. The iPhone 15 family, meanwhile, clocked in with a median 5G download speed of 285.78 Mbps.

Bottom line: Consumers in India currently using S22 devices might want to upgrade to an S24 model, given the nearly 30 Mbps speed advantage the new devices provided in this study. However, with excellent 5G speeds across all device families and similar speeds for devices in the S22, S23, and iPhone 15 families, users might not feel a huge difference in their 5G experience from one device to another. 

Samsung Galaxy enthusiasts in Indonesia needn’t rush to upgrade to an S24 device — yet

In contrast with what our results showed in most countries, the iPhone 15 family emerged as the leader in Indonesia with a median 5G download speed of 80.49 Mbps. All three Samsung Galaxy families trailed with speeds ranging from 55.61 Mbps for the S24 family to 69.24 Mbps for S23 models. While the iPhone 15 family’s 5G speed was nearly 25 Mbps faster than that of S24 devices, it’s worth noting that the difference among all three Samsung Galaxy models was only about 14 Mbps, and our results revealed no statistical difference in median 5G download speeds between the S22 and S23 families. 

Bottom line: Despite the iPhone 15 providing the top speeds in the market, the Galaxy S24 could hold greater long-term potential for consumers in Indonesia, especially when compared to older Samsung models. Equipped with a newer processor and modem, the S24 could see quicker speeds over time as Indonesia’s 5G networks evolve. In the meantime, users shouldn’t experience notable disparities in speed or latency among all three Samsung device families analyzed. 

No clear advantage to upgrading to a new Galaxy S24 in Japan

People in Japan who upgraded to a Galaxy S24 device likely haven’t seen a performance boost just yet. While all four device families performed similarly well in Japan, there was no statistical difference in the median 5G download speeds offered by all three Galaxy families, with speeds ranging from 110.48 Mbps to 118.93 Mbps across all three Galaxy devices. The iPhone 15 lineup also had a strong speed at 125.48 Mbps. 

Bottom line: With generally similar median 5G download speeds across all device families in Japan, users who are considering upgrading to a new Galaxy smartphone might want to wait. While we anticipate the S24’s speeds to surpass those of its predecessors over time, 5G speeds in the market were quite close across all three Galaxy device families in the early days of the S24’s release. 

For users in the Philippines who want the fastest 5G, Galaxy S22 users may want to upgrade. 

Samsung Galaxy S24 users in the Philippines might have noticed a modest improvement to their 5G speeds compared to those on older S23 and S22 models since they upgraded, as the Galaxy S24 family’s median 5G download speed of 157.38 Mbps was about 20 Mbps faster than that of Galaxy S22’s (137.68 Mbps) and a little over 15 Mbps faster than the Galaxy S23 family (140.06 Mbps). Meanwhile, the iPhone 15 family’s median 5G download speed of 120.04 Mbps trailed all three Samsung Galaxy families in the market.

Bottom line: For users in the Philippines seeking the fastest possible 5G experience, upgrading to an S24 device is worth considering. However, it’s worth noting that the differences in speed between devices wasn’t as stark as that in some other countries, and upgrading likely isn’t for everyone just yet.

Samsung Galaxy S24 and iPhone 15 much faster on 5G in South Korea than S22 devices 

In South Korea, home to the first widespread 5G launch in the world, our results reflected outstanding 5G speeds, with the iPhone 15 and Samsung Galaxy S24 families posting similar median 5G download speeds of 598.64 Mbps and 590.28 Mbps, respectively. The S22 family, meanwhile, offered the “slowest” 5G speeds in South Korea, posting an excellent median 5G download speed of 475.42 Mbps, while Galaxy S23 devices came in at 511.82 Mbps.

Bottom line: 5G users in South Korea can expect remarkable 5G speeds across the board, regardless of their device. However, Samsung Galaxy loyalists who currently use S22 models might want to consider moving to an S24 model, given that the S24 family was over 100 Mbps faster than Galaxy S22’s, while also offering the top median 5G upload speed in the market at 55.22 Mbps. For users who prioritize the fastest 5G experience, Galaxy S24’s and iPhone 15’s are both worth a look.

Samsung Galaxy S24 family provides top 5G download speeds in Thailand 

In Thailand, Speedtest Intelligence showed that the Galaxy S24 family delivered the fastest median 5G download speed in the market at 171.27 Mbps. That speed marks a notable improvement of roughly 35 Mbps over the S22’s 132.60 Mbps and the S23’s 135.55 Mbps. The Galaxy S24 family also offered the lowest median 5G multi-server latency in Thailand at 32.46 ms. The iPhone 15 family provided the second-fastest median 5G download speed in the market at 147.53 Mbps.

Bottom line: If you’re thinking of upgrading from an S22 or S23 device, our findings suggest that the Galaxy S24 might be the right choice. With faster 5G speeds compared to previous generations, coupled with low latency, smartphones in the Galaxy S24 family should allow for quick content downloads and smooth connectivity overall.

Middle East and Africa 

“> Chart of Samsung Galaxy S24 Family vs. Its Earlier Counterparts in Nigeria
“> Chart of Samsung Galaxy S24 Family vs. Its Earlier Counterparts in Qatar
“> Chart of Samsung Galaxy S24 Family vs. Its Earlier Counterparts in U.A.E.

Excellent 5G speeds in Nigeria, but too soon to tell if you should upgrade for performance 

In Nigeria, 5G speeds were impressive overall, from the Galaxy S23 family’s median 5G download speed of 281.67 Mbps to the new Galaxy S24’s speed of 383.97 Mbps. However, in these early days of the S24 lineup’s release, we are still waiting to see how things stabilize in the market before we can make a firm recommendation on whether to upgrade. 

Bottom line: For users who like to have the latest gear and/or want the new features offered by the S24 lineup, upgrading is certainly worth considering. But with fast 5G speeds in general, users on any of the device families we looked at should see a quick download experience in general. 

Samsung Galaxy S24 by far the fastest 5G in Qatar 

Home to some of the fastest 5G speeds in the world, Qatar showcased impressive median 5G download speeds across all three device families analyzed. The Galaxy S24 family led the pack with a jaw-dropping median 5G download speed of 971.49 Mbps and the top median 5G upload speed in the market at 66.52 Mbps. The Galaxy S22 and S23 families trailed, albeit with great median 5G download speeds of 675.06 Mbps and 758.49 Mbps, respectively. The iPhone 15 family also had a strong showing in Qatar, posting a median 5G download speed of 788.97 Mbps. 

Bottom line: Consumers in Qatar with older Galaxy S22 or S23 devices might want to make the switch, given that the S24 family’s remarkable median 5G download speed of nearly 1 Gbps was much faster than those of either the Galaxy S23 or especially S22 families.

Galaxy S24 a good option for Samsung fans in the U.A.E.

In the U.A.E., which is home to outstanding 5G speeds in general, the Samsung Galaxy S24 and iPhone 15 families delivered the top median 5G download speeds in the market at 828.11 Mbps and 819.48 Mbps, respectively. When compared to its earlier generation Samsung predecessors, the S24 family held a commanding speed advantage, boasting speeds that were at least 170 Mbps higher than those of either the S22 (639.33 Mbps) or S23 (657.79 Mbps) families. 

Bottom line: With median 5G download speeds ranging from 639.33 Mbps to 828.11 Mbps, consumers in the U.A.E. will likely enjoy fantastic speeds regardless of device model. However, for current S22 or S23 users hoping to boost their speeds, the Galaxy S24 family stands out as a good choice.

Europe

“> Chart of Samsung Galaxy S24 Family vs. Its Earlier Counterparts in France
“> Chart of Samsung Galaxy S24 Family vs. Its Earlier Counterparts in Spain
“> Chart of Samsung Galaxy S24 Family vs. Its Earlier Counterparts in the U.K.

Galaxy 24 family clocked 5G speeds over 80 Mbps faster than those on S22 devices in France

In France, the Galaxy S24 family was the frontrunner, delivering the fastest median 5G download speed among all device families in the market at 292.15 Mbps. That marks a significant improvement of over 80 Mbps compared to the S22 family’s speed of 211.32 Mbps, along with a jump of more than 60 Mbps compared to the S23’s speed of 229.78 Mbps. Meanwhile, iPhone 15 users experienced the second-fastest median 5G download speed in the market at 257.15 Mbps, with 5G latency nearly identical to that of the S22 and S23 families.

Bottom line: For consumers currently using an S23 or especially an S22 model, upgrading to an S24 device is worth considering. Our results in France showed that the latest Samsung lineup delivered a superior 5G speed experience over older Galaxy models, especially those in the Galaxy S22 family.

Galaxy S24’s a good choice over S22 models in Spain

All four device families in Spain provided good 5G speeds, ranging from the S22’s median 5G download speed of 141.33 Mbps to the S24 family’s speed of 179.34 Mbps. While speeds recorded on S24, S23, and iPhone 15 devices were statistically similar, the difference in speed between the S24 and S22 was much starker, with the S24 nearly 40 Mbps faster than the S22. 

Bottom line: The decision to upgrade should be more straightforward for S22 users in Spain compared to those with S23 or iPhone 15 models, as the S24’s median 5G download speed of 179.34 Mbps was almost 40 Mbps faster than that of the S22 family. 

Samsung Galaxy S24 likely worth an upgrade from S22 in the U.K. 

In the U.K., Samsung Galaxy S24 models were the fastest in the market, with the S24’s median 5G download speed of 156.71 Mbps offering a speed gain of nearly 40 Mbps compared to the Galaxy S22 family. Galaxy S24 models also posted faster speeds than both the Galaxy S23 and iPhone 15 families, but the difference was less stark than it was with the S22 family, with Galaxy S22 models clocking in at 120.49 Mbps, Galaxy S23’s at 133.49 Mbps, and iPhone 15’s at 138.07 Mbps. 

Bottom line: U.K. consumers using either S22 or S23 models may want to look into upgrading to the S24 to enjoy faster speeds. That’s especially true for S22 users, given that the S24’s median 5G download speed was nearly 40 Mbps faster than that of S22 devices.

North America

“> Chart of Samsung Galaxy S24 Family vs. Its Earlier Counterparts in Mexico
“> Chart of Samsung Galaxy S24 Family vs. Its Earlier Counterparts in the United States

No major 5G speed boost for users in Mexico who upgraded to a Galaxy S24 

5G speeds in Mexico were impressive, with all device families posting median 5G download speeds of 176.53 Mbps or better. While Speedtest users of the Galaxy S24 family experienced the fastest median 5G download speed in the market at 197.42 Mbps, that speed marked only a modest improvement compared to Galaxy S22 devices (186.51 Mbps) and iPhone 15 models (193.73 Mbps). The Galaxy S23 family showed the slowest 5G speed in the market at 176.53 Mbps, coming in about 20 Mbps slower than Galaxy S24 models

Bottom line: For users eager to embrace the new features offered by Galaxy S24 devices or move on from S23 devices, an upgrade might be worthwhile. However, with fast 5G speeds across all device families in Mexico and only about 20 Mbps separating all four device families in our study, users likely won’t see a major change in their 5G experience by upgrading. 

Galaxy S22 users in the U.S. could get faster 5G with the S24 family. 

5G speeds in the U.S. had an impressive showing across the board, with median 5G download speeds of at least 232.46 Mbps across all device families. The Samsung Galaxy S24 family led the way with an excellent median 5G download speed of 306.90 Mbps and the lowest median 5G multi-server latency at 45.71 ms. Users of the Galaxy S24 family enjoyed speeds roughly 75 Mbps faster than those on S22 models (232.46 Mbps) and approximately 65 Mbps faster than those on S23 devices (241.60 Mbps). Meanwhile, the iPhone 15 family also offered a strong performance, with a median 5G download speed of 272.99 Mbps. 

Bottom line: Users of older Samsung device models in the United States may want to switch to one of the newer models to capitalize on the faster 5G speeds offered by S24 devices, though speeds were strong for all device families in this study. 

Ookla will continue monitoring how devices are performing 

We’ll continue to check in on device performance as new models enter the market, so stay tuned for further insights into mobile and fixed broadband performance in countries around the world. 

If you’ve recently made the switch to an S24 device, make sure you’re getting the speeds you need by downloading the iOS or Android Speedtest® app.

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.

Consumer
Devices
Hong Kong

About the Author

Dave Andersen

Ookla Research™ Articles
| July 29, 2024

Faster Speeds and the Promise of New Use Cases is Driving 5G SA Adoption

Hong Kong

The deployment of 5G networks is progressing as demand for faster and more reliable connectivity continues to grow. The standalone (SA) deployment model marks a significant milestone in the evolution of 5G, aiming to offer lower latency, increased bandwidth, and improved reliability compared to earlier network configurations. In this article, we use Ookla Speedtest Intelligence® data to track 5G SA deployments since Q2 2023, 5G SA service adoption, and examine its impact on network performance. We also highlight key regions and countries that made notable advancements in 5G SA infrastructure.

Key Takeaways:

  • India, the U.S., and Southeast Asia are at the forefront of 5G SA adoption. T-Mobile and SK Telekom were among the first to launch 5G SA in 2020, while Chinese operators and Jio in India lead in terms of active 5G SA users. Europe somewhat lags, with operators still hesitant due to the relatively low ROI on existing 5G investments and unclear business cases for 5G SA. However, Europe has the highest number of operators planning to launch it.
  • The U.A.E. and South Korea lead the world in 5G SA performance. 5G SA download speeds reached 879.89 Mbps and 729.89 Mbps, respectively. Their 5G SA upload speeds were also impressive, at 70.93 Mbps and 77.65 Mbps, respectively. This performance is a result of significant advancements made by local operators in deploying 5G SA and testing advanced features such as network slicing and mobile edge computing (MEC).
  • The change in speed of 5G SA varied widely between countries over a year. Speedtest Intelligence data shows that 5G SA performance declined in many countries between Q2 2023 and Q2 2024, primarily driven by increased user base and network traffic. Conversely, markets such as Canada and the U.S. improved their performance thanks to access to additional spectrum.

5G SA deployments are expected to increase this year as adoption gains momentum and ecosystem matures

Most existing 5G deployments use the non-standalone (NSA) model which uses the 4G core network. This model is faster to roll out, requires less investment, and maximizes existing network assets. Unlike 5G NSA, 5G SA uses a dedicated 5G core network, unlocking the full capabilities of 5G with better speed, latency, support for large numbers of devices, and more agile service creation. It also enables new features such as network slicing where an operator can dedicate a network segment to specific customers or use cases. Furthermore, the core network functions provided by a cloud-native architecture enable more scalability and automation than physical or virtualized architectures. However, this comes with higher infrastructure complexity, investment as well as staff training costs.  Many operators use NSA as a stepping stone towards SA, with a few exceptions, such as DISH in the U.S. and Jio in India, which adopted SA from the outset. Other scenarios for deploying 5G SA include an overlay for a public 5G NSA network or as a private network for enterprise use cases. 

The Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) identified 130 operators that had invested in public 5G SA networks as of the end of June 2024. 5G SA represented more than 37% of the 614 operators known to have invested in 5G either through trials or deployments. The GSA reported 1,535 commercially available devices, including handsets and fixed wireless access (FWA) customer premises equipment (CPEs), that support 5G SA, demonstrating the growing maturity of the device ecosystem. 

However, only 11 new 5G SA deployments in nine countries were recorded (out of 46 new 5G networks launched in 32 countries) in 2023, according to Analysys Mason, showing a slowdown in deployments. We expect the pace of 5G SA launches to accelerate in 2024 and beyond supported by the growing device ecosystem and commercial appetite for new 5G use cases. 

To identify where 5G SA access has been activated and the network expanded between Q2 2023 and Q2 2024, we used Speedtest Intelligence® data to identify devices that connect to 5G SA. The maps below confirm that the number of 5G SA samples increased year-on-year and that coverage has expanded beyond urban centers. However, mobile subscribers in most of Africa, Europe, Central Asia, and Latin America have yet to experience 5G SA.

Speedtest Samples That Use 5G Standalone

In the following sections, we examine the year-on-year changes in 5G SA performance across different regions and identify which countries are leading in the Developed Asia Pacific, the Americas, Emerging Asia Pacific, and Europe.

The developed Asia-Pacific (DVAP) region is at the forefront of 5G SA launches

Operators in this region boast 5G SA networks, with launches happening as early as 2020. Strong government support, operators’ technology leadership, and a high consumer appetite for high-speed internet services drove this rapid adoption.

South Korea is considered a pioneer in the adoption and deployment of 5G technology, with SK Telecom deploying one of the first 5G SA services in H1 2020, and supporting advanced features such as network slicing and mobile edge computing (MEC). Speedtest Intelligence data shows that the country led the region in download and upload speeds in Q2 2024. South Korea has one of the highest median speeds among the countries analyzed at 729.89 Mbps (download) and 77.65 Mbps (upload). The other top-performing country is the U.A.E with a median download speed of 879.89 Mbps and a median upload speed of 70.93 Mbps. 

All three service providers in Singapore commercialized 5G SA services, covering more than 95% of the country. Users experienced excellent download speed with a median value of 481.96 Mbps. However, Singapore lagged in upload speed with a median value of 32.09 Mbps.

Macau and Japan are second and third in the region with median download speeds of 404.22 Mbps and 272.73 Mbps, respectively. Mainland China followed with a median speed of 236.95 Mbps. Policies and initiatives such as network-sharing agreements and government subsidies supported 5G growth.

In Australia, TPG Telecom launched its 5G SA network in November 2021, following Telstra’s announcement in May 2020. However, the country lagged behind its regional peers with median download speeds and upload speeds of 146.68 Mbps and 17.69 Mbps, respectively.

The performance of most reviewed DVAP countries remained largely stable or slightly declined between Q2 2023 and Q2 2024. The only two exceptions are South Korea and Australia where performance improved by 12% and 18%, respectively. The most substantial declines were observed in upload speeds, while South Korea stood out with a 17% boost in performance.

5G Standalone Network Performance, Select Countries in Developed Asia Pacific
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | Q2 2023 – Q2 2024
5G Standalone Network Performance, Select Countries in Developed Asia Pacific

T-Mobile and DISH Push 5G SA Coverage in the U.S.

In the U.S., T-Mobile launched its 5G Standalone (SA) network over 600 MHz spectrum in August 2020, becoming one of the first operators in the world to do so. This was followed by a faster service over 2.5 GHz mid-band spectrum in November 2022 which helped the operator to maintain its national lead in 5G performance. On the other hand, Verizon extensively tested 5G SA in 2023 but so far has been slow to deploy a nationwide SA network. DISH, another notable 5G SA operator, pioneered a cloud-native Open RAN-based 5G SA network in June 2023 and expanded coverage to 73% of the population by the end of that year. In Canada, Rogers Wireless launched the first 5G SA at the beginning of 2021, a year after introducing 5G NSA. 

In Brazil, the median download and upload speeds reached 474.65 Mbps and 32.36 Mbps in Q2 2024, respectively, exceeding those in Canada and the U.S. The main operators in Brazil, Claro, Telefonica (Vivo), and TIM have launched 5G SA over the 3.5 GHz band, making the service available to a large proportion of the population.

While download and upload speed improved in Canada and the U.S. between Q2 2023 and Q2 2024, according to Speedtest Intelligence, it declined in Brazil. The deployment of C-band has likely helped to increase download speed in both Canada and the U.S.

5G Standalone Network Performance, Select Countries in the Americas
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | Q2 2023 – Q2 2024
5G Standalone Network Performance, Select Countries in the Americas

India leads in the Emerging Asian Pacific (EMAP) region with fast expansion to 5G SA network

India is at the forefront of the Emerging Asian Pacific region’s rapid 5G Standalone (SA) network expansion. However, according to Ookla’s Speedtest data for Q2 2024, the Philippines surpasses both India and Thailand with a median 5G SA download speed of 375.40 Mbps. Globe, the first mobile operator to introduce 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) in the Philippines, expanded its 5G outdoor coverage to 97.44% of the capital by the end of H1 2023. The company also launched 5G SA private networks in 2023, along with network slicing.

India follows closely behind the Philippines, with a median download speed of just under 300 Mbps. Jio has been a leader in enhancing 5G SA coverage since its launch in October 2022, while Bharti Airtel initially opted for NSA, with plans to transition to full 5G SA. 

Jio’s rapid coverage expansion and high throughput are supported by its access to mid-band (3.5 GHz) and low-band (700 MHz) frequencies. Additionally, all new 5G handsets released in India are SA-compatible, boosting the adoption of 5G SA services, and more than 90% of them support carrier aggregation and Voice over New Radio (VoNR). 

Thailand lags behind in median download speed for Q2 2024 but outperforms India and the Philippines in upload speed. It was among the first countries in the region to introduce 5G services, with operators quickly expanding coverage to reach over 80% of the population. AIS, the leading operator in Thailand, launched 5G NSA services in February 2020 using 700 MHz, 2.6 GHz, and 26 GHz bandwidths, followed by 5G SA in July 2020. The operator enabled VoNR in 2021. 

Unlike the DVAP region, countries in EMAP have experienced a more substantial decline in 5G SA network performance compared to Q2 2023. The rapid coverage expansion and adoption have likely increased the load on 5G SA infrastructure, putting pressure on the operators to scale up network capacity in the future to at least maintain a similar performance level.

5G Standalone Network Performance, Select Countries in Emerging Asia Pacific
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | Q2 2023 – Q2 2024
5G Standalone Network Performance, Select Countries in Emerging Asia Pacific

Europe is home to the highest number of operators looking to deploy 5G SA

A growing number of European operators are offering or planning to offer 5G SA, driven by a maturing device ecosystem. However, many remain hesitant due to cost and the need to demonstrate clear business cases for 5G SA. GSMA Intelligence reports that Europe has the highest number of planned 5G SA launches, with 45 operators planning to deploy it as of Q1 2024.

Elisa in Finland was one of the first operators in the region to launch 5G SA in November 2021. Other notable examples of SA implementations include Vodafone in Germany (April 2021) and the UK (June 2023), Bouygues Telecom (2022) in France, Three in Austria, Wind Tre in Italy (both in 2022), Orange and Telefónica in Spain, and TDC Denmark in 2023. 

The recent 5G SA launch in Spain may explain why that country saw such high speeds, with Speedtest Intelligence reporting download and upload speeds of 614.91 Mbps and 56.93 Mbps, respectively, in Q2 2023. However, Spain experienced a significant drop in performance in 2024, with speeds falling to 427.64 Mbps (download) and 30.55 Mbps (upload). Despite this decline, Spain continued to outperform the UK and Germany.

5G Standalone Network Performance, Select Countries in Europe
Source: Speedtest Intelligence® | Q2 2023 – Q2 2024
5G Standalone Network Performance, Select Countries in Europe

While 5G SA deployments appear to have slowed in 2023 compared to previous years, we expect momentum to increase from 2024 due to rising enterprise demand for private networks and interest in network slicing, as well as consumer demand for immersive gaming and VR applications.  The ecosystem’s maturity and the availability of more network equipment and devices supporting 5G SA will also stimulate the market. According to the GSA, 21% of operators worldwide investing in 5G have included 5G SA in their plans.

Interestingly, the growing popularity and adoption of 5G SA have impacted its performance, with many markets seeing some degradation compared to 2023, according to Speedtest Intelligence.  Nonetheless, 5G SA still offers a markedly faster download speed than 5G NSA. Beyond speed, 5G SA promises new capabilities, such as network slicing, that have started to emerge in the most advanced markets but will take time to become a reality for most consumers and enterprises worldwide.

We will continue to track the deployments of 5G SA and monitor their impact on network global performance. For more information about Speedtest Intelligence data and insights, please contact us.

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

Hong Kong
macau

About the Author

Karim Yaici

Ookla Research™ Articles
| June 24, 2024

How Much Faster is 5G Anyway? An Analysis of Page Load Speed

Consumer

There’s nothing quite like picking up your phone for a little “me” time only to open up that first web page… and wait for it to load. Maybe the images aren’t there yet or the content jumps around while the ads load — it’s the worst. 5G is meant to help, so we dug into Speedtest® quality of experience data to see if this newer technology is living up to its promise. Read on for an analysis of page load speed (how many milliseconds it takes for a page to load) on three popular services in nine major countries around the world during Q1 2024.

Click the country below to go directly to that section or read on for the full article:

Brazil | Canada | France | India 

Mexico | Nigeria 

South Africa | Spain | United States

Page speed relies on low latency for the best internet experience

Page load speed is a critical measure of your web browsing experience. It measures how long it takes for a page to load, fully displaying the content on that page. This is directly impacted by latency, which is how quickly your device gets a response after you’ve sent out a request. A typical request on the internet requires two to five round trip communications between various entities over different latency sensitive protocols.

One of the promises of 5G is lower latency, which should lead to a faster (lower) page load speed on any page. The Speedtest Global IndexTM reported the global average for mobile latency as 27 milliseconds (0.027 seconds) with fixed broadband at 9 ms (0.009 s) in May 2024. As seen in the video below, it can take 7x longer to load a full webpage when latency is high, and “40% of users will abandon a site if it takes more than 3 seconds to load,” according to one source. Read more about the importance of latency to quality of experience.

5G lived up to the latency promise, showing a faster page load speed than 4G on all services in all countries we surveyed. However, the improvement was not the same in all places, with Canada topping the list of fastest page load speed over 5G on all the services we surveyed while South Africa had the slowest 5G page load speed on Google and YouTube of countries reviewed here. Read on for details.

5G loads 20-30% faster than 4G in Brazil

Chart of 5G vs. 4G Page Load Speed in Brazil

Speedtest data shows that 5G delivered a much lower page load speed than 4G on all three services in Brazil during Q1 2024. Google loaded 20% faster on 5G than 4G, YouTube was 25% faster, and Facebook was 30% faster on 5G.

Canada’s 5G page load speed among the fastest on all 3 services

Chart of 5G vs. 4G Page Load Speed in Canada

As mentioned, Canada’s 5G page load speed was the fastest or among the fastest for all countries analyzed in this article, with Canada having the fastest page load speed on Facebook, Google, and YouTube. Our analysis demonstrated that 5G delivered a decently faster page load speed than 4G on all three services in Canada during Q1 2024. YouTube loaded 16% faster on 5G than 4G, Google was 18% faster, and Facebook was 23% faster on 5G.

French 5G loads 14-20% faster than 4G

Chart of 5G vs. 4G Page Load Speed in France

Speedtest data shows 5G page load speed on all three services was decently faster than on 4G in France during Q1 2024. YouTube loaded 14% faster on 5G than 4G, Facebook was 19%, and Google was 20% faster on 5G.

5G loads 23-33% faster than 4G in India

Chart of 5G vs. 4G Page Load Speed in India

Analysis of Speedtest data shows the page load speed on all three services was much lower on 5G than 4G in India during Q1 2024. Google loaded 23% faster on 5G than 4G, YouTube was 32% faster, and Facebook was 33% faster on 5G. India and Mexico had the slowest page load speeds for Facebook over 5G of any of the countries we looked at.

Mexican 5G loads 26-28% faster than 4G

Chart of 5G vs. 4G Page Load Speed in Mexico

Speedtest data shows 5G delivered a much lower page load speed than 4G on all three services in Mexico during Q1 2024. Google and Facebook loaded 26% faster on 5G than 4G and YouTube was 28% faster on 5G. Mexico and India had the slowest 5G page load speeds for Facebook among the countries examined.

5G loads up to 47% faster than 4G in Nigeria

Chart of 5G vs. 4G Page Load Speed in Nigeria

Our analysis revealed 5G delivered a much lower page load speed than 4G on all three services in Nigeria during Q1 2024. Google loaded 24% faster on 5G than 4G, YouTube was 27% faster, and Facebook was a whopping 47% faster on 5G.

South Africans see 22-36% faster 5G page load over 4G, but slow Google and YouTube

Chart of 5G vs. 4G Page Load Speed in South Africa

Speedtest data shows 5G delivered a much lower page load speed than 4G on all three services in South Africa during Q1 2024. Google loaded 22% faster on 5G than 4G, YouTube was 27% faster, and Facebook was 36% faster on 5G. South Africa had the slowest 5G page load speed for both Google and YouTube of any of the countries analyzed.

5G loads 11-15% faster than 4G in Spain

Chart of 5G vs. 4G Page Load Speed in Spain

5G page load speed in Spain was somewhat faster than 4G on all three services during Q1 2024. YouTube loaded 11% faster on 5G than 4G, Google was 14% faster than 4G, and Facebook was 15% faster on 5G.

U.S. 5G loads 21-26% faster than 4G

Chart of 5G vs. 4G Page Load Speed in United States

Speedtest data from the U.S. shows 5G delivered a much lower page load speed than 4G on all three services during Q1 2024. Google loaded 21% faster on 5G than 4G, YouTube was 22% faster, and Facebook was 26% faster on 5G.

Your time is valuable. Our data shows that you can get some of that important time back if you have access to 5G and can afford to upgrade. To learn more about your network experience, download the Speedtest app for Android or iOS. Remember, too, that there’s a Downdetector® tab in the Speedtest apps to help you troubleshoot pages that aren’t loading at all.

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.

Consumer

About the Author

Isla McKetta

Ookla Research™ Articles
| June 17, 2024

Your Guide to Airport Wi-Fi and Mobile Performance at 50+ Global Airports in 2024

Consumer

Airports around the world have been packed with travelers this year, which puts extra stress on the Wi-Fi. With summer travel already well in swing in the northern hemisphere, we’re back with fresh data for our series on airport Wi-Fi performance to help you plan for connectivity at all your connections. You’ll find information about Wi-Fi on free networks provided by the individual airports as well as mobile speeds at some of the busiest airports in the world during Q1 2024. Read on for a look at internet performance at over 50 of the world’s busiest airports with data on download speed, upload speed, and latency.

Key takeaways

  • The seven fastest airports for downloads over Wi-Fi were in the United States: San Francisco International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, and Harry Reid International Airport.
  • Six U.S. airports had the fastest uploads over Wi-Fi: San Francisco International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, and John F. Kennedy International Airport.
  • The fastest mobile download speeds on our list were at Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport in China, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in the U.S.
  • Eight of the 10 airports with the fastest mobile upload speeds were in China.

9 airports have 100+ Mbps Wi-Fi download speeds

Speedtest Intelligence® showed seven of the nine airports with median Wi-Fi download speeds over 100 Mbps were in the U.S.:

  • San Francisco International Airport (173.55 Mbps),
  • Newark Liberty International Airport (166.51 Mbps),
  • John F. Kennedy International Airport (151.59 Mbps),
  • Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (151.28 Mbps),
  • Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (137.31 Mbps),
  • Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (119.92 Mbps), and
  • Harry Reid International Airport (107.84 Mbps).

Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France and China’s Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport rounded out the list with median download speeds of 107.13 Mbps and 101.01 Mbps, respectively. Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Sea–Tac had the lowest median multi-server latency on Wi-Fi of any of the airports surveyed during Q1 2024.

Hover on the pins on the map below to see full details for download and upload speeds as well as latency at all the airports analyzed.

Fixed Broadband Internet Speeds Over Free Wi-Fi at Global Airports
Speedtest Intelligence® | Q1 2024
A map showing fixed broadband speeds in selected global airports.

At Ookla®, we’re dedicated to making sure the networks you depend on are always at their best. With Ekahau®, our Wi-Fi solution, we know firsthand just how challenging it can be to optimize Wi-Fi at airports, especially when you have up to 900 people waiting at each boarding gate during the busiest travel times. While the speeds achieved by these top airports are impressive, we saw two smaller U.S. airports with median Wi-Fi download speeds over 200 Mbps during our U.S.-only analysis of airport Wi-Fi in the fall.

Six airports on our list use multiple SSIDs for their Wi-Fi networks for different terminals or to take advantage of the coverage advantages of 2.4 GHz and the speed advantages of 5 GHz frequencies. We have included data for all the SSIDs with sufficient samples in the map and reported in the text on the best result when using multiple SSIDs results in dramatically different speeds.

Eighteen airports on our list had median Wi-Fi download speeds of less than 25 Mbps. Mexico City International Airport in Mexico had the lowest median Wi-Fi download speed at 5.11 Mbps, followed by:

  • Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Vietnam (7.07 Mbps),
  • Beijing Capital International Airport in China (9.45 Mbps),
  • Cairo International Airport in Egypt (10.62 Mbps), and
  • Tokyo Haneda Airport in Japan (11.37 Mbps).

You may struggle with everything from video chatting to streaming at any airport with a download speed below 25 Mbps. Latency is also a factor in performance so if your airport is one of the three with a median Wi-Fi latency over 60 ms, a mobile hotspot may be a better option for a stable connection.

Wi-Fi 6 has arrived

Our analysis shows at least 15 airports on our list were using the new Wi-Fi 6 standard in their Wi-Fi setup. Wi-Fi 6 uses Multi-User Multiple Input, Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) to increase performance and throughput, especially when serving multiple devices. This offers a real advantage at a large public location like an airport. In order to get maximum benefit from Wi-Fi 6, consumers would need to be using Wi-Fi 6-compatible devices. Speedtest data shows a fairly even split between airports that saw faster download speeds on Wi-Fi 6 and airports where Wi-Fi 6 results were comparable to those on other earlier Wi-Fi generations.

As you know, international travel can be complicated. Even if the airport offers free Wi-Fi, you may encounter other barriers to access. For example, a local number is required in Cairo to receive the access code to connect to the airport Wi-Fi. And while we’d love to include other large airports like Nigeria’s Murtala Muhammed International Airport in future Wi-Fi analyses, they currently do not offer free Wi-Fi so we have included mobile data below.

11 airports show mobile speeds over 200 Mbps

Speedtest® data shows mobile speeds massively outpaced Wi-Fi, with 14 airports showing faster median downloads over mobile than the fastest airport for Wi-Fi. Hamad International Airport in Qatar had the fastest median download speed over mobile on our list at 442.49 Mbps during Q1 2024, followed by:

  • Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (341.19 Mbps),
  • Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (295.94 Mbps),
  • Shanghai Pudong International Airport (264.71 Mbps),
  • Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport (258.42 Mbps), and
  • Istanbul Airport (255.51 Mbps).

Mobile Network Speeds at Global Airports
Speedtest Intelligence® | Q1 2024

Fastest mobile speeds at airports in Africa and South America

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Kenya had the fastest mobile download speeds of the four African airports we analyzed at 88.12 Mbps during Q1 2024. São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport in Brazil was the faster of the two Latin American airports analyzed with a median download speed of 55.44 Mbps.

Airports with slow mobile speeds

Mobile can’t fix everything, because six airports came in with a median mobile download speed below 25 Mbps. Mexico City International Airport was again at the bottom with 8.75 Mbps, followed by:

  • Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport (15.21 Mbps),
  • Orlando International Airport (15.84 Mbps),
  • Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (20.37 Mbps),
  • Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (20.96 Mbps), and
  • Indira Gandhi International Airport (21.80 Mbps).

Latency on mobile was generally higher than that on Wi-Fi with 46 airports showing a Wi-Fi latency lower than the lowest latency on mobile, 27.51 ms at China’s Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. As noted above, latency is an important factor in performance, so it might be worth investigating the airport Wi-Fi by running a Speedtest if your mobile performance seems to lag.

Airport Wi-Fi or mobile? Connecting on your next trip

We created a quick guide to help you decide whether to try out the Wi-Fi or simply use the local mobile network if you have access. Use it to compare free airport Wi-Fi performance against mobile performance for the 52 airports we have both Wi-Fi and mobile data for during Q1 2024. Twenty-six airports had faster mobile internet than airport Wi-Fi. Eight airports had faster Wi-Fi than mobile, and seven airports showed only a slight distinction between Wi-Fi and mobile or download speeds over 100 Mbps on both, so we gave both the green check marks. We were able to include more airports in the mobile analysis because there were more mobile samples to analyze at those airports than there were samples over Wi-Fi.

Chart of Comparing Airport Wi-Fi and Mobile Speeds at World Airports

The averages reported here are based on real-world data, so your experience may differ, especially on a busy travel day. Take a Speedtest® at the airport to see how your performance compares. Cheers to safe travels and rapid connections wherever you’re flying.

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.

Consumer

About the Author

Isla McKetta

Ookla Research™ Articles
| March 31, 2024

India's 5G Driving Improved Consumer Experience as Adoption Increases

India launched its first 5G network in October 2022, marking one of the most rapid nationwide 5G network deployments in the world. Moreover, India’s 5G network ranks among the top-performing networks globally. This article will analyze India’s 5G performance and evaluate whether the user experience has improved since the launch of 5G.

Key Takeaways

  • India ranked 14th globally in 5G median download speeds with 301.86 Mbps based on Q4 2023 data. Thanks to Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel’s large-scale and swift deployment across the nation, India reached the top 15 markets with the fastest reported 5G median download speeds globally.
  • India’s country-wide 5G Availability increased throughout in 2023. 5G Availability improved from 28.1% in Q1 to 52.0% in Q4 2023, representing a 23.9 percentage point increase within a year. Reliance Jio’s 5G availability rate during Q4 2023 was 68.8%, 38.5 percentage points higher than Airtel’s 30.4%. 
  • India’s 5G network offers a superior experience in video streaming and mobile gaming compared to the existing 4G-LTE. Reliance Jio and Airtel’s 5G networks have improved video start times and reduced buffering compared to 4G LTE, clocking 5G video start times of 1.14 seconds and 1.29 seconds, respectively. In contrast, Reliance Jio’s 4G LTE video start time was 1.99 seconds and 1.73 seconds for Airtel. Mobile gamers also experienced improved median latency, with 77 ms and 92 ms for Reliance Jio and Airtel, respectively.
  • 5G Net Promoter Scores (NPS) in India continue to surpass those of 4G LTE. Operators’ 5G NPS continue to score positively compared to 4G, driven by improved performance. Reliance Jio and Airtel scored positively in their 5G NPS in Q4 2023, with similar NPS of 7.4 and 7.5, respectively. Both operators showed higher NPS on 5G compared to 4G LTE, with Reliance Jio seeing an uplift of 41.2 points on 5G compared to Airtel’s 37.6. 

Rapid and large-scale deployment boosts India’s 5G performance ranking 

The two largest operators in India, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, have been the primary drivers of the 5G rollout in the country, making significant efforts to provide 5G coverage across the nation through rapid deployment. By the end of December 2023, India had more than four hundred thousand 5G base stations (BTSs) deployed nationwide, an increase of 7.7 times from January 2023, making it one of the fastest countries to roll out 5G globally. Ericsson forecasted that the number of 5G subscribers in India reached 130 million at the end of December 2023, compared to just over 10 million recorded at the close of 2022.

The large-scale and rapid deployment of the 5G network in India has been paying off by elevating India’s position in the list of countries providing the fastest 5G median download speed. Speedtest Intelligence® data shows that in Q4 2023, India was in the top 15 countries with the fastest 5G median download speeds globally, sitting in the 14th spot.

Chart of Median 5G Performance in Select Countries

The data shows that in Q4 2023, India recorded a 5G median download speed of 301.86 Mbps, slightly below Bulgaria’s speed of 306.44 Mbps. The GCC countries of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar led the fastest 5G markets globally during the period, with speeds of 654.59 Mbps and 516.79 Mbps, respectively. South Korea was the fastest Asia Pacific country, coming in third overall with a speed of 485.25 Mbps.

Median 5G download speed is 18 times that of 4G

India is a “mobile-first” market, with its mobile users consuming the highest data amount per smartphone globally. The average data traffic per smartphone in India is expected to increase further from 31 GB per month in 2023 to around 75 GB per month by 2029. Currently, 4G is the dominant mobile technology driving the demand for data. As more consumers adopt 5G, the preferred technology will gradually shift.

While the current 4G network in India may serve the daily connectivity needs of most mobile users, 5G technology offers a considerable performance uplift that can improve the user experience. When we compare 5G and 4G performance in India for Q4 2023, the 5G median download speed of 301.86 Mbps was 18 times faster than the 4G median download speed of 16.05 Mbps. Similarly, the 5G median upload speed (16.05 Mbps) was 5 times faster than 4G’s upload speed of 3.59 Mbps during the same period.

Chart of 4G and 5G Performance Comparison in India

While median 5G speed is a valuable measure to gauge the midpoint of the user experience on 5G networks, it does not provide a complete picture of the actual improvement over 4G. To further demonstrate the performance gap between 4G and 5G, we compared 4G median download speeds against the lower 10% of 5G speeds.

Chart of Comparison Trend Between 5G Lower 10% Against 4G Median Download Speed in India

Between Q4 2022 and Q4 2023, Speedtest Intelligence data revealed that users experiencing “slower” 5G speeds (i.e., speeds that fall in the lower 10% of 5G download speed samples) consistently had better speeds than the median download speed of 4G. 5G download speeds in the 10th percentile were more than twice that of the reported 4G median download speeds. In Q4 2023, the median download speed for 4G users was 16.05 Mbps, while the lower 10% of 5G users experienced speeds that were 2.4 times faster, at 38.21 Mbps or slower. 4G users migrating to 5G will notice the difference in performance, especially as they start to consume more data-intensive mobile applications and content.

5G Availability is rising, with Reliance Jio leading the way

In our previous report, we discussed the strategies of Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel in expanding their 5G networks across India. Both operators have invested heavily in the rollout to make their networks available nationwide. Reliance Jio, the largest telecom operator in India, has implemented a 5G Standalone (5G SA) network for its 5G network from the beginning. On the other hand, Bharti Airtel has chosen to use a Non-Standalone (NSA) architecture for its 5G rollout at launch. For now, Airtel plans to employ 5G SA for fixed wireless access (FWA) services as traffic increases and eventually shift to a full 5G SA network in the long term. 

Ookla’s 5G Availability data from Speedtest Intelligence represents the percentage of 5G-active devices that spend the majority of their time connected to 5G networks. 5G Availability in India showed improvement throughout 2023, starting at 28.1% in Q1 2023 and rising to 52.0% in Q4 2023, representing a 23.9 percentage point increase within a year.

Chart of 5G Availability Trend in India

One of the main reasons for the increase in 5G Availability in India is the significant growth in 5G-capable smartphones. According to Counterpoint Research, India’s 5G smartphone shipment share crossed 52% in 2023, growing 66% year-on-year. The introduction of more affordable 5G-capable devices in the market has helped boost 5G adoption in the country. Canalys reported that in Q4 2023, devices in the US$100 to US$199 segment witnessed a growth of 168% in the country.

Using Speedtest Intelligence, we compared 5G Availability between these two operators during Q4 2023. Reliance Jio had the highest 5G Availability among the two at 68.8% during that period, ahead of Airtel, which reported 5G Availability of 30.3%. By leveraging a combination of low-band (700 MHz) and mid-band (3.5 GHz) spectrum, along with its extensive fiber network, Reliance Jio can provide its subscribers with a balance between coverage and performance.

Chart of 5G Availability by Providers in India

5G delivers improved video streaming experiences

While the operators are keen to grow their customer bases and prioritize migration toward higher-value post-paid subscribers, translating 5G performance gains into discernible improvements for the end-user experience is vital. Speedtest Intelligence Quality of experience (QoE) measurements provide valuable insights into consumers’ real-life connectivity and quality of experience across various services like web browsing, video streaming, gaming, and video conferencing. 

Network operators in India are actively working to enhance the value of consumer mobile subscriptions by focusing on video content delivery, just like other operators worldwide. The emergence of over-the-top (OTT) platforms has significantly changed the way Indian audiences watch videos, movies, and TV shows, thanks to the vast range of local content available. Ormax Media reported that India’s audience for OTT platforms is on a steady rise, reaching 481 million users in 2023, marking a 13.5% YoY increase from the previous year’s 424 million.

The video adaptive start time metric from Video Analytics in Speedtest Intelligence measures the time spent waiting for the video to start playing in the adaptive bitrate stage of the test, providing insight into consumers’ video streaming experience. 

Based on Q4 2023 data, the results showed that Reliance Jio and Airtel’s 5G networks offered faster video start times for customers than their 4G LTE networks. Reliance Jio’s 5G network reported a quicker video start time of 1.14 seconds than Airtel’s 5G network, which was 1.99 seconds. Reliance Jio’s customers experienced a more noticeable decrease in video start time from 4G to 5G, with a reduction of 0.85 seconds. Airtel’s consumers showed a slightly smaller improvement, with a difference of 0.44 seconds from 4G to 5G.

Chart of Video Adaptive Start Time in India

Mobile gaming benefits from 5G lower latency

The Indian online gaming industry has grown significantly at a CAGR of 28% over the last three years, reaching INR164 billion (US$1.9 billion) in 2023. India also boasts a substantial gaming community, with an estimated 425 million gamers in 2023, making it second only to China in terms of the world’s largest gaming community. Mobile gaming dominates India’s online gaming market, with an overwhelming 94% of the total gamer base actively engaging in mobile gaming experiences.

With such a large mobile gaming segment in India, 5G is expected to improve the gaming experience on mobile devices, further increasing its popularity. Boasting lower latency and improved throughput than previous mobile technologies, 5G allows for a better user experience, particularly for online gaming and cloud gaming services. 

Game Latency is a measure of lag time to popular gaming server locations. Latency affects a gamer’s reaction time and is essential in games that require quick reaction time. Based on Ookla’s Q4 2023 data, Reliance Jio had a lower latency of 77 ms on 5G compared to Airtel’s 92 ms. Both operators experienced better latency on 5G compared to 4G LTE. Reliance Jio’s latency improved by 29% on 5G compared to 4G (109 ms), whereas Airtel’s users experienced around a 15% improvement on 5G than 4G (108 ms).

Chart of Mobile Gaming Latency in India

Consumer sentiment towards 5G is positive but declining 

Network performance, availability, and quality are all factors that can impact a customer’s overall satisfaction with their service provider. Ookla measures Net Promoter Score (NPS), a gauge of customer satisfaction and loyalty. After completing a Speedtest, users are asked to rate the likelihood of recommending their service provider to friends or family on a 0-10 scale. These ratings are categorized into Detractors (score 0-6), Passives (score 7-8), and Promoters (score 9-10). NPS represents the percentage of Promoters minus the percent of Detractors displayed from -100 to 100. A score above 0 indicates that a provider’s audience is more loyal than not. 

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 5G NPS scores are on the positive end of the scale as opposed to scores for 4G. However, our data shows that, for all operators combined, 5G NPS in India has been decreasing quarterly. The difference in terms of uplift that 5G brings over 4G NPS score has decreased from 59.7 in Q4 2022 to 37.9 in Q4

Chart of Quarterly Net Promoter Score (NPS) in India

While it can be difficult to pinpoint the reasons behind 5G NPS declines, network performance isn’t the only factor that plays a role. Other factors can include customer care, pricing, and quality of other services. It’s also important to remember that as 5G scales in many of these early launch markets, the profile of 5G users is also changing from predominantly urban-based users to more of a mix of urban, suburban, and rural users, which brings additional coverage and performance challenges for network operators.

When comparing the 5G NPS scores of the two 5G operators in India, Ookla’s Speedtest Intelligence data shows that in Q4 2023, NPS for 5G users for both operators were similar, at 7.4 for Reliance Jio and 7.5 for Airtel. Reliance Jio’s 5G service recorded the largest difference in NPS when comparing users on its 4G LTE network to those on 5G during that period, with an uplift of 41.2 basis points. Airtel saw an increase of 37.6 basis points in its NPS score when comparing its 4G LTE network to its 5G network. That said, it’s worth noting that 5G NPS tends to decline as the initial excitement of the latest technology wears off, mirroring other early 5G markets.

Chart of 5G Net Promoter Score (NPS) in India

India has deployed its 5G network in record time, investing billions of dollars following its launch one and a half years ago. Additionally, the country is making significant progress in the adoption of the technology. While India rejoices in its rapid 5G deployment success, it is imperative that it continues to invest in new innovative services that are accessible to consumers to fulfill the promises and potential of 5G.

Both Reliance Jio and Airtel have introduced 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services, known as Jio AirFiber and Xstream AirFiber, respectively. These services are aimed at complementing their current 5G offerings as they explore new 5G use cases to monetize their investments. The operators are also looking to broaden their 5G service offerings to serve key enterprise verticals that demand highly reliable and low-latency communication. 

Vodafone Idea, the third-largest service provider in India, plans to launch its 5G services by mid-2024. Additionally, India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) will hold another spectrum auction in May 2024, offering more 5G bands to the market, thereby augmenting the 5G services available in India. Until then, we will continue to closely monitor the progress of 5G in India and see how performance and user experience evolve in the market. 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.

About the Author

Affandy Johan

Ookla Research™ Articles
| October 28, 2020

Upgrades in Mobile Speeds in India Come with Expanded 4G Availability

Global Speeds

India’s mobile network market has seen astounding growth and evolution since the country’s first mobile call in 1995. Local operators’ efforts to improve and expand 4G coverage across the country have provided customers in India with an increasingly fast and modern mobile internet experience. Data from Speedtest IntelligenceTM reveals details on performance across India’s mobile network landscape. Read on for information on speeds at the regional, country and city level and to see which operator offered the fastest service Q3 2020.

India trailed Pakistan for mobile speeds

India showed the second fastest mean download speed over mobile among the largest South Asian countries during Q3 2020, with Pakistan showing 39.7% faster mobile download speed than India. Bangladesh was third for download speed and second for upload speed. India had the slowest mean upload speed on the list at 4.18 Mbps.
Mobile-Internet-Speeds-Chart_Pakistan_India_Bangladesh_1020

Both India and Pakistan showed improved mean download speeds over mobile when comparing Q3 2019 to Q3 2020. India saw an 11.6% increase while Pakistan’s mean mobile download speeds increased by 24.1% during the same period. Bangladesh saw a smaller increase of 6.3% in mean download speed over mobile. Upload speeds remained mostly flat across South Asia’s largest countries, with only Pakistan showing a slight improvement year over year.

India also ranked second for 4G speeds

Looking specifically at performance over 4G LTE in the largest countries in South Asia during Q3 2020, the countries’ speeds followed a similar pattern, with Pakistan’s mean download speed over 4G coming in 51.3% faster than India’s 12.05 Mbps. Bangladesh closely followed India for download speed.
4G-Speeds-Chart_Pakistan_India_Bangladesh_1020

Upload speeds over 4G varied considerably more by country than we saw for download speeds. India showed the slowest mean upload speed over 4G at 4.25 Mbps — 65.6% slower than Pakistan’s.

Vi India was fastest over 4G

Vi India was the fastest mobile operator over 4G in India during Q3 2020 with the fastest mean download and upload speeds among top providers. Airtel followed Vi India with a mean download speed of 13.58 Mbps, while Jio showed a mean download speed of 9.71 Mbps in Q3 2020.
4G-Speeds_India_providers_1020-2

India led in 4G Availability

India had the highest 4G Availability among the largest South Asian countries during Q3 2020 with 93.7% of tested locations showing 4G available according to data from Speedtest® coverage scans on Android. Bangladesh followed with a 4G Availability of 78.6%, while Pakistan had the lowest 4G Availability during this period at 72.9%.
4G-availability_Pakistan_India_Bangladesh_1020

Jio leads for 4G Availability in India

Jio had the highest 4G Availability among top providers in India at 99.7% during Q3 2020. Airtel followed Jio closely with 4G available in 98.7% of tested locations during the same period. Vi India was third at 91.1%.
4G-Availability_India_providers_1020

Mobile speeds vary among India’s largest cities

Country-wide averages don’t reflect the differences in performance that occur across a country as large as India. We looked at mobile download speeds for all cellular technologies in the 15 most populous cities in India during Q3 2020 to get a better picture of how consumers experience the internet.
Ookla_Mobile-Internet-Speeds_India_1020-1

Hyderabad had the fastest mean download speed over mobile during this period at 14.35 Mbps, followed closely by Mumbai at 13.55 Mbps and Visakhapatnam at 13.40 Mbps. The slowest mean download speeds on our list were measured in Nagpur (10.44 Mbps), Kanpur (9.45 Mbps) and Lucknow (8.67 Mbps). The mean download speed in first-place Hyderabad was 65.5% faster than that in Lucknow.

We will continue to monitor India’s internet speeds as operators expand 4G networks and introduce 5G networks throughout the country. Want to know how your internet is performing? Take a Speedtest to understand and report on your operator’s performance.

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.

Global Speeds

About the Author

Maria Gómez

Ookla Research™ Articles
| December 6, 2021

Ookla Video Analytics Reveals the State of Global Video Experience

Services


Video is essential to today’s internet across the world. We use it to watch shows and movies, stream live events and even keep up to date on our favorite cats on social media. Ookla® launched video testing in the Speedtest® app for iOS and Android earlier this year so consumers can measure the quality of their video experience. Already, millions of video tests have been initiated by consumers. Today we’re sharing some of that data to provide insight into video experience around the world, specifically, we’ve analyzed adaptive start time and highest overall video resolution over all mobile technologies, 5G and fixed broadband in select countries during Q3 2021.

Switzerland had the fastest adaptive start time for all mobile technologies, South Africa fastest for 5G

Video streaming services use adaptive bitrate technology

All modern video streaming platforms use adaptive bitrate technology to automatically adjust video quality based on network conditions and device capabilities in order to display the highest quality video that a device can support, while minimizing buffering and slow video start time. Speedtest Video Analytics provides deep insights and competitive benchmarking for device and network video streaming capabilities.

Adaptive start time — the time it takes for adaptive bitrate playback to initiate — allows us to see how quickly videos are loading. A 2012 study found that users will leave a video if it doesn’t begin playing within two seconds. We have to imagine in 2021, that timeframe is being squeezed even further. Our analysis shows how countries are performing against this important benchmark.

ookla_adaptive-start-time_all-mobile-tech_1121-01-3

Speedtest Intelligence® reveals that Switzerland had the fastest median adaptive start time for all mobile technologies combined among the countries we analyzed at 1.02 seconds during Q3 2021. South Korea and Norway were close behind at 1.07 seconds and 1.10 seconds, respectively. Five more countries achieved a median adaptive start time at or under 1.25 seconds during Q3 2021, including Hong Kong (SAR) and Croatia (1.17 seconds), Portugal (1.24 seconds), and Kuwait and Mexico (1.25 seconds). All but three of the remaining countries we surveyed achieved a median adaptive start time between 1.25 seconds and 2.00 seconds during Q3 2021 except Colombia (2.11 seconds), Saudi Arabia (2.12 seconds) and India (2.13 seconds).

Most 5G-capable video tests showed blazing fast adaptive start times

ookla_adaptive-start-time_5g_1121-01

We’ve seen median 5G download speeds zoom ahead of traditional mobile technologies, even reaching median download speeds 10 times faster than on 4G LTE. It’s no surprise Video Analytics revealed adaptive start time was often much faster on 5G than on all mobile technologies combined. Five countries achieved median adaptive start times faster than 1.00 second during Q3 2021: South Africa (0.73 seconds), Switzerland (0.79 seconds), Norway (0.82 seconds), Hong Kong (0.86 seconds) and South Korea (0.90 seconds). Video Analytics shows the only countries with a median 5G adaptive start time slower than 1.25 seconds were the United States (1.27 seconds), Brazil (1.42 seconds) and Saudi Arabia (1.94 seconds).

Five countries’ adaptive start time improved more than 0.25 seconds on 5G compared to all technologies combined during Q3 2021: the Philippines (-0.62 seconds), South Africa (-0.53 seconds), Brazil (-0.39 seconds), Hong Kong (-0.31 seconds) and Norway (-0.29 seconds). However, several countries showed a less than 0.20 second improvement when comparing adaptive start rate on 5G to that on all technologies combined during Q3 2021: the U.S. (-0.14 seconds), Bahrain (-0.16 seconds), South Korea and Saudi Arabia (-0.17 seconds), and the United Kingdom (U.K.) and France (-0.18 seconds).

Adaptive start time is not always faster on fixed broadband

ookla_adaptive-start-time_fixed_1121-01-1

Speedtest Intelligence showed a narrower range for adaptive start time on fixed broadband than on 5G with every country on our list achieving between 0.67 and 1.85 seconds during Q3 2021. Ten countries on our list achieved a median adaptive start time faster than 1.00 second during Q3 2021: South Korea (0.67 seconds), Norway (0.74 seconds), Hong Kong (0.75 seconds), Switzerland (0.76 seconds), the U.K. (0.79 seconds), France (0.86 seconds), the U.S. (0.87 seconds), Spain (0.88 seconds), Portugal (0.89 seconds) and Italy (0.98 seconds).

Twenty out of the 24 countries we surveyed had a median fixed broadband adaptive start time faster than 1.50 seconds during Q3 2021. Colombia (1.50 seconds), Egypt (1.59 seconds), Turkey (1.64 seconds) and Saudi Arabia (1.85 seconds) were the only countries with a median adaptive start time slower than 1.50 seconds on fixed broadband during Q3 2021.

South Korea video tests reached 4K resolutions at the highest proportion on mobile and fixed broadband

Video resolution is incredibly important in the experience of streaming video and the higher the resolution, the more definition and clarity we are able to see. These days, the difference between an SD and 4K experience is gigantic. Resolution is measured in the numbers of pixels in a 16:9 ratio, with 2160 pixel height representing a 4K picture. Video Analytics measures the resolution rates, which represent the portion of samples that reach a particular resolution. In this analysis, we evaluated the resolution rates for 4K, typically the highest resolution users will need.

ookla_highest-video-resolution_all-mobile-tech_1121-01

Using Speedtest Intelligence, we found South Korea and Switzerland had the highest overall successful resolution rates for all mobile technologies combined during Q3 2021, reaching 4K resolutions 80.4% and 80.3% of the time, respectively. Croatia (79.7%), Kuwait (77.4%) and Norway (75.4%) were the only other countries on our list that achieved 4K video resolution more than 75.0% of the time. Only seven countries on our list did not reach a 4K resolution at least 50% of the time on all mobile technologies combined: the Philippines (38.4%), India (41.1%), Indonesia (44.8%), Colombia (45.3%), Mexico (46.3%), Russia (49.7%) and Egypt (49.9%).

5G led to higher video resolution, but 4K mobile devices still remain rare

ookla_highest-video-resolution_5g_1121-01

5G provided a higher resolution for mobile devices during Q3 2021 than all technologies combined. Every country we surveyed reached a 4K resolution over 80.0% of the time over 5G. In fact, six out of the 14 countries we surveyed for 5G achieved a 4K resolution more than 90.0% of the time, including South Korea (95.9%), Norway (94.5%), Kuwait (94.0%), South Africa (93.6%), Switzerland (92.6%) and France (91.5%). On the lower end of our list, only Italy (81.9%), Brazil (83.9%) and the U.S. (83.9%) achieved 4K resolutions less than 85.0% of the time.

While this is great news for the future of mobile devices, 4K resolutions in mobile devices still aren’t common: Sony is the only popular device manufacturer producing 4K mobile devices. In the meantime, users who can connect to 5G through either a hot spot or fixed wireless access (FWA) will reap the benefits of being able to stream on 4K devices like computers, televisions or tablets.

South Korean fixed broadband delivers ultra-high definition resolutions

ookla_highest-video-resolution_fixed_1121-01

Speedtest Intelligence reveals South Korea had the highest fixed broadband 4K resolution rate among countries surveyed at 92.2% during Q3 2021. Other countries that achieved 4K resolution rates above 85.0% on fixed broadband during Q3 2021 included: Switzerland (89.4%), Hong Kong (87.6%), Norway (87.1%) and the U.S. (86.7%). Every other country in our analysis achieved 4K resolution rates between 65.0% and 85.0%, except Egypt (49.5%), Indonesia (52.5%), the Philippines (64.2%) and Turkey (64.3%).

Video Analytics gives you the information you need about your video playback

We’re excited to share more about video performance and quality of experience using Video Analytics in the coming months. In the meantime, if you want to learn more about Video Analytics and how it can help you benchmark and improve your network, please join our upcoming webinar, December 9 by clicking here.

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

Services

About the Author

Josh Fomon

Ookla Research™ Articles
| December 19, 2023

The State of Worldwide Connectivity in 2023

Global Speeds

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.

5G | Fixed | Connectivity for All

Key takeaways 

  • 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

Illustration of 5G Median Performance Worldwide

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

Chart of Fastest Countries for Median 5G Download Speed

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. 

Chart of NPS Score, 5G Compared to 4G

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. 

Chart of 5G NPS Score Change Year on Year

Fixed Networks

Fiber driving fixed performance gains 

Illustration of Fixed Median Performance Worldwide

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

Chart of Fastest Countries for Fixed Broadband Download Speed

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. 

“> Map of Average Mobile Download Speed of Over 100 Mbps
“> Map of Average Fixed Download Speed of Over 100 Mbps

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%. 

“> Map of Average Mobile Download Speed of Less than 5 Mbps
“> Map of Average Fixed Download Speed of Less than 5 Mbps

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. 

Keep track of how well your country is performing on Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index™ and get advice on how to plan and optimize your network.

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.

Global Speeds
5G
Ookla for Good
Tech Insights
Hong Kong

About the Author

Sylwia Kechiche