Tag: India

Ookla Research™ Articles
| October 9, 2022

India's 5G Speeds Reach 500 Mbps

Network Performance

Ookla® recently commented on the outcome of the 5G spectrum auction and how Indian consumers are ready to upgrade to 5G networks. We now have data from Speedtest Intelligence® to show early 5G performance across select cities as well as an indication of the growth of the number of 5G-capable devices. 

Key messages:

  • 5G download speeds reach 500 Mbps on 5G test networks 
  • Almost 600 Mbps median download speed on Jio’s 5G network in Delhi 
  • Consumers are 5G ready 
  • iPhone users have most 5G-capable phones 

Airtel and Jio turned 5G on  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched 5G services in select Indian cities on Saturday, October 1 during India Mobile Congress 2022 in New Delhi. Operators took the opportunity to discuss their 5G plans at the event as well. Bharti Airtel’s chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said 5G services would be available in eight cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi, Hyderabad, Siliguri, Chennai, Nagpur, and Bengaluru from the launch and will expand across India by March 2024. 

Reliance Jio, which shook up the Indian telecom industry when it launched 4G, also has ambitious 5G plans. Jio’s 5G beta trial “Jio True 5G for All” launched during Dussehra on October 5  in four Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Varanasi. Jio has rolled out a 5G Standalone (5G SA) network, which doesn’t rely on its existing LTE network and which Jio justifies for using the “true 5G” name. Jio’s “welcome offer” is available to those that receive an invitation. Users can get unlimited 5G data with up to 1 Gbps speeds. Jio plans to gradually expand its 5G footprint to deliver the Jio 5G service across the entire country by December 2023. Jio also is looking to make the services “very affordable,” according to Reliance Jio chairman Akash Ambani during the IMC event. “it should be affordable for every Indian – right from devices to service.”

Despite financial woes, Vodafone India has also reiterated its commitment to the 5G roll-out but it has not yet provided specific timelines.

5G download speeds reach 500 Mbps on 5G test networks 

Speedtest Intelligence shows that operators have been testing their networks before the October 1 launch. We’ve already seen a wide range of 5G download speeds: from low double-digit (16.27 Mbps) to a mindblowing 809.94 Mbps, which points to the fact that the operators are still recalibrating their networks. We expect these speeds to be more stable moving forward as these networks will enter the commercial stage. 

5G download speed distribution among select cities in India

Jio’s 5G network showed almost 600 Mbps median download speed in Delhi 

We used Speedtest® data to compare median 5G download speeds across four cities both Jio and Airtel built their networks. In the capital city, Delhi, Airtel reached nearly 200 Mbps median download speed at 197.98 Mbps while Jio almost broke 600 Mbps (598.58 Mbps) since June 2022. 

In Kolkata, operators’ median download speeds varied the most since June 2022: Airtel’s median download speed was 33.83 Mbps while Jio had a much faster median download speed at 482.02 Mbps. 

In Mumbai, one of the most densely populated cities in India, Airtel fell behind Jio once again, reaching 271.07 Mbps median download speed compared to Jio’s 515.38 Mbps median download since June 2022.

In Varanasi, which is considered the Hindu spiritual capital of India, Jio and Airtel achieved closer parity, with Airtel achieving a 5G median download speed at 516.57 Mbps to Jio’s 485.22 Mbps median download speed since June 2022.

The future of mobile internet in India will be much faster than what 4G LTE is achieving

According to the Speedtest Global Index™, India ranked 117th in the world for mobile download speed at 13.52 Mbps in August 2022. These new 5G results show that 5G speeds are far superior than India’s existing network. 

While we need to approach these early results with caution, 5G devices are already showing they can achieve much faster speeds, at least under artificial controlled testing circumstances e.g., no network congestion and ideal network coverage.

chart of median 5g download speeds among select cities in India, top providers

When we cross reference operators’ 5G speeds versus the frequency band they are using, we see a cautionary tale. During the recent spectrum auction, Jio acquired the most spectrum, especially in the highly sought-after C-band spectrum, and Jio was the only operator that acquired the 700 MHz band. This gives Reliance Jio an advantage compared to providers who have acquired only C-band, especially since the low-band spectrum allows for better indoor signal penetration in urban areas and also better coverage in rural areas.

Using Speedtest Intelligence data we can see that Jio’s 5G performance differs depending on the spectrum band it uses. Jio’s 5G network using the C-band (n=78) results in performance ranging between 606.53 Mbps and 875.26 Mbps median download speed. While 5G networks using the lower – 700 MHz frequency band (n=28) so-called coverage band, gives speeds lower than100 Mbps median download speed, ranging between 78.69 Mbps and 95.13 Mbps. Airtel, on the other hand, achieved speeds from 365.48 Mbps to 716.85 Mbps deploying 5G utilizing only its C-band spectrum holding.

chart of median download speed by spectrum band among select cities in India

Consumers are 5G ready 

Earlier this year, we surveyed Indian consumers and found 89% of Indian smartphone users are ready to upgrade to 5G. Operators have an existing addressable base of devices that they can target from the start, and over the past year the number of 5G-capable devices has been on the rise. Among Speedtest users, Jio saw the largest increase in 5G-capable devices (67.4%), followed by Airtel (61.6%), and Vi India (56%). 

Chart of 5g-capable devices by providers, year on year growth

Using Speedtest Intelligence data we compared 5G-capable devices across different cities. Hyderabad was the one city where all operators have seen significant growth in terms of 5G-capable devices, with Jio even tripling its install base.

chart of 5g-capable devices in major cities by top providers, year on year growth

iPhone users have most 5G-capable phones 

In our survey, 51% of survey respondents already had smartphones supporting 5G. The top smartphone vendors in the market are Samsung (31%), followed by Xiaomi (23%), Realme, and Vivo. While only one in ten survey respondents had an iPhone, Apple smartphones tend to be more 5G capable. In fact, according to Speedtest Intelligence data, the iPhone 12 5G is the most popular 5G-capable device in the Indian market. Jio will launch an Android-based 5G phone in partnership with Google in 2023, repeating the go-to-market strategy it used when entering the 4G market. In the meantime, Jio is working with smartphone vendors to ensure that consumers can access its 5G SA network. 

These are still early days for 5G in India, with most of Jio’s and Airtel’s respective networks still in beta testing. We will continue to monitor 5G performance in India, see how operators scale networks, and assess the real-world performance as more consumers will get online with 5G devices. If you want to learn more, subscribe to Ookla Research™ to be the first to read our analyses.

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

Network Performance

About the Author

Sylwia Kechiche

Ookla Research™ Articles
| July 24, 2023

5G in Asia Pacific: Deployment Momentum Continues

Global Speeds

The Asia Pacific region has successfully implemented 5G technology despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, global economy, and geopolitical climate. South Korea, China, and Japan have led the way in 5G network deployment. With the continued rollout of 5G networks in other regional markets, Asia Pacific is on track to become the largest 5G market globally.

Key messages

  • Advanced Asia Pacific markets have taken the lead in the 5G rollout. Countries such as South Korea, Australia, and China, were among the first in the world to launch commercial 5G networks as more markets joined the ranks.
  • 5G performance outranks Europe. Early adopters in the Asia Pacific region have outperformed major European markets in terms of 5G performance. This is mainly due to factors like early spectrum availability and supportive government policies. 
  • 5G Availability varies. The region experiences varying levels of 5G Availability and adoption due to factors like population density, device affordability, and tariffs.
  • Seoul and Kuala Lumpur are the top cities for 5G performance, boasting median download speeds of 533.95 Mbps and 523.44 Mbps, respectively.
  • 5G helps to narrow the digital divide. 5G FWA is a viable alternative to traditional fixed broadband to narrow down the digital divide in the region

South Korea sets the pace as 5G networks expand across the region

Many of the more advanced markets in the Asia Pacific have been the frontrunners in terms of 5G rollout. South Korea was the first market in the world to deploy a nationwide 5G network in April 2019, followed by Australia, the Philippines, China, and New Zealand later that year. As predicted by GSMA Intelligence, the recent second wave of 5G rollouts in the region in countries such as Indonesia, India, and Malaysia will see Asia Pacific becoming one of the largest 5G markets in the world by 2025.

5G Launch Timeline in Selected Asia Pacific and European Markets

Allocation of spectrum resources is crucial

In our recent spectrum analysis, we discussed how important spectrum is for the performance and coverage of 5G. In general, regulators in the Asia Pacific region have been quick to allocate spectrum for 5G applications, and in many cases, operators have been able to secure substantial bandwidth in the key C-band.

List of the 5G Pioneer Band Spectrum Awards Across Select Asia Pacific Countries

The mid-band spectrum is the most frequently awarded spectrum band in the Asia Pacific region. It is the top choice for commercial 5G deployment because it balances 5G coverage and capacity. In some markets, 5G deployment uses low-band (sub 1 GHz) frequencies, allowing for wider outdoor 5G coverage and better penetration inside buildings in urban and suburban areas. However, this may come at the expense of the median download speed, which typically peaks at around 100 Mbps.

For some markets, 5G spectrum awards are subject to strict milestones and requirements. Operators in South Korea were required to have 22,500 base stations by the end of 2021, 45,000 by the end of 2023, and 150,000 base stations upon completion of their 3.5 GHz spectrum rollout. Additionally, within three years, there were required to install 15,000 base stations utilizing 28 GHz. However, a review by South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) found that all mobile operators met the minimum requirements for the 3.5GHz spectrum but not the 28GHz spectrum. Consequently, the ministry has withdrawn all operators’ spectrum licenses in the 28GHz band. In our recent mmWave analysis, we thoroughly covered the performance and progress inherent in that spectrum band.

Asia Pacific outpaced major European markets in terms of 5G performance

While Europe and the Asia Pacific markets share similarities such as large cultural diversity, customers with varying demographics, and mixed regulations and policies, our recent analysis of European 5G performance revealed that early 5G adopters in the Asia Pacific region performed better than some major European markets. 

Chart of Median 5G Download Speed in Asia Pacific Markets Compared to European Benchmarks

According to Speedtest Intelligence® H1 2023 data, several markets in the Asia Pacific region had faster median download performance compared to the top five European economies. Malaysia and South Korea led the pack with speeds of over 500 Mbps, with Malaysia reporting a median download performance of 512.10 Mbps, and South Korea at 503.99 Mbps  – an impressive accomplishment for Malaysia, which launched 5G 3.5 years after South Korea and has caught up to them in performance. Both countries have notable differences in terms of their telecommunications landscapes. The Malaysian government went with a nationwide single wholesale network (SWN) approach as its 5G deployment plan. Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) was established in 2021 to construct and operate the 5G network infrastructure and provide 5G services to mobile network operators at wholesale prices. South Korea has long been at the forefront of mobile technology and boasts one of the highest internet penetration rates globally. As a result of its early commitment to 5G development, South Korea became the first market in the world to launch a commercial 5G network.

During the same period, Singapore, India, New Zealand, China, and Australia achieved a median 5G download speed exceeding 200 Mbps. In comparison, only France recorded speeds above 200 Mbps among the European countries mentioned, while Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, and Spain, recorded median download speeds below 150 Mbps.

5G Availability and adoption vary across the region

Chart of 5G Availability in Selected Markets in Asia Pacific and Europe

5G Availability (the percentage of users on 5G-capable devices that spend most of the time with access to 5G networks) varied widely across the Asia Pacific region during H1 2023. Factors such as access to low-band spectrum and affordability and availability of 5G devices influence each market’s reported 5G Availability. Analysis based on data from Speedtest Intelligence shows that Hong Kong stands out as the only country analyzed to have surpassed 40% 5G Availability, reaching 42.3% in H1 2023. Part of the reason is the city’s high population density, 5G coverage that reaches over 90% of the population, and a high 5G smartphone penetration rate, which Counterpoint Research reported as 78% in Q1 of 2023.

Despite Australia being 78 times larger than South Korea, and being one of the least densely populated countries, both countries reported similar 5G Availability rates, at around 36.6%. Counterpoint Research reported a 5G smartphone penetration rate of more than 80% for both countries, with South Korea at 88% and Australia at 82%. Across the European markets, France, Spain, Germany, and the U.K. ranged between 20%-30%. Similarly, Thailand also falls within this range at 26.8%. 

Chart of 5G Connections as Proportion of All Connections in Select Markets in Asia Pacific and Europe

Based on Q2 2023 data from GSMA Intelligence, South Korea, China, and Japan led in 5G adoption, measured as the percentage of 5G connections compared to total connections, higher than the selected European markets looked at in this report. South Korea had a total of 31.3 million 5G connections, which accounted for more than 48% of all mobile connections in the country, while China boasts over 700 million 5G connections, equivalent to 41% of connections. Other early adopters of 5G in the region, such as Japan, Hong Kong, and Australia, have all seen a considerable rise in their total 5G connections from the previous year. Japan experienced a 76% increase of 5G connections between Q2 2022 to Q2 2023, to 60.8 million connections. Hong Kong increased by 65% to 4.8 million, and Australia had 8.8 million connections, up by almost 40% during the same period of time.

Seoul and Kuala Lumpur are the top cities in the Asia Pacific region for 5G speeds.

Map of 5G Performance and 5G Availability Across Selected Cities in Asia Pacific

Given that both Malaysia and South Korea are ahead in 5G performance among their peers, it is unsurprising that their capital cities came first as well in the ranking of selected cities. In H1 2023, Seoul had a median download speed of 533.95 Mbps, while Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, reported a median download speed of 523.44 Mbps. Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), Malaysia’s designated 5G wholesale provider, reported 90% 5G coverage of populated areas (COPA) throughout Kuala Lumpur at the end of 2022. 

Despite being one of the latest markets to launch 5G, the Indian cities of Delhi and Mumbai performed well in the cities’ speeds ranking. Both cities reported median download speeds of over 300 Mbps in H1 2023, with Delhi at 357.43 Mbps and Mumbai at 319.45 Mbps. While Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, and Delhi have shown 5G performance comparable to or even exceeding those of well-established 5G markets in the region, their 5G networks are still relatively new. As a result, these cities have lower 5G Availability than others as anticipated.

Metro Manila, with one-third of the population of the Philippines, had the lowest median download speed among all the cities in this report for H1 2023, with a speed of 135.51 Mbps. During the same period, Metro Manila reported a 5G availability rate of 35.7%, slightly lower than Seoul (35.9%) and Sydney (39.2%).

Breaking the digital divide with 5G FWA

The benefits of 5G go beyond the faster speeds compared to 4G. It also plays a role in bringing connectivity to underserved areas. Although developed markets in the Asia Pacific are leading in ultra-fast, fixed fiber broadband, there is still a portion of the region where internet connectivity is expensive, unavailable, or insufficient. Many people in these underserved regions rely on mobile devices to access the internet. According to GSMA Intelligence, mobile broadband networks are accessible to more than 96% of the population, making it the primary option for internet access in many households. 

In some markets, mobile operators see 5G, particularly 5G fixed-wireless access (FWA) services, as a viable alternative to traditional fixed broadband. While FWA is not a new concept, the use of 5G technology is expected to accelerate its growth, especially in areas where it is not economically feasible to deploy high-speed fixed broadband networks. According to GSMA Intelligence, nearly three in five users who either have upgraded or plan to upgrade to 5G find the idea of using 5G for home broadband appealing. FWA is becoming one of the operators’ primary 5G use cases, providing an opportunity to increase revenue and monetize network investments and wireless spectrum.

The Asia-Pacific region is seeing a rise in the adoption of 5G FWA, with Southeast Asia leading the way. In 2019, Globe Telecom in the Philippines, became the first country in the region to launch FWA. Other regional operators, such as Telkomsel in Indonesia and AIS in Thailand, have also begun offering FWA services. In New Zealand, operators plan to provide FWA coverage to 90% of the population by the end of 2023.

While 5G FWA shows promising growth potential, operators need to ensure that as 5G adoption in the network increases, they have the capacity to support their FWA services and the spectrum to guarantee quality. When the demand for 5G FWA service grows, operators may have to look at utilizing the mmWave spectrum to maintain the quality of their FWA services while keeping network capacity intact.

We will keep a close eye on the progress and effectiveness of 5G implementation throughout the Asia Pacific region. If you are interested in benchmarking your performance or if you’d like to learn more about internet speeds and performance in other markets around the world, visit the Speedtest Global Index™.

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

Global Speeds
5G

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
| March 7, 2018

India’s Digital Divide: How Broadband Speed Splits the Nation

Global Speeds

India ranked 67th in the world in February for download speed over fixed broadband based on the Speedtest Global IndexTM, with an average speed of 20.72 Mbps. But averaging across a country as large and diverse as India can mask some pretty important differences.

To get a fuller picture of fixed broadband performance on the Indian subcontinent, we’re taking a look at the average download speeds in every state and union territory that showed Speedtest results for more than 100 users in February 2018. We’re also comparing speeds in the 20 largest cities in India.

Exploring internet speeds in India’s states and union territories

India is making strides in an area where many countries struggle — connecting rural communities to the internet. Fiber connections have been extended to 250,000 (2.5 lakh) rural villages in India so far under the first phase of Bharat Net. In addition, Phase 2 of Bharat Net will expand the number of Wi-Fi hotspots that connect villages to broadband from 38,000 to 500,000 (5 lakh) so that every village in India has at least one.

This investment in rural connectivity might be one reason that the average broadband speeds we’ve seen across India’s states and union territories don’t seem to correlate to population density. South India occupies four of the five top spots on the list of states and union territories with the fastest broadband download speeds in India, and North India holds four of the top ten. Karnataka is fastest with a mean download speed of 28.46 Mbps during the month of February, 37.4% faster than the country as a whole. Tamil Nadu is close behind at 27.94 Mbps.

On the other end of the spectrum, Northeast India accounts for four of the five slowest states and union territories we analyzed and seven of the ten slowest. Mizoram is the slowest with a mean download speed of 3.62 Mbps in February, 82.5% slower than the country as a whole. Manipur takes second-to-last place at 4.30 Mbps and Tripura barely edges into third-to-last place at 4.52 Mbps.

Which city in India has the fastest fixed broadband?

Fastest Cities in India Feb 2018

When looking at the 20 largest cities in India, Chennai is the fastest with a mean download speed over fixed broadband that’s 57.7% faster than India’s as a whole. Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam and Delhi all score above the country’s average.

The slowest of these large cities, Patna, was 62.4% slower than the country’s average for mean download speed. Nagpur, Jaipur, Kanpur, and Ahmedabad round out the bottom five. It’s also notable that the download speeds of Kanpur, Lucknow, Pune and Nagpur are significantly slower than that of their respective states.

Is your broadband living up to these speeds? Take a Speedtest on the web or from our desktop apps to show us what speeds you’re seeing.

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

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
| October 1, 2023

India’s Remarkable 5G Advancement Elevates its Global Mobile Ranking

Network Performance

Ookla® data shows that in India over the past year, mobile download speeds in the country have seen significant improvement. In fact, India jumped 72 places on the Speedtest Global Index™ over the past year, with India’s 5G launch largely responsible for boosting the country’s ranking.

Key messages

  • India ranked 47 in August 2023. The country’s speed performance has seen a 3.59 times increase since the introduction 5G, with median download speeds improving from 13.87 Mbps in September 2022 to 50.21 Mbps in August 2023. This improvement has led to India’s rise in the Speedtest Global Index, moving up 72 places, from 119th place to the 47th position.
  • 5G benefits extend to all telecom circles. 5G deployments have led to an improved overall user experience across all telecom circles thanks to operators investing in backhaul infrastructure. The launch of 5G technology by operators like Jio and Airtel has led to a substantial increase in 5G subscribers, and operators still have ambitious rollout plans, with the deployment of a significant number of 5G base stations across the country.
  • Not only faster speeds. 5G has not only brought faster speeds but also higher customer satisfaction, as indicated by the Net Promoter Score (NPS), which shows that 5G users in India consistently rate their network operators more positively compared to 4G users. Additionally, 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services have been introduced to provide broadband connectivity in areas where laying fiber is costly or impractical.

India climbed by 72 places on Speedtests’s mobile rankings thanks to 5G rollouts

Speedtest Intelligence® data shows that median download speeds across India increased by 259% since before 5G launched, jumping from 13.87 Mbps in September 2022 to a median download speed of 50.21 Mbps in August 2023. As a result, India’s position on the Speedtest Global Index™ improved by 72 places, from 119th in September 2022 to 47th in August 2023. This puts India ahead of its neighbors, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, but also some G20 countries, such as Mexico (90th), Turkey (68th), the UK (62nd), Japan (58th), Brazil (50th place), and South Africa (48th place).

Chart of Global Index Raking Among Select Countries Compared to India

Mobile performance improved in all telecom circles

Mobile users in India are among the most data-intensive consumers in the world. However, India’s 4G networks have been unable to keep up with consumer expectations, primarily due to network congestion caused by population density, lack of cellular infrastructure, backhaul, as well as spectrum constraints. Following the 5G spectrum auction, operators have been able to addres some of those issues and help to offload 4G traffic onto 5G networks, thus reducing 4G network congestion – the strategy has proven successful already, as 25% to 35% of traffic is already getting offloaded on 5G from 4G. 

Map of India Median Cellular Download Speed by Telecom Circles, All Operators Combined

According to Speedtest data, India’s median download speed has improved remarkably, increasing by 3.59 times since 5G was launched in the country. Back in October 2022, for example, India’s median download speed ranged from 10.37 Mbps in North East to 21.49 Mbps in Jammu and Kashmir. However, by August 2023, the range of median download speeds had widened significantly, with each circle clocking a speed of more than 28 Mbps. The North East saw a median download speed of 28.02 Mbps, while Jammu and Kashmir recorded a high of 150.95 Mbps.

In August 2023, Jammu and Kashmir, located in the northernmost part of India, emerged as the leader in mobile median download speeds at 150.96 Mbps, surpassing Bihar (73.00 Mbps) and Kolkata (66.47 Mbps). Jammu and Kashmir was one of the last states to launch a mobile network in 2003, and due to security concerns and internet shutdowns, there were occasional disruptions in mobile network services. However, the local administration has been focusing on developing infrastructure in various tourist places, particularly in Kashmir.

Fast-paced 5G adoption

Jio and Airtel have been implementing 5G technology since October 2022, following the acquisition of 5G spectrum licenses. At first, they concentrated on launching in major cities, but their coverage has expanded significantly, and 5G performance has improved across all telecom circles. In October 2022, there was a noticeable difference in the performance of 5G networks on 5G-compatible devices. Median download speeds ranged from 512.57 Mbps in Gujarat to 19.23 Mbps in Uttar Pradesh West as the networks were under development. In fact, in nine telecom circles: Andhra Pradesh, Kolkata, North East, Haryana, Rajasthan, Bihar, Punjab, Kerala, and Uttar Pradesh West, median 5G download speeds were below 100 Mbps because networks were in early testing stages. However, by August 2023, median 5G download speeds exceeded 240 Mbps across all telecom areas, with Kolkata leading the pack with a median download speed of 385.50 Mbps.

Map of India Median 5G Download Speed by Telecom Circles, All Operators Combined

As 5G deployments continue in India, the number of subscribers keeps growing. Reliance Jio announced it has over 50 million customers, and Bharti Airtel claimed it had over 10 million 5G customers in June. 

Jio also has ambitious rollout targets – it aims to deploy nearly 1 million base stations by December 2023 to address growing data consumption on its network. According to The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the country had 338,572 5G base stations (BTS) as of August 28, 2023, a significant increase from the 53,590 reported at the beginning of the year. The three most populous states in India – Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Bihar – account for 25% of all wireless subscribers in the country and also hold a 25% share of 5G BTS.


5G speeds in India are particularly impressive compared to those on 4G; in August 2023, for example, median download speeds on 5G were 2,003% faster than those on 4G, with 5G showing a median download speed of 316.24 Mbps compared to 14.97 Mbps on 4G. The speed increase has been heavily propelled by operators investing in fiber technology to improve backhaul.

5G has a positive impact on Net Promoter Scores

Chart of 5G NPS in India

The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a tool that gauges customer loyalty and satisfaction. NPS is a key performance indicator of customer experience, categorizing users into Detractors (those that score 0-6), Passives (scores between 7 and 8), and Promoters (score of 9-10), with the NPS representing the percentage of Promoters minus the percent of Detractors, displayed in the range from -100 to 100. 

In our recent article, we found that 5G users, on average, rated their network operator with NPS scores that were universally higher than those for 4G LTE users. The story is similar in India, where in Q2 2023, 5G scored 15.80 compared to -29.65 for 4G. In most telecom regions, except for the North East, the 5G NPS consistently outperforms that of 4G/LTE.

Ookla understands real-life consumer experience

Median 5G performance allows us to understand the midpoint of the user experience on 5G networks, but it doesn’t paint the complete picture. Speedtest® is designed to thoroughly saturate a user’s connection, uniquely allowing us to accurately measure the maximum speeds available. This is especially important for 5G connections, which can be capable of tremendous speeds, such as those we observed in India. Using Speedtest data, we can see that operators in India have already achieved maximum download speeds exceeding 1.7 Gbps. Speedtest simultaneously measures download speeds from multiple servers to ensure a fully utilized connection.

Chart of 5G Maximum Download Speed in India for Jio and Airtel

Early days for 5G FWA

In addition, operators have introduced 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services to complement their existing 5G offerings. FWA offers an excellent opportunity to cover areas that are too costly to lay fiber and is an alternative to fixed networks. 5G FWA offers an opportunity in India because it will use 5G as the last-mile technology to provide broadband connectivity. 

5G FWA has already been very successful in the United States, South Africa, and the Philippines. Bharti Airtel launched ‘Airtel Xstream AirFiber’ in Delhi and Mumbai in August 2023, extending their services beyond their fiber footprint. Their plans start at Rs 799 ($9.64) per month and offer download speeds of up to 100 Mbps. Jio also launched ‘JioAirFiber,’ in September, initially available in eight cities, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Pune. There are several plan options available for ‘AirFiber’ and ‘AirFiber Max’ with download speeds ranging from 30 Mbps to 1 Gbps. Pricing starts at INR 599 ($7.22) per month and goes up to INR 3,999 ($48.23). 


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

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

Network Performance
5G

About the Author

Sylwia Kechiche

Ookla Research™ Articles
| February 28, 2023

5G in India: 25 Times Faster than 4G

Network Performance

5G has been in place in India for over four months and already it’s having a tremendous impact on the state of mobile in the country compared to last October when we commented on initial 5G speeds just after 5G networks launched. 

Key takeaways

  • India’s mobile speeds increased by 115%. India has climbed 49 places on the Speedtest Global Index™ since launching 5G, from 118th in September 2022 to 69th in January 2023. Ookla® data shows improvement in LTE speeds for both Jio and Airtel since the launch of 5G services, as all their investments into network modernization are paying off.
  • Median 5G download speeds are 25 times faster than 4G. 5G performance has increased across early 5G adopters in most of the telecom circles, Kolkata achieved the fastest median 5G download speeds in January 2023 at above 500 Mbps. Jio experienced a top median 5G download speed of 506.25 Mbps in Kolkata, while Airtel of 268.89 Mbps in Delhi. 
  • 5G Availability increased 55-fold. Airtel and Jio have ambitious targets in terms of 5G network rollout. From 5G networks’ inception, 5G Availability across 5G-capable devices has steadily increased, reaching 8.0% for Airtel and 5.1% for Jio.
  • 5G is further impacting the competitive landscape. We can see Speedtest® users migrating away from Vi, which has been further stimulated by the operator’s inability to launch 5G.

5G will benefit Digital India

Speedtest Intelligence® data shows that median download speeds across India increased by 115%  since before the 5G launch, from a 13.87 Mbps median download speed in September 2022 to 29.85 Mbps in January 2023. As a result, India’s position on the Speedtest Global Index improved by 49 places from 118th in September 2022 to 69th in January 2023. This puts India ahead of some of the G20 countries, such as Mexico, Russia, and Argentina, and its neighbors: Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. India is also catching up with the likes of Turkey (a 30.98 Mbps median download speed/65th place on the Speedtest Global Index), South Africa (34.71 Mbps/58th place), and Brazil (35.85 Mbps/57th place).

chart of global index ranking among select countries

There are over half a billion internet users in India, making it the second-largest online market worldwide, just behind China. India has already made significant progress in terms of mobile broadband growth. One of the key reasons behind the acceleration in adoption was the launch of the Digital India initiative in 2015, which made government services digitally available to citizens. Digital India’s goal is to transform India into a digital society and economy. Since its launch, almost 270 million Indians have been connected to the internet via mobile internet. This was enabled by expanding mobile broadband networks, particularly using 4G technology. Now, 5G is stepping in to play a role in enabling digital transformation across multiple sectors of the Indian economy. GSMA Intelligence forecasts that 5G could contribute $455 billion to GDP by 2040. 

Median 5G download speed is 25 times that of 4G 

map of median 5g download speed by telecom circles, all operators combined

When 5G was first launched in October 2022, there was a wide disparity in the early 5G network performance users were experiencing on 5G-capable devices; median 5G download speeds oscillated between 512.57 Mbps (Gujarat) and 19.23 Mbps (Uttar Pradesh West) as the 5G networks build out started. In fact, in nine telecom circles: Andhra Pradesh, Kolkata, North East, Haryana, Rajasthan, Bihar, Punjab, Kerala, and Uttar Pradesh West, the median 5G download speed was below 100 Mbps because networks were very much at the testing stage. Four months on, in January 2023, 5G median download speeds had greatly increased across all of the telecom circles — exceeding 200 Mbps everywhere except Jammu and Kashmir, with Kolkata clocking speeds over 500 Mbps. 

5G investment has also propelled an increase in 4G LTE speeds thanks to the modernization of the underlying infrastructure. When we compare 5G and 4G performance in January 2023: 

  • median 5G download speed is 25 times that of 4G LTE (338.12 Mbps vs. 13.30 Mbps), and
  • median 5G upload speed is 4.5 times 4G LTE (19.65 Mbps vs 3.55 Mbps)

We see improvements in LTE speeds (both for Airtel & Jio) in multiple cities as they are offloading 4G traffic onto their 5G network, therefore reducing 4G network congestion.  This has to be caveated by the fact that these are still early days for 5G in India, and 5G performance will most likely decrease once those networks are commercially available. 

Jio and Airtel are expanding their 5G networks

map of median 5g download speed by teleocm circles, jio and airtel

Jio’s $25 bn investment seems to be paying off. In January 2023 Jio achieved median 5G download speeds above 400 Mbps across ten telecom circles. Jio’s True 5G network is based on a 5G Standalone (5G SA), which doesn’t rely on a 4G LTE network. While Jio’s initial 5G speeds fluctuated massively – from low single-digit to speeds well above 800 Mbps, which pointed to the operator recalibrating its networks, Jio’s 5G performance has stabilized over the past four months. In January 2023, Jio’s 5G early adopters experienced speeds ranging from 246.49 Mbps median download speed in Himachal Pradesh to 506.25 Mbps in Kolkata. 

Airtel looks to 5G to offload capacity from 4G to 5G. Gopal Vittal, MD & CEO of Bharti Airtel Limited, mentioned during the latest quarterly results call that “between 25% to 35% of traffic is already getting offloaded on 5G from 4G.” Airtel deployed 5G in a Non-Standalone mode (5G NSA) – the operator stated that commercial trials using NSA give a 30% higher coverage than SA. In January 2023, Airtel’s 5G early adopters experienced speeds ranging from a 78.13 Mbps median download speed in Kolkata to 268.89 Mbps in Delhi. 

Operators have already committed a significant amount of capex towards 5G. One of the key challenges Indian telcos face is low ARPU levels, which came in below Rs 200 ($2.41) in Q3 FY 2023 results: Airtel led the pack at Rs 193 ($2.33), Jio followed at Rs 178.2 ($2.15), Vi at Rs 135 ($1.63). Recently, Airtel has removed its based Rs 99 ($1.20) plan across 17 circles, with the new base plan priced at Rs 155 ($1.87). The other two operators have not followed the lead yet. While this could lead to churn, it could help solidify ARPU as Airtel plans to use 5G to migrate customers to higher-value postpaid plans. 

chart of 5g maximum download speed, jio and airtel

Median 5G performance allows us to understand the midpoint of user experience on 5G networks, but it doesn’t paint the full picture. Using Speedtest data we can see that operators have achieved maximum download speeds exceeding 1.6 Gbps – close to speeds that operators in the United States achieved using mmWave spectrum. 

Spectrum is not the only factor affecting 5G performance 

chart of 5g median download speed by spectrum band

Operators’ spectrum holding affects their speeds; we have recently commented on the relationship between low- and C-band spectrum and 5G performance. A similar holds true in India. Using Speedtest Intelligence data, we can see that Jio’s 5G performance differs depending on the spectrum band it uses. Jio’s 5G network using the C-band (n=78) results in a 462.60 Mbps median download speed. When Jio’s 5G network uses the lower – 700 MHz frequency band (n=28), the so-called coverage band, the median download speed was 75.70 Mbps. This, however, doesn’t necessarily explain the difference in performance between Jio and Airtel, which also uses the C-band spectrum. Airtel deployed 5G utilizing only its C-band spectrum holding in an NSA (Non-Standalone Mode), and it clocks a median 5G download speed of 277.30 Mbps. 

There is another factor at play that can explain the difference in performance between the operators – the type of backhaul network they are using. Indian operators heavily rely on terrestrial wireless backhaul solutions. While fiber penetration in backhaul networks is increasing, according to the DoT, only a third of mobile towers are connected with fiber – versus the National Broadband Mission’s goal of 70% being connected by 2024. The reason why this presents a challenge in the face of 5G rollout is that the capacity per tower site has to increase substantially to accommodate 5G traffic requirements, which in turn requires fiberized backhaul. E-band spectrum, which operators received last year, helps but isn’t enough to support a 5G rollout.  

There are various challenges related to laying fiber, including right-of-way (RoW) access and availability of stable power that operators have to overcome. Airtel looks to AI to understand where most of its traffic is located and plans its network roll-out strategy accordingly. 

5G Availability in India increased 55 times

chart of 5g availability for top providers in india, 5g capable devices

Speedtest Intelligence data shows that 5G Availability – the proportion of users with 5G-capable devices that use 5G network – had increased 55 times between September 2022, when 5G Availability stood at 0.1%, and January 2023, when it reached 5.5%. Operators already have an existing base of consumers owning 5G-capable devices. During the latest quarterly call, Airtel shared that about 11% of their smartphones are 5G ready. Airtel users with 5G smartphones can access Airtel 5G Plus services at no additional cost using their existing 4G SIM cards. Airtel is busy carrying out a 5G network rollout, planning to go live in about 300 cities by March 2023 and to cover all urban areas by March 2024.  

Jio also has ambitious targets for 5G network deployment, it recently stated that it is on track to complete the pan-India 5G rollout by December 2023, having already deployed over 25,000 sites across 700MHz and 3.5 GHz bands. Jio’s customers can connect to 5G at no additional cost upon receiving the 5G Welcome offer, which is extended to users with 5G-enabled smartphones who subscribe to a plan or Rs239 or higher. The existing 4G SIM will also connect to the 5G network. There is a need to do a software upgrade for older models of smartphones to be able to connect to Jio’s 5G SA network. 

chart of 5g availability across cities in India, all operators combined

During the early days of 5G – in October 2022 – we could see 5G device testing in just over a dozen of cities. Only three cities had a 5G Availability exceeding 2% – namely, the capital, New Delhi, Hyderabad, and Siliguri. Fast forward to January 2023, and 5G Availability exceeded 2% across 39 cities where both Jio and Airtel had rolled out their networks. 5G Availability across three cities was above 13%, namely in Cuttack, Chennai, and Noida.  

5G will further change the competitive landscape in India

chart of cumulative monthly percentage change in the number of speedtest® users

Based on our data, we can infer churn pattern of Speedtest users from January to December 2022, we can see that Vi India has been losing users throughout 2022, following the 5G launch, the disconnections increased significantly. On the other hand, Jio has been adding new users. This has been validated by the latest data released by TRAI, which shows a similar trend: Vodafone Idea had negative 2.5m net additions in December 2022, compared to Reliance Jio (1.7 million net adds) and Bharti Airtel (1.5 million net adds). 

We can also gain insights into where consumers move when changing their network providers. Most of Vi’s customers have moved away to Jio (1.88%) and Airtel (1.32%). Jio gained around 1.3% of customers from Airtel & Vi India. In comparison, Airtel has lost 0.53% to Jio but gained 0.63% from Vi over the same period of time.

chart of overall movement of speedtest® users

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

Methodology note:

Speedtest® is designed to fully saturate a user’s connection, which uniquely allows us to accurately measure the maximum speeds available. This is especially important for 5G connections, which can be capable of tremendous speeds. Speedtest simultaneously measures download speeds from multiple servers in order to ensure that a connection is being fully utilized.

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

Network Performance

About the Author

Sylwia Kechiche

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.

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Sylwia Kechiche

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