Taking advantage of remote work in another country is the dream for many. Who hasn’t imagined themselves sipping fresh squeezed juice on a gorgeous tropical beach during a team call, cozying up next to a crackling fire in a European castle while pouring over a spreadsheet, or even just working anywhere that isn’t the office or our home couch? COVID-19 made working remotely more readily an option for some, and 51 countries have even gone so far as to create remote work or “digital nomad” visas. Today, Ookla® brings you fresh data on how these countries’ internet compares so you can start planning a long-term escape from your current reality.
Using Speedtest Intelligence®, we looked for remote work countries with the fastest internet, tropical countries with remote work visas and fast internet, fastest European countries for remote work, countries where you won’t lose your connection, and seven affordable remote work countries with good internet. Read on to start planning your next life adventure.
Digital nomad countries with seriously fast internet
Getting the fast download speeds you need to do your daily tasks should be the least of your worries when you work abroad. Thailand had the fastest fixed broadband speeds among countries that have remote work visas with a median download speed of 196.20 Mbps and a median upload speed of 164.85 Mbps during Q1 2023. With speeds like those, you’ll be able to eat your Guay Teow while gaming, streaming multiple 4K videos, and uploading videos of your adventures with no issues (and you should be able to work, too).
Spain (172.04 Mbps) and Romania (171.15 Mbps) were next on our list of fastest remote work destinations, followed by Hungary (134.43 Mbps), Portugal (128.50 Mbps), Taiwan (127.85 Mbps), Norway (111.44 Mbps), Panama (108.84 Mbps), and Brazil (100.38 Mbps), which all had median download speeds over 100 Mbps during Q1 2023. Rounding out our list of fastest remote work countries are Malta (97.55 Mbps) and Bermuda (97.20 Mbps). If speed is of the utmost importance to you while you work and live in another country, rest assured that these countries can handle the bandwidth you need.
Soak up the sun with fast internet in these beachy countries with remote work visas
If you dream of a remote work escape and prefer tropical, sunny beaches where you can sip piña coladas, we’ve got you covered (though don’t forget your sunblock when you venture outside!) Twenty-seven countries have digital nomad visas, average temperatures above 65° F (roughly 18° C), and beach access. Unsurprisingly, Thailand, again takes the top spot with a median download speed of 196.20 Mbps, followed by Taiwan (127.85 Mbps), Panama (108.84 Mbps), Brazil (100.38 Mbps), Malta (97.55 Mbps), Bermuda (97.20 Mbps), Malaysia (92.53 Mbps), Dominica (80.00 Mbps), Barbados (74.21 Mbps), and St. Lucia (71.40 Mbps). Grenada (65.25 Mbps), Costa Rica (65.07 Mbps), and Montserrat (63.22 Mbps) followed closely behind the top 10.
If you choose to work remotely from one of these countries, we’ll be jealously awaiting you sharing your Speedtest® results on Twitter as you work from the beach, take a dip in the ocean during your break, and relax with a cool ocean breeze as your biggest worry in the world.
These European countries with remote work visas had the fastest internet speeds
Maybe you’ve been watching all the Eurovision or have been dreaming of jetting off to European locations every weekend. Luckily for you, 16 European countries offer some version of a remote work visa. Speedtest Intelligence data reveals that Spain had the fastest median download speed at 172.04 Mbps during Q1 2023. Romania, Hungary, Portugal, and Norway followed with median download speeds above 100 Mbps. Malta (97.55 Mbps), Germany (82.05 Mbps), Latvia (77.76 Mbps), Estonia (64.80 Mbps), and Czechia (55.97 Mbps) rounded out the top 10, with Cyprus (53.71 Mbps) coming up just behind. Regardless of which European country you choose, you’ll be a few hours away from multiple countries with plenty to do and eat!
10 remote work countries where you won’t lose your connection
You shouldn’t have to stress about your internet connection while you’re working abroad — especially if you have to video chat often. So we used Speedtest Intelligence data to examine the Consistency — calculated by the percentage of results showing at least a 25 Mbps download speed and 3 Mbps upload speed over fixed broadband — in countries with remote work visas during Q1 2023. While there was no statistically highest Consistency, Thailand had a Consistency of 89.8%, Romania 89.7%, and Taiwan 89.5%. Norway followed at 87.3%, then Malaysia, Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, Spain, and Bermuda rounding out the top 10. Rest assured if you choose one of these countries, you should be able to stream and video chat while you work. Just remember to mute that movie during your team call.
Seven affordable places with good internet for digital nomads on a budget
Internet speed and consistency are important for remote work — but they’re not everything when you’re deciding where you want to spend your next adventure. If you’re looking for an affordable location to spend your time, save some money, and get good internet, we’ve got you covered.
We used thresholds of 50 Mbps download, 10 Mbps upload, and under 100 ms latency to designate a country of having “good” internet — these speed thresholds are minimums to what should allow you to stream in 4K, video chat, and do most work-related tasks. The latency threshold number is high, but cheap, fast internet with super low latency is not common enough. We compared that list against World Bank data for GDP per capita (PPP) from 2021 which adjusts for cost of living, and narrowed down countries that have less than the world average of $18,607. Seven countries qualified for inclusion on our list based on those criteria: Barbados, Brazil, Dominica, Ecuador, Grenada, Montserrat, and St. Lucia.
Brazil had the fastest download speed at 100.38 Mbps on our affordable countries for remote work list, followed by Dominica (80.00 Mbps), Barbados (74.21 Mbps), St. Lucia (71.40 Mbps), Grenada (65.25 Mbps), Montserrat (63.22 Mbps), and Ecuador, which eked out a place on this list at 50.55 Mbps. Every country on this list had a median upload speed above 20 Mbps. All of the countries had a Consistency higher than 70%, except St. Lucia, which was just under at 68.3%. If latency, which causes the kind of lag that can make video calls frustrating, is a major concern, only Ecuador (14 ms) and Brazil (18 ms) had latencies under 20 ms.
Regardless of where you choose to work remotely among these seven countries, you should have access to internet that can keep you on top of what you need to do at work, while you save some cash, live well, and hit the beach, since all of these countries have average temperatures above 70° F (21°C). You might just have to brush up on your Spanish, Creole, Patois, or Portuguese to really get an immersive experience, but you should sleep easy knowing that you can live well and continue to work online.
What do you need to know before applying for a remote work visa?
Currently, there are 51 countries that offer some form of a remote work visa. The requirements for these visas vary widely across each country, but generally there are a few key things you’ll need to know before you choose a country to apply to.
First, you need to decide where you are going! Besides checking internet performance, you’ll want to research how long a remote visa can last, how much money you are going to have to earn to qualify, what costs you’ll be looking at, options to renew the visa, and what kind of fees you’ll need to pay along the way. At a minimum, you’ll need a passport.
You often can’t just show up and start working remotely; for a long-term stay, you’ll need to apply for a visa (along with any family members you might want to bring along). Approval isn’t straightforward — you may need to prove your income, translate documents, get documents notarized, and even make a minimum amount of money each month. Once approved, you’ll typically pay a fee for each family member you are bringing, and you should make certain if you have any additional fees or taxes you’ll be liable to pay throughout your stay.
Once you have your visa in order, you’ll need to figure out your living situation — whether that is something longer term, or moving around a country, you’ll want to keep any requirements of your visa up to date. Do your due diligence while you apply so you don’t find yourself in an unpredictable situation you could have avoided.
Ookla has the resources you need to plan your remote work trip
We hope this short guide will help you choose the right remote work experience to help you feel fulfilled. If you want to learn more about the internet experience in any of the countries we mentioned, or even find city data or internet provider data for your remote work journey, check out the Speedtest Performance Directory™. If you’re struggling to find a decent internet provider in your area, check out our satellite internet series to see if there is a fast satellite internet connection available. And don’t forget to download the Speedtest app for Mac, Windows, or Linux to make sure you’re getting the speeds you need to continue working remotely!
Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.
To gain insight into the current performance of networks, we analyzed Speedtest® data in Q3 2023. Our analysis compares changes in 5G performance to the previous year, identifies the top 10 countries with the best performance, and discusses customer satisfaction with 5G. We also ranked countries based on the performance of their fixed networks and investigated the connectivity gap across the world.
Global 5G download speed improved. The median global 5G download speed experienced a substantial 20% increase in Q3 2023, reaching 203.04 Mbps, compared to 168.27 Mbps in Q3 2022. This improvement aligns with a significant rise in global 5G subscriptions, indicating positive progress in user adoption of 5G and the performance of 5G networks.
Top 5G performers have shifted. The top 10 countries for 5G performance witnessed notable changes, with the United Arab Emirates claiming the top spot, surpassing South Korea. Malaysia, India, and the Dominican Republic also made significant strides, showcasing a dynamic shift in the global 5G landscape.
Speedtest user ratings indicate room for 5G improvement. Despite advancements in 5G technology, there has been a decline in the Net Promoter Score (NPS) among 5G users. Factors contributing to this dissatisfaction could include unmet expectations and discrepancies between actual 5G speeds and advertised speeds.
Fixed Networks Advancements. On a global scale, fixed networks demonstrated significant performance improvement, with a 19% increase in median download speed (83.95 Mbps) and a 28% increase in upload speed (38.32 Mbps) in Q3 2023 compared to the previous year. This highlights the ongoing transition to more advanced broadband technologies, particularly Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH).
The imperative of closing the connectivity gaps. Despite improvements in global connectivity, there are still areas that fall outside of network coverage. Speedtest® data highlights disparities in internet performance between fixed and mobile networks across different regions, emphasizing the importance of addressing connectivity challenges worldwide.
5G Networks
Global 5G download speed improvements
The median global 5G download speed has experienced a noteworthy surge, registering a 20% increase and reaching 203.04 Mbps in Q3 2023, compared to 168.27 Mbps in Q3 2022, according to Speedtest Intelligence® data. This improvement coincides with a substantial rise in global 5G connections, reaching 1.4 billion according to GSMA Intelligence, representing a 65% year-on-year increase from 872 million a year ago.
In terms of upload speed and latency, only a very modest improvement of 1% occurred. Median 5G upload speeds reached 18.93 Mbps in Q3 2023, compared to 18.71 Mbps in the same period last year; multi-server latency, a critical metric for network responsiveness, improved from 45 ms in Q3 2022 to 44 ms in Q3 2023.
Speedtest users experiencing the top 10% of 5G download speeds globally have seen a 9% increase, rising from 525.54 Mbps in Q3 2022 to 573.12 Mbps in Q3 2023. However, speeds have not yet reached Gigabit levels, primarly because of network economics. 5G was originally designed to deliver peak data rates of up to 20 Gbps based on IMT-2020 requirements, but we are still a ways off before gigabit speeds become the new normal. For instance, symmetrical download, upload speeds, and ultra-low latency haven’t been realized, partially because the vast majority of 5G networks are not ‘true 5G’ as they have been deployed in Non-Standalone (NSA) mode, meaning they rely on a 4G LTE network core. According to GSA, over 40 operators have launched 5G standalone (SA) in public networks, but the rollout is not yet complete. Nevertheless, the industry is actively exploring the prospect of 5G Advanced, which promises symmetrical upload and download speeds and ultra-low latency, signaling a proactive stance ahead of the eventual transition to 6G.
Malaysia joined South Korea and the U.A.E at 5G speeds podium
During Q3 2023, the United Arab Emirates and South Korea stood out as leaders in 5G performance, boasting the fastest median 5G download speeds globally at 592.01 Mbps and 507.59 Mbps, respectively. Our top 10 list also includes Malaysia, Qatar, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Kuwait, Macau, Singapore, and India. The shift in the top 10 rankings reveals dynamic changes, with Malaysia, the Dominican Republic, and India making significant strides, while Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, and Bahrain dropped out of the rankings.
The U.A.E showcased a 14% increase in its median 5G download speed, reaching 592.01 Mbps in Q3 2023, up from 511.68 Mbps in Q3 2022, allowing the U.A.E to take the top spot from South Korea. Key factors contributing to the U.A.E.’s 5G leadership include fierce market competition driven by Etisalat and du, resulting in extensive 5G coverage and widespread access to 5G services. Additionally, the allocation of a 100 MHz of contiguous spectrum, as discussed in our 5G spectrum article, has played a pivotal role in achieving faster speeds, lower latency, and improved spectral efficiency.
The regional shift in 5G performance leadership is noteworthy. In 2022, half of the top 10 countries were from the Middle East, while in 2023, the same proportion hailed from the Asia Pacific region. Our analysis suggests that early adopters in the Asia Pacific region have outperformed major European markets in 5G performance, due to factors such as early spectrum availability and supportive government policies.
Malaysia’s remarkable achievement in reaching the third spot globally for 5G download speed, with a reported speed of 485.24 Mbps in Q3 2023, is particularly noteworthy. Despite launching its nationwide 5G network less than two years ago, Malaysia’s unconventional deployment strategy has proven effective. India has also made a significant leap, with its median 5G download speed of 312.26 Mbps allowing India to reach the top 10 worldwide. The country’s climb of 72 places on the Speedtest Global Index™ between September 2022 and August 2023 is primarily credited to the launch of 5G. Following a 5G spectrum auction in India, operators have successfully addressed network congestion issues by offloading 4G traffic onto 5G networks.
In Brazil, 5G download speed increased 1.4 times, jumping from 312.09 Mbps in Q3 2022 to 443.93 Mbps in Q3 2023. Before Brazil’s 5G spectrum auction, operators had offered 5G using DSS since July 2020. While DSS can provide broad 5G coverage, its speeds are often similar to those on 4G LTE networks. In November of 2021, however, Brazil’s multi-band 5G spectrum auction closed, which not only generated BRL47.2 billion ($8.5 billion) in total commitments, but it also allowed operators to deliver much faster speeds on dedicated 5G spectrum compared to DSS. National operators – Telefonica Brasil (Vivo), Claro Brazil, and TIM Brazil – ended up with 40 MHz or 50 MHz in the 2.3 GHz spectrum band and 100 MHz each in the 3.5 GHz band. The subsequent simultaneous activation of 5G networks in July 2022 marked a transformative moment with the continuous expansion of 5G services to 623 municipalities by December 2023. An upcoming spectrum auction expects to improve Brazil’s 5G standing even further.
The Dominican Republic’s entry into the top 10 fastest 5G countries was marked by its official launch of 5G services in December 2021, making it the first Caribbean nation and the third in Latin America to adopt a 5G network.
Disparity Between 5G Performance and Consumer Perception
The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a tool that gauges customer loyalty and satisfaction. At the end of Speetest, users may be asked to answer “How likely is it that you would recommend [provider] to a friend or colleague?” on a scale from 0-10. Net Promoter Scores are applied to both users and providers. Users are categorized into Detractors (score 0-6), Passives (score 7-8), and Promoters (score 9-10). NPS is the percent of Promoters minus the percent of Detractors and is displayed in the range from -100 to 100. Providers are ranked in descending order of NPS. NPS categorizes users into Detractors (those that score 0-6), Passives (scores between 7 and 8), and Promoters (scores of 9-10). NPS represents the percentage of Promoters minus the percent of Detractors displayed in the range from -100 to 100.
In our article discussing whether 5G was meeting customer expectations, we found that 5G users typically rate their network operator with NPS scores universally higher than those for 4G LTE users. In Q3 2023, that trend continued, as 5G users that were on 5G network when answering the NPS question still scored higher than those on 4G across all markets analyzed. It isn’t surprising given that at a global level, 5G had a 637% better median download speed than 4G and a 130% better median upload speed.
While 5G NPS still outpaces scores on 4G, our data shows that 5G NPS has been decreasing annually. This could point to the fact that excitement about 5G as a new technology is waning as users become used to faster speeds, or as customers await new use cases that can take advantage of the faster speeds that 5G can provide. After all, we are still waiting for that killer app for 5G, the way the video and streaming were for 4G.
While it is difficult to fully explain the reasons behind the 5G NPS decrease without further research, we can clearly see that network performance isn’t the only factor at play influencing NPS declines. Others can include customer care, pricing, and other services. For example, in South Korea, one of the first countries to launch 5G with one of the world’s fastest speeds, consumers scored 5G networks -41.47 in Q3 2023 compared to -20.51 in Q3 2022.
In March 2021, South Korean consumers launched a class action suit against operators because they felt they were being misled by the promises of 5G in the country. Recently, South Korea’s antitrust regulator fined three 5G operators a total of 33.6 billion won ($25.06 million) for making exaggerated claims about the level of performance their networks could achieve. South Korean operators claimed consumers could experience theoretical 5G speeds, which are not practically achievable in a “real world” environment, as factors such as spectrum usage, network densification, user location, and device capability significantly affect actual performance. Our data shows that the top 10% of 5G users in South Korea experienced speeds of 1.004 Gbps in Q3 2023, which, although impressive, are far lower than the advertised 20 Gbps speeds.
Fixed Networks
Fiber driving fixed performance gains
On a global scale, fixed networks have demonstrated significant advancements, achieving a median download speed of 83.95 Mbps and an upload speed of 38.32 Mbps in Q3 2023, per Speedtest Intelligence data. This signifies a substantial 19% improvement in download speed and an impressive 28% enhancement in upload speed compared to those in 2022. This also indicates that more fixed connections have migrated to fiber networks.
According to the World Broadband Association (WBBA) report titled “Next Generation Broadband Roadmap 2023 to 2030” Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) is identified as the natural progression from copper-based xDSL broadband networks. The shift towards FTTH varies across different countries and regions, but the industry is committed to embracing more advanced and efficient broadband technologies.
Oftentimes, despite improvement in underlying broadband technology, Wi-Fi is the bottleneck that reduces customer experience. Our research has shown that Wi-Fi performance can lag behind ethernet in markets where advanced cable and fiber connections are replacing legacy broadband technology (such as DSL or coax cable). Wi-Fi speeds typically range from 30-40% of ethernet, indicating a need to accelerate the adoption of more advanced Wi-Fi technologies and optimize the home network environment.
The UAE, Singapore, and Hong Kong are in the lead for fixed
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore led the way in fixed network performance.
The UAE achieved a median download speed of 247.63 Mbps in Q3 2023, representing a notable 1.83 times increase compared to the previous year. Most customers in the UAE have access to fiber networks, and additional measures have been implemented by operators in the region to enhance internet speeds, such as increasing the minimum download speed from 250 Mbps to 500 Mbps and offering price discounts to incentivize users to upgrade to higher-tier plans.
Singapore also leads on the 2023 Fiber Development Index (FDI), with maximum scores in seven of the nine metrics. Singapore, along with Qatar and South Korea, has achieved 100% FTHH coverage. One of the reasons for this success, besides having a smaller area, is that Singapore’s regulator mandates building owners and real estate developers to provide adequate space, facilities, and accessibility for network operators to pre-install fiber networks.
Hong Kong also demonstrated significant progress, with a 37% increase in median download speed and a 40% increase in upload speed. To track broadband adoption, the Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) in Hong Kong monitors broadband adoption by advertised speed and technology mix; as of August 2023, 66% of residential clients already subscribed to the Internet with a download speed equal to or greater than 1 Gbps.
Chile has seen a 14% improvement in median download speed and a 29% improvement in upload speed on the back of a greater fiber adoption. Chile has been the top-performing fixed broadband market across Latin America, consistently outperforming other regional markets but over the last three years, it has also closed the performance gap with other leading markets globally. Chile’s strong fixed broadband performance — an anomaly in the region — is primarily due to strong competition among Chilean ISPs. Chile has seven ISPs with over 5% market share, all heavily focused on migrating customers to fiber.
Thailand is a newcomer to the ranking as FTTH continues to grow strongly. FTTH constitutes an impressive 95% of fixed broadband users in Thailand, equivalent to around 58.96% of household penetration. Operators have been actively rolling out fiber in adherence to the Digital Thailand National Policy.
In the United States, there has been a 26% improvement in median download speed and a 7% improvement in upload speed. In this very competitive market, with a range of access technologies vying for customers, a combination of migration to fiber, 5G fixed-wireless access (FWA), and faster cable connections is helping drive higher performance levels. In line with the demand for faster network performance in the market, the FCC recently announced that it is seeking input on a planned increase to its definition of broadband/high-speed internet to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, up from the current 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload standard.
As discussed in our recent article, several European countries are making substantial progress in offering high-speed broadband. Across Europe, Denmark had the fastest median download speed for fixed broadband (196.43 Mbps), followed by Spain (176.08 Mbps) and France (170.51 Mbps). Denmark experienced a 25% improvement in median download speed and a 16% improvement in upload speed. Spain also showed significant improvement, with a 32% increase in median download speed and a 29% increase in upload speed. France exhibited even stronger progress, with a 53% increase in median download speed and a 41% increase in upload speed. The speed gains we’ve seen in Spain and France are correlated with an increase in fiber adoption; for example, Spain boasts nearly 90% fiber optic coverage, thanks to private initiatives and government support, while France expects a full-fiber rollout by 2025.
Connectivity for All
The imperative of closing the connectivity gap
Massive investments are being made to bridge the connectivity gap as recognition of connectivity as a fundamental human right is growing. According to a WBBA Whitepaper, a high level of broadband penetration is critical to the country’s socioeconomic development. However, it’s not only about being connected to the network per se; the quality of that broadband connection is equally crucial. Unlike other utility services like gas and electricity, where quality is generally stable, with broadband, the quality of the network experience is crucial to ensure users can benefit fully from multiple applications.
To assess the digital divide, we mapped mobile and fixed internet performance using data from the Open Data Initiative, which Ookla provides as part of Ookla for Good.
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Determining where a digital divide exists is a complex issue that involves identifying where network infrastructure is located, where people need connectivity, and how affordable it is. Although it can be challenging to dig into a specific location, it is evident that there are varying levels of Internet performance worldwide. A quick glance at our data shows that fixed broadband customers are more likely to experience faster networks (measured as an average download speed of 100 Mbps and above) than mobile across the Americas and Europe. The opposite is true for mobile networks across Africa and APAC, where mobile networks are often the primary means of connectivity. Compared to urban areas, rural communities are often ill-equipped for broadband access. Due to a lack of bandwidth (and therefore slower speeds), people in these areas need help doing many things on the internet, such as streaming videos. The US regulator FCC defines broadband in the United States as access to 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds. Areas without those speeds are classified as broadband “digital deserts,” even if those areas have internet access. Although broadband definitions can vary considerably from country to country, we can see in the next section that many areas fall outside any standards of connectivity globally.
Despite the world becoming increasingly connected, many rural and remote areas still struggle to access the internet. For example, large swathes of South America and Africa fall outside terrestrial network coverage. As discussed in our recent article, cellular networks are critical to connecting individuals and businesses as internet access in Africa is predominantly mobile. Before we can start discussing 5G, connecting communities with the internet in general is a priority. Affordable 4G smartphones and targeted financing for under-served demographics are key for bridging the digital divide and reducing poverty, as a World Bank study found that 4G coverage can help cut poverty by up to 4.3%.
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5G technology can potentially replace fixed internet access in situations where the cost of fiber deployments is high and rolling out traditional fixed broadband networks isn’t commercially viable. However, in countries like Indonesia, satellite technology may be a more effective solution for connecting remote areas. While 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and satellite technology can complement each other, the adoption of satellite technology is currently limited by factors such as coverage, device affordability, and service cost. As revealed in our recent article, Starlink outperforms GEO satellites and is a suitable replacement for fixed networks in rural areas. While it may not match the leading cable or fiber providers in terms of median speeds or multi-server latency, satellite internet provides a viable alternative in places where cable and fiber access networks are unavailable. This is mainly due to a more consistent distribution of download performance across Speedtest samples, unlike FWA and DSL-based services, where performance is impacted by the distance from the cell site or exchange/DSLAM.
Fixed and mobile network operators across the globe widely use Speedtest data to enhance Internet quality, improve accessibility, and inform network expansion. The United States Federal Communications Commission and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission rely on Speedtest data to ensure accountability of telecommunications entities and allocate funds for rural and urban connectivity development. Ookla also licenses data to NGOs and educational institutions to help bridge the digital divide between areas with and without modern Internet access. Our mapping data is used to track results and determine whether broadband infrastructure can handle growth as more people connect devices and technologies demand more bandwidth. We are also actively involved in discussing best practices for ensuring digital transformation and connectivity for all in the APAC region, Central Asia, and Europe. If you are interested in working with us, please reach out.
Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.
The Asia Pacific region has successfully implemented 5G technology despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, global economy, and geopolitical climate. South Korea, China, and Japan have led the way in 5G network deployment. With the continued rollout of 5G networks in other regional markets, Asia Pacific is on track to become the largest 5G market globally.
Key messages
Advanced Asia Pacific markets have taken the lead in the 5G rollout. Countries such as South Korea, Australia, and China, were among the first in the world to launch commercial 5G networks as more markets joined the ranks.
5G performance outranks Europe. Early adopters in the Asia Pacific region have outperformed major European markets in terms of 5G performance. This is mainly due to factors like early spectrum availability and supportive government policies.
5G Availability varies. The region experiences varying levels of 5G Availability and adoption due to factors like population density, device affordability, and tariffs.
Seoul and Kuala Lumpur are the top cities for 5G performance, boasting median download speeds of 533.95 Mbps and 523.44 Mbps, respectively.
5G helps to narrow the digital divide. 5G FWA is a viable alternative to traditional fixed broadband to narrow down the digital divide in the region
South Korea sets the pace as 5G networks expand across the region
Many of the more advanced markets in the Asia Pacific have been the frontrunners in terms of 5G rollout. South Korea was the first market in the world to deploy a nationwide 5G network in April 2019, followed by Australia, the Philippines, China, and New Zealand later that year. As predicted by GSMA Intelligence, the recent second wave of 5G rollouts in the region in countries such as Indonesia, India, and Malaysia will see Asia Pacific becoming one of the largest 5G markets in the world by 2025.
Allocation of spectrum resources is crucial
In our recent spectrum analysis, we discussed how important spectrum is for the performance and coverage of 5G. In general, regulators in the Asia Pacific region have been quick to allocate spectrum for 5G applications, and in many cases, operators have been able to secure substantial bandwidth in the key C-band.
The mid-band spectrum is the most frequently awarded spectrum band in the Asia Pacific region. It is the top choice for commercial 5G deployment because it balances 5G coverage and capacity. In some markets, 5G deployment uses low-band (sub 1 GHz) frequencies, allowing for wider outdoor 5G coverage and better penetration inside buildings in urban and suburban areas. However, this may come at the expense of the median download speed, which typically peaks at around 100 Mbps.
For some markets, 5G spectrum awards are subject to strict milestones and requirements. Operators in South Korea were required to have 22,500 base stations by the end of 2021, 45,000 by the end of 2023, and 150,000 base stations upon completion of their 3.5 GHz spectrum rollout. Additionally, within three years, there were required to install 15,000 base stations utilizing 28 GHz. However, a review by South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) found that all mobile operators met the minimum requirements for the 3.5GHz spectrum but not the 28GHz spectrum. Consequently, the ministry has withdrawn all operators’ spectrum licenses in the 28GHz band. In our recent mmWave analysis, we thoroughly covered the performance and progress inherent in that spectrum band.
Asia Pacific outpaced major European markets in terms of 5G performance
While Europe and the Asia Pacific markets share similarities such as large cultural diversity, customers with varying demographics, and mixed regulations and policies, our recent analysis of European 5G performance revealed that early 5G adopters in the Asia Pacific region performed better than some major European markets.
According to Speedtest Intelligence® H1 2023 data, several markets in the Asia Pacific region had faster median download performance compared to the top five European economies. Malaysia and South Korea led the pack with speeds of over 500 Mbps, with Malaysia reporting a median download performance of 512.10 Mbps, and South Korea at 503.99 Mbps – an impressive accomplishment for Malaysia, which launched 5G 3.5 years after South Korea and has caught up to them in performance. Both countries have notable differences in terms of their telecommunications landscapes. The Malaysian government went with a nationwide single wholesale network (SWN) approach as its 5G deployment plan. Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) was established in 2021 to construct and operate the 5G network infrastructure and provide 5G services to mobile network operators at wholesale prices. South Korea has long been at the forefront of mobile technology and boasts one of the highest internet penetration rates globally. As a result of its early commitment to 5G development, South Korea became the first market in the world to launch a commercial 5G network.
During the same period, Singapore, India, New Zealand, China, and Australia achieved a median 5G download speed exceeding 200 Mbps. In comparison, only France recorded speeds above 200 Mbps among the European countries mentioned, while Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, and Spain, recorded median download speeds below 150 Mbps.
5G Availability and adoption vary across the region
5G Availability (the percentage of users on 5G-capable devices that spend most of the time with access to 5G networks) varied widely across the Asia Pacific region during H1 2023. Factors such as access to low-band spectrum and affordability and availability of 5G devices influence each market’s reported 5G Availability. Analysis based on data from Speedtest Intelligence shows that Hong Kong stands out as the only country analyzed to have surpassed 40% 5G Availability, reaching 42.3% in H1 2023. Part of the reason is the city’s high population density, 5G coverage that reaches over 90% of the population, and a high 5G smartphone penetration rate, which Counterpoint Research reported as 78% in Q1 of 2023.
Despite Australia being 78 times larger than South Korea, and being one of the least densely populated countries, both countries reported similar 5G Availability rates, at around 36.6%. Counterpoint Research reported a 5G smartphone penetration rate of more than 80% for both countries, with South Korea at 88% and Australia at 82%. Across the European markets, France, Spain, Germany, and the U.K. ranged between 20%-30%. Similarly, Thailand also falls within this range at 26.8%.
Based on Q2 2023 data from GSMA Intelligence, South Korea, China, and Japan led in 5G adoption, measured as the percentage of 5G connections compared to total connections, higher than the selected European markets looked at in this report. South Korea had a total of 31.3 million 5G connections, which accounted for more than 48% of all mobile connections in the country, while China boasts over 700 million 5G connections, equivalent to 41% of connections. Other early adopters of 5G in the region, such as Japan, Hong Kong, and Australia, have all seen a considerable rise in their total 5G connections from the previous year. Japan experienced a 76% increase of 5G connections between Q2 2022 to Q2 2023, to 60.8 million connections. Hong Kong increased by 65% to 4.8 million, and Australia had 8.8 million connections, up by almost 40% during the same period of time.
Seoul and Kuala Lumpur are the top cities in the Asia Pacific region for 5G speeds.
Given that both Malaysia and South Korea are ahead in 5G performance among their peers, it is unsurprising that their capital cities came first as well in the ranking of selected cities. In H1 2023, Seoul had a median download speed of 533.95 Mbps, while Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, reported a median download speed of 523.44 Mbps. Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), Malaysia’s designated 5G wholesale provider, reported 90% 5G coverage of populated areas (COPA) throughout Kuala Lumpur at the end of 2022.
Despite being one of the latest markets to launch 5G, the Indian cities of Delhi and Mumbai performed well in the cities’ speeds ranking. Both cities reported median download speeds of over 300 Mbps in H1 2023, with Delhi at 357.43 Mbps and Mumbai at 319.45 Mbps. While Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, and Delhi have shown 5G performance comparable to or even exceeding those of well-established 5G markets in the region, their 5G networks are still relatively new. As a result, these cities have lower 5G Availability than others as anticipated.
Metro Manila, with one-third of the population of the Philippines, had the lowest median download speed among all the cities in this report for H1 2023, with a speed of 135.51 Mbps. During the same period, Metro Manila reported a 5G availability rate of 35.7%, slightly lower than Seoul (35.9%) and Sydney (39.2%).
Breaking the digital divide with 5G FWA
The benefits of 5G go beyond the faster speeds compared to 4G. It also plays a role in bringing connectivity to underserved areas. Although developed markets in the Asia Pacific are leading in ultra-fast, fixed fiber broadband, there is still a portion of the region where internet connectivity is expensive, unavailable, or insufficient. Many people in these underserved regions rely on mobile devices to access the internet. According to GSMA Intelligence, mobile broadband networks are accessible to more than 96% of the population, making it the primary option for internet access in many households.
In some markets, mobile operators see 5G, particularly 5G fixed-wireless access (FWA) services, as a viable alternative to traditional fixed broadband. While FWA is not a new concept, the use of 5G technology is expected to accelerate its growth, especially in areas where it is not economically feasible to deploy high-speed fixed broadband networks. According to GSMA Intelligence, nearly three in five users who either have upgraded or plan to upgrade to 5G find the idea of using 5G for home broadband appealing. FWA is becoming one of the operators’ primary 5G use cases, providing an opportunity to increase revenue and monetize network investments and wireless spectrum.
The Asia-Pacific region is seeing a rise in the adoption of 5G FWA, with Southeast Asia leading the way. In 2019, Globe Telecom in the Philippines, became the first country in the region to launch FWA. Other regional operators, such as Telkomsel in Indonesia and AIS in Thailand, have also begun offering FWA services. In New Zealand, operators plan to provide FWA coverage to 90% of the population by the end of 2023.
While 5G FWA shows promising growth potential, operators need to ensure that as 5G adoption in the network increases, they have the capacity to support their FWA services and the spectrum to guarantee quality. When the demand for 5G FWA service grows, operators may have to look at utilizing the mmWave spectrum to maintain the quality of their FWA services while keeping network capacity intact.
We will keep a close eye on the progress and effectiveness of 5G implementation throughout the Asia Pacific region. If you are interested in benchmarking your performance or if you’d like to learn more about internet speeds and performance in other markets around the world, visit the Speedtest Global Index™.
Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.
Malaysia launched its nationwide 5G network less than two years ago, adopting a distinctive 5G deployment approach. Ookla® data shows that the country’s 5G performance has been impressive, ranking as one of the top performers globally. In this article, we will compare Malaysia’s 5G performance with 5G in select countries, and we will also look at Malaysia’s 5G utilization based on the devices running Ookla Speedtest®.
Key takeaways
Malaysia continues to improve its Speedtest Global Index ranking. Malaysia’s overall mobile speed performance has steadily increased since the introduction of 5G at the end of 2021. In September 2023, the country’s median download speed was 61.50 Mbps, 2.9 times faster than its pre-5G speeds in September 2021. This led to a 45-place climb on the Speedtest Global Index™, from 86th place in September 2021 to 41st place in September 2023 after 5G had been deployed in Malaysia.
Malaysia is one of the top performing 5G markets globally. Malaysia ranks third globally for 5G download speed, with a reported speed of 485.25 Mbps, according to Speedtest Intelligence® data for Q3 2023. This puts Malaysia not only ahead of its Southeast Asian neighbors but also some developed markets, including the United Kingdom, Japan, and Germany.
A proportion of 5G-capable devices have yet to utilize the 5G network. Over 55% of all nationwide tests were conducted on 5G-capable devices in Q3 2023. However, only 25.1% of those tests were conducted on a 5G network. Operators with a lower subscriber base in the country reported a better percentage of Speedtests conducted on Malaysia’s 5G network.
4G LTE performance sees continued improvement alongside 5G rollout. Median download speeds on 4G have increased from 24.04 Mbps to 36.95 Mbps from Q3 2022 to Q3 2023. 5G network offers much stronger performance than 4G, with 5G providing thirteen times faster download speeds and five times faster upload speeds than 4G.
Unique deployment strategy utilizing a Single Wholesale Network
In 2021, the government of Malaysia established Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), responsible for rolling out a nationwide single wholesale network (SWN) to deliver 5G coverage. According to DNB, the 5G SWN model aimed to centralize infrastructure rollout, promoting efficient resource use, cost savings, and equitable 5G access across urban and rural landscapes.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) assigned 5G spectrum to DNB in the 700 MHz, 3.5 GHz, and 26-28 GHz bands. DNB is currently utilizing 3.5 GHz spectrum across selected deployment areas. As discussed in our recent spectrum analysis, the upper mid-band (otherwise known as C-band) offers the best of both worlds in terms of coverage and capacity, which is important for DNB as they aim to reach 80% of populated areas by 2024. As of the end of September 2023, DNB has achieved 70.2% coverage of populated areas (COPA), with more than 5,800 sites deployed.
Yes was the first operator to enter into the Access Agreement with DNB and launch 5G services in Malaysia in Q4 2021. Following Yes, other operators such as Celcom, Digi, Unifi (Telekom Malaysia), and U Mobile launched their 5G services in early November 2022. In August 2023, Maxis became the latest operator to launch 5G services in Malaysia.
5G helped Malaysia climb 45 places in Speedtest’s mobile rankings
Ookla’s Speedtest Intelligence® data reveals that Malaysia has experienced a noteworthy increase in mobile median download speeds for all technologies since the launch of Malaysia’s first 5G network. In September 2023, Malaysia’s median mobile download speed increased to 61.50 Mbps, 2.9 times faster than the country’s 21.27 Mbps median download speed recorded in September 2021, before the launch of 5G in the country. As a result, Malaysia has improved its position on the Speedtest Global Index™, climbing 45 places from 86th in September 2021 to 41st in September 2023. This development places Malaysia ahead of some of its Southeast Asia neighboring countries, such as Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, and Vietnam, as well as some developed markets, including the United Kingdom, Japan, and Germany.
Malaysia leads on 5G performance in Southeast Asia
In our recent report discussing 5G in the Asia Pacific region, we discussed how the region is on track to become the largest 5G market globally, with some markets in the region outpacing major European markets in terms of 5G performance. Comparing global 5G performance, Malaysia has emerged as one of the top performers in 5G connectivity. According to Speedtest Intelligence data in Q3 2023, Malaysia ranked third globally for 5G download speed, with a reported speed of 485.25 Mbps. This puts Malaysia ahead of its Southeast Asian neighbors, such as Singapore (338.36 Mbps), Thailand (141.65 Mbps), and the Philippines (124.58 Mbps).
4G performance continues to see improvements in the 5G era
5G rollout has also propelled an increase in 4G LTE speeds thanks to the modernization of the underlying infrastructure. Improvements in 4G LTE speeds are also partly from offloading 4G traffic to the 5G network, reducing 4G network congestion.
Speedtest Intelligence data shows that, at a country level, the median download speeds for 4G between Q3 2022 and Q3 2023 have increased from 24.04 Mbps to 36.95 Mbps. Upload speeds on 4G also continued to improve over the same period, albeit slightly.
As part of the 12th Malaysia Plan (2021–2025), the government is implementing the Jalinan Digital Negara (Jendela) initiative to address the need and demand for better quality fixed and mobile broadband coverage. Operators across Malaysia continue to roll out 4G to adhere to Jendela rollout targets. According to Jendela’s Phase 1 concluding report, 4G Coverage in Populated Areas achieved its target of providing 96.9% coverage by the end of 2022.
While current 4G network performance may meet the needs of most users for everyday tasks, such as browsing, streaming, and online communication, it is still far from the uplift in performance offered by 5G.
When we compare 5G and 4G performance in Malaysia for Q3 2023, Ookla’s data show that the median 5G download speed (485.25 Mbps) was 13 times faster than that of 4G (36.95 Mbps), while the country’s median 5G upload speed (54.62 Mbps) was 5 times faster than that of 4G LTE (10.61 Mbps).
Customers residing in areas outside of urban areas or in lower-income states may be reluctant to adopt 5G technology, as it may lead to higher subscription and upfront costs compared to previous mobile technologies. To that end, convincing consumers of the transformative advantages offered by 5G becomes pivotal in this context.
Potential to increase the adoption and usage of 5G technology
Apart from looking at the 5G performance in Malaysia, we also examined the percentage of devices utilizing the 5G network. This was done to gauge consumer uptake of 5G in the country. Using Speedtest Intelligence Q3 2023 data, we compared the proportion of unique devices that conducted consumer-initiated Speedtest using a 5G network to the total number of devices running Speedtest, regardless of network technology.
According to our analysis, in Q3 2023, out of all the mobile tests initiated by consumers in Malaysia across all technologies, 30.1% of them were carried out on the 5G network. This suggests that the adoption and usage of 5G technology among the general population in Malaysia still needs to improve. Although Malaysia launched its 5G network later than most neighboring countries in the region, its percentage of 5G users, while lower, is still noteworthy. In comparison, early 5G adopters such as Thailand and Taiwan, which launched their 5G network almost two years ahead of Malaysia, have a slightly higher percentage of devices connected to 5G, at less than 10 percentage points more.
Single wholesale network model levels the playing field
Unlike Malaysia’s previous 4G era, which followed a conventional approach to network rollout where individual operators owned the spectrum and were responsible for establishing their networks separately, Malaysia’s 5G SWN initiative takes a different approach from the traditional method adopted by most countries.
As stated by DNB, adopting the 5G SWN model can bring about several benefits, one of which is eliminating the duplication of infrastructure. Other advantages include ensuring uniform national coverage and encouraging operators to move towards a more service-oriented business model. While the long-term benefits remain to be seen, upon launch, operators with smaller 4G network footprints can immediately benefit from 5G coverage areas similar to those of larger and more established operators.
Ookla’s data shows that operators with smaller subscriber bases in the country reported a higher percentage of Speedtests performed on 5G-capable devices on the 5G network. Yes, the first operator to enter into an Access Agreement with DNB and the first to launch 5G in Malaysia in Q4 2021 reported the highest percentage at 53.3% in Q3 2023. U Mobile and Unifi, which launched their 5G networks in Q4 2022, reported 40.7% and 38.9% respectively.
Maxis, one of the larger mobile operators in Malaysia, had 33.0% of tests carried out on 5G. This is a notable uptake considering that Maxis only launched its 5G services in August 2023 after delays in its decision to enter into the Access Agreement with DNB. Both Celcom and Digi reported percentages below 22%.
One of the reasons for the variation in the number of 5G users is that the implementation of the 5G SWN model has enabled relatively smaller mobile players to offer more competitive plans, creating a more equitable playing field in the market. At the time of this report, Yes, U Mobile, and Unifi automatically included 5G services to their current and new customers. In contrast, Maxis, Digi, and Celcom, depending on which current plan their customers are on, imposed an additional surcharge between MYR 10 to MYR 20 (USD 2.20 to USD 4.40) per month for customers on lower-tiered plans to upgrade to a 5G plan.
Proportion of 5G-capable devices shows opportunities for better adoption
As DNB continues to expand its 5G network access to all populated areas across the country, motivating consumers to subscribe to the newer technology is critical. Operators already have a base of consumers who own 5G-capable devices, and we expect to see more consumers investing in 5G-capable devices going forward.
According to Speedtest Intelligence data, in Q3 2023, over 55% of all tests conducted in Malaysia were carried out on unique 5G-capable devices. Of these devices, 30.1% of the tests were conducted on 5G networks, while the remaining 21.5% were on non-5G networks.
Around 50% of Celcom’s and Digi’s customer bases own 5G-capable devices, but only 16.7% of Celcom’s and 21.6% of Digi’s customers conducted tests on 5G in Q3 2023. Maxis, which has the highest percentage of 5G-capable devices (62.8%), saw only 33% of its customers perform tests on 5G. For these operators, approximately 30% of their customer base that own 5G-capable devices have yet to initiate a Speedtest on the 5G network. There is an opportunity to transition these customers to adopt 5G as they likely have not yet subscribed or reside in areas without 5G coverage. Again, it is important to note that Maxis launched 5G services in August.
Unifi and U Mobile had 18.9% and 12.5%, respectively, of users that own 5G-capable devices yet to take advantage of the 5G network. On the other hand, Yes customers with 5G-capable devices are already benefiting from 5G, with less than 8% of them yet to subscribe to 5G or reside in areas without 5G coverage.
The government’s active participation is instrumental in achieving the national 5G connectivity agenda
Over the years, Malaysia has consistently invested in enhancing its digital infrastructure. With its National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan (NFCP) and the MyDIGITAL initiative, it is already ahead of some of its neighbors in terms of connectivity. This groundwork creates a conducive environment for 5G and the readiness to embrace next-gen technology into its digital infrastructure.
Malaysia has adopted a distinctive strategy by implementing a single wholesale 5G model. DNB serves as a neutral party responsible for deploying 5G infrastructure and network across the country. By the end of 2022, the country has achieved its target of providing 40% coverage of populated areas. The performance of 5G technology has been impressive so far, making Malaysia one of the top performers globally. However, DNB has an obligation to expand its coverage to 80% of populated areas by 2024. 5G performance is also expected to decrease over time as network traffic grows and more and more users switch to 5Gs.
A few pieces of the puzzle still need to fall into place before 5G can be widely adopted in Malaysia. Apart from encouraging users with 5G-capable devices to adopt 5G services, around 45% of tests were carried out on non-5G devices, leaving a significant portion of users in the country still reliant on 4G. To further encourage the adoption of 5G, The Communications and Digital Ministry recently kicked off the 5G Rahmah initiative, where participating operators will now offer more affordable 5G data and device bundle plans to Malaysians, with additional incentives for low-income groups and civil servants.
It is evident that the government and regulatory authorities have a vital role in making 5G accessible to consumers. Now that all operators have agreed to provide 5G services, they also have the responsibility to keep the service’s cost affordable and educate consumers about its benefits. Earlier this year, the Malaysian government announced its plan to transition to a dual network model once the current rollout under DNB has reached the targeted 80% coverage of populated areas. However, the impact of this transition and factors such as the speed of the rollout, 5G adoption, and infrastructure management by operators remains to be determined and requires further assessment.
We will keep a close eye on the progress and effectiveness of 5G implementation in Malaysia. If you are interested in benchmarking your performance or if you’d like to learn more about internet speeds and performance in other markets around the world, visit the Speedtest Global IndexTM.
Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.
Ookla® recently participated in the Digital Transformation Leaders’ CxO Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on November 22nd and 23rd, 2023. At the summit, leaders from multiple mobile network operators, governments, industries, and ecosystem players gathered to discuss commercial strategies, technological advancements, and industry promotion policies. The aim was to accelerate sector-wide intelligent digital transformation in the 5G era by addressing opportunities and challenges.
Key Takeaways
Adopting digital transformation is crucial to compete in the 5G era. Digital transformation is essential for industry players to stay competitive in the digital age. Despite challenges, the potential benefits, like better efficiency, improved customer experiences, and innovation opportunities, make it crucial for industries to undertake.
A collaborative effort is necessary for Open RAN’s success. Despite the global momentum of Open RAN, challenges stemming from interoperability issues among hardware and software stacks pose significant hurdles, demanding a collaborative effort within the telecom industry to ensure the success of this transformative technology.
Complementing terrestrial networks with Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) is crucial for global connectivity. Combining both networks’ strengths creates a more robust communication infrastructure that enhances connectivity, reliability, and coverage.
5G is an integral element of any country’s digital transformation strategy
Mobile connectivity stands as a driving force for digital innovation and economic growth across the Asia Pacific region. GSMA reports that mobile technologies and services contributed nearly 5% of the region’s GDP in 2022, translating to a substantial $810 billion in economic value added. This underscores the pivotal role of 5G deployment in fostering economic growth, benefiting both individuals and enterprises. As the backbone of transformative technologies, 5G has become a catalyst for innovation, propelling the Asia Pacific region into the forefront of the global digital economy.
During his opening speech, Julian Gorman, the Head of APAC for GSMA, highlighted that the Asia Pacific region is a collection of diverse markets, each at a unique stage of growth regarding 5G adoption. Countries in the region are charting their own individual paths in deploying 5G networks. The tailored approach is essential as it accommodates varying technological landscapes, economic conditions, and regulatory frameworks and allows nations to capitalize on 5G’s potential in a manner that aligns with their specific needs and challenges.
Several speakers quoted Ookla’s recent report highlighting how the Asia Pacific region has some of the world’s fastest 5G networks, with South Korea and Malaysia ranking in the top three countries for 5G network speeds globally. Malaysia has achieved impressive 5G performance, ranking third globally for 5G download speed with a reported speed of 485.25 Mbps, surpassing its Southeast Asian neighbors. This is despite launching its nationwide 5G network less than two years ago and adopting an unconventional deployment strategy.
Co-CEO of DNB, Datuk Ahmad Zaki Bin Zahid, emphasized during his speech that the journey towards 5G adoption goes beyond just speed and that a strong network infrastructure foundation is crucial. His remarks underscore the need for a strategic and thoughtful planning approach when building a solid network foundation for new 5G applications. Investing strategically in building and expanding telecommunications networks is crucial for unlocking the nation’s digital transformation and driving growth. Earlier this year, the Malaysian government announced its intention to transition to a dual network model once the current rollout under DNB has achieved 80% coverage of populated areas. How implementing a dual network will impact Malaysia’s 5G adoption and digital transformation remains to be seen.
Embracing network digital transformation is necessary for staying competitive in the 5G era
During the session titled “Network Digital Transformation in the 5G Era,” industry experts emphasized the significance of network digital transformation in the 5G era. The speakers’ discussed how 5G technology has revolutionized the way networks operate and how it supports digital transformation for businesses. In his presentation, Ericsson’s Asia-Pacific Group CTO, Magnus Everbring, explained how a well-built 5G network and through enhanced features such as network slicing, or 5G Standalone, will be able to differentiate traffic for new services, thus utilizing the 5G network to its full potential. This will open up possibilities for new 5G services for enterprises and consumers, moving beyond broadband use cases and into various industry verticals such as healthcare, utilities, manufacturing, media and broadcast, and the public sector.
Overcoming interoperability hurdles for Open RAN
Open RAN has recently been gaining traction globally. However, several single vendor operators often face technical and verification challenges in implementing Open RAN. According to our recent report that analyzed telco trends for 2024, industry experts believe that interoperability issues across hardware and software stacks are hindering Open RAN’s progress, causing delays in its implementation timelines. Resolving these challenges is crucial to the success of Open RAN and will require a concerted effort from the telecom industry.
In a panel discussion, Dr. Sadayuki Abeta, the Global Head of Open RAN at NTT DOCOMO, discussed how the company is using its expertise to support the Open RAN efforts of operators worldwide. NTT DOCOMO has introduced its Open RAN OREX platform, designed to simplify the deployment of open RAN. Dr. Abeta mentioned that they are working with dozens of vendors to develop a verified multi-vendor Open RAN solution that addresses various challenges, such as integration issues, power consumption balancing with performance, and managing an open RAN ecosystem.
NTNs can complement 5G terrestrial networks for seamless connectivity
In one of the sessions, the topic of discussion was how complementing Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) with 5G terrestrial networks leverages the strengths of both network types to create a robust and efficient communication infrastructure and services. Gerhard Ott, the Customer CTO APJ Strategy at Nokia, believes that a secure, multi-layered, and sustainable network is essential for providing a comprehensive and reliable communication solution that can meet the needs of various applications and use cases. Nokia is working with AST SpaceMobile to offer direct-to-cell phone connectivity from space, eliminating coverage gaps and providing digital connectivity to remote rural communities.
Looking ahead to 2024, we anticipate a greater integration of terrestrial and NTN. The hybrid approach provides a highly resilient, scalable, and secure communication infrastructure that can address connectivity across diverse scenarios and geographic locations.
The GSMA CxO Forum emphasized 5G’s importance in driving positive change through digital transformation for various industries, businesses, societies, and nations. Although progress has been achieved in the Asia Pacific region, there is still a long way to go. In line with what was discussed during Ookla’s Asia Pacific Telecommunications Regulatory Summit, Government and industry players must work together to ensure that digital technologies and services are integrated into every sector of the economy to achieve sustainable and economic growth. If you’re interested in learning more about Ookla’s perspective on telco trends for 2024, you can read our report here.
Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.
Ookla® Market Reports™ identify key data about internet performance in countries across the world. This quarter we’ve provided updated analyses for 51 markets using Speedtest Intelligence® and summarized a few top takeaways below. Click through to the market report to see more details and charts about the countries you’re interested in, including the fastest fixed broadband providers and mobile operators, who had the most consistent service, and 5G and device performance in select countries during Q3 2023. Jump forward to a continent using these links:
Côte d’Ivoire: Orange recorded the fastest median mobile and fixed download speeds during Q3 2023, at 24.33 Mbps and 66.84 Mbps, respectively. Moov Africa recorded the lowest median multi-server latency over fixed broadband at 122 ms. Of Côte d’Ivoire most populous cities, Bouake had the fastest median fixed download speed of 59.22 Mbps, just ahead of Abidjan with 58.44 Mbps.
Mozambique: There were no statistical winners for fastest median mobile download speed during Q3 2023, with Vodacom and Tmcel delivering median download speeds of 31.16 Mbps and 27.89 Mbps, respectively. Tmcel recorded the lowest mobile multi-server latency at 52 ms and the highest Consistency at 91.8%. Of Mozambique’s most populous cities, Maputo had the fastest median mobile and fixed download speeds at 28.71 Mbps and 12.57 Mbps, respectively. SpaceX’s Starlink recorded the fastest fixed broadband median download speed in Q3 2023 at 53.98 Mbps, along with the highest Consistency at 60.3%. Meanwhile, TVCABO recorded the lowest median multi-server latency over fixed broadband at 14 ms.
Senegal: There was no winner of fastest median mobile performance in Senegal during Q3 2023, with Orange and Free both tied. Orange led the market for median fixed broadband download performance, with 21.68 Mbps in Q3 2023. It also had the lowest median multi-server latency at 85 ms and highest Consistency of 45.3%. Of Senegal’s most populous cities, Dakar had the fastest median fixed download speed of 26.08 Mbps.
Argentina: Personal had the fastest median download speed over mobile at 36.63 Mbps, while also registering lowest mobile multi-server latency at 39 ms during Q3 2023. In the fixed broadband market, there was no statistically fastest network, with Movistar and Telecentro delivering median download speeds of 102.55 Mbps and 101.96 Mbps, respectively. Movistar recorded the lowest multi-server latency of 10 ms. Among Argentina’s most populous cities, La Plata recorded the fastest mobile download speed of 35.48 Mbps, while Buenos Aires recorded the fastest fixed download speed of 105.50 Mbps.
Belize: Digi had the fastest median mobile download and upload speeds of 17.23 Mbps and 10.38 Mbps, respectively during Q3 2023. Digi also recorded the highest Consistency of 81.5%, while smart! recorded the lowest median mobile multi-server latency of 55 ms. NEXGEN had the fastest median download and upload speeds over fixed broadband in Belize at 48.27 Mbps and 47.29 Mbps, respectively.
Canada: Bell was the fastest mobile operator in Canada with a median download speed of 100.77 Mbps in Q3 2023. Bell also had the fastest median 5G download speed at 183.06 Mbps. Rogers had the fastest median mobile upload speed of 11.44 Mbps, and the highest Consistency of 82.9%. Bell pure fibre was fastest for fixed broadband, recording a median download speed of 286.08 Mbps and a median upload speed of 244.64 Mbps. Of Canada’s most populous cities, St. John’s recorded the fastest median mobile download speed at 158.19 Mbps, while Fredericton recorded the fastest median fixed broadband download speed of 238.49 Mbps.
Colombia: Movistar was fastest for fixed broadband with a median download speed of 181.42 Mbps in Q3 2023. ETB had the lowest median multi-server latency over fixed broadband at 9 ms. Of Colombia’s most populous cities, Cartagena recorded the fastest median fixed download speed of 125.15 Mbps.
Costa Rica: Claro had the fastest median download and upload speeds among mobile operators at 52.38 Mbps and 12.56 Mbps, respectively. Liberty had the lowest mobile multi-server latency at 33 ms and the highest Consistency at 80.1%. Metrocom was fastest for fixed broadband download and upload performance, at 213.77 Mbps and 157.89 Mbps, respectively.
Dominican Republic: Claro had the fastest median download and upload speeds among mobile operators at 32.22 Mbps and 9.27 Mbps, respectively. Viva had the lowest mobile multi-server latency at 44 ms. SpaceX’s Starlink was fastest for fixed broadband download performance at 49.21 Mbps, while Claro recorded the fastest median upload speed at 14.81 Mbps, as well as the lowest multi-server latency at 40 ms. Of the Dominican Republic’s most populous cities, Santo Domingo recorded the fastest median mobile and fixed download speeds of 37.43 Mbps and 44.92 Mbps, respectively.
Ecuador: There was no winner of fastest median mobile performance in Ecuador during Q3 2023, with CNT and Claro posting median download speeds of 28.00 Mbps and 26.65 Mbps, respectively. Movistar recorded the lowest mobile multi-server latency, of 40 ms. Netlife was fastest for fixed broadband, with a median download speed of 90.31 Mbps. Netlife also recorded the lowest multi-server latency over fixed broadband at 8ms.
El Salvador: Claro had the fastest median download speed among mobile operators at 41.26 Mbps, along with the highest Consistency of 88.5%. Movistar registered the lowest median multi-server latency in El Salvador at 59 ms. Cable Color recorded the fastest median fixed download speed at 54.91 Mbps, the top median upload speed at 49.87 Mbps, and the lowest median multi-server latency of 42 ms.
Guatemala: Claro was the fastest mobile operator in Guatemala with a median download speed of 37.39 Mbps and a median upload speed of 20.43 Mbps. Claro also had the highest Consistency at 86.1%, while also leading the market for 5G performance, with a median 5G download speed of 370.97 Mbps. SpaceX’s Starlink was fastest for median fixed download performance at 56.91 Mbps, while Cable Color was fastest for fixed upload performance at 28.96 Mbps. Cable Color also had the lowest median multi-server latency on fixed broadband at 34 ms.
Guyana: There was no winner of fastest median mobile performance in Guyana during Q3 2023, with ENet and Digicel posting median download speeds of 32.48 Mbps and 28.01 Mbps, respectively. ENet recorded the fastest median mobile upload speed at 18.03 Mbps and offered the lowest median multi-server latency at 137 ms. In the fixed broadband market, ENet recorded the fastest median download and upload speeds, of 61.46 Mbps and 39.75 Mbps, respectively.
Haiti: Digicel was the fastest mobile operator in Haiti with a median mobile download speed of 13.77 Mbps, a median upload speed of 9.92 Mbps, and Consistency of 67.4%. SpaceX Starlink had the fastest median fixed download speed at 50.18 Mbps. Natcom had the fastest median fixed upload speed at 32.10 Mbps and the lowest median fixed multi-server latency at 41 ms.
Honduras: Claro had the fastest median download and upload speeds over mobile at 54.06 Mbps and 15.75 Mbps, respectively. Claro also had the lowest mobile median multi-server latency at 89 ms and highest Consistency at 88.4%. Claro recorded the fastest median fixed broadband download speed of 46.11 Mbps, while TEVISAT had the fastest median upload speed of 21.30 Mbps and lowest median multi-server latency of 32 ms.
Jamaica: There was no winner of fastest median mobile download performance in Jamaica during Q3 2023, with Digicel and Flow tied. Digicel recorded the fastest median upload speed of 9.55 Mbps and highest Consistency of 85.8%. Flow had the lowest mobile median multi-server latency at 36 ms. SpaceX Starlink had the fastest median download speed over fixed broadband at 79.85 Mbps.
Mexico: Telcel had the fastest median download speed over mobile at 50.81 Mbps, and the operator also delivered the fastest median 5G download speed at 223.06 Mbps. Telcel also had the lowest mobile median multi-server latency at 63 ms and highest Consistency at 87.1%. Totalplay was fastest for fixed broadband with a median download speed of 88.28 Mbps and upload speed of 30.60 Mbps. Totalplay also had the lowest median multi-server latency at 27 ms. Among Mexico’s most populous cities, Monterrey recorded the fastest median download speeds on both mobile and fixed, at 39.47 Mbps and 77.94 Mbps, respectively.
Panama: MasMovil was the fastest mobile operator with median download and upload speeds of 23.66 Mbps and 15.49 Mbps, respectively, as well as the highest Consistency of 80.6%. MasMovil was also the fastest fixed network provider, with a median download speed of 147.50 Mbps and a median upload speed of 30.12 Mbps.
Peru: Claro was the fastest mobile operator with a median download speed of 22.27 Mbps,and Claro also had the highest mobile Consistency in the market with 80.3%.
Trinidad and Tobago: Digicel had the fastest median download speed over mobile at 34.92 Mbps and highest Consistency of 89.4%. Digicel+ had the fastest median fixed broadband download and upload speeds at 114.20 Mbps and 105.21 Mbps, respectively. Digicel+ also had the lowest median multi-server latency at 7 ms, as well as the highest Video Score at 82.35.
United States: T-Mobile was the fastest mobile operator with a median download speed of 163.59 Mbps. T-Mobile also had the fastest median 5G download speed at 221.57 Mbps, as well as the lowest 5G multi-server latency of 50 ms. Cox led the market as the fastest fixed broadband provider with a median download speed of 260.09 Mbps, while AT&T Internet recorded the fastest median fixed upload speed of 188.60 Mbps, and Verizon had the lowest median multi-server latency on fixed broadband at 16 ms.
Uruguay: Antel was the fastest mobile operator with a median download speed of 182.79 Mbps, and Antel also had the lowest median multi-server latency of 42 ms.
Venezuela: Digitel was the fastest mobile operator with a median download speed of 13.53 Mbps and a median upload speed of 6.54 Mbps. Digitel also recorded the highest Consistency in the market, with 66.2%, and the lowest median multi-server latency of 95 ms. Airtek Solutions had the fastest fixed median download speed of 82.79 Mbps, upload speed of 88.09 Mbps, and the lowest median multi-server latency at 7 ms.
Afghanistan: The fastest mobile operator in Afghanistan was Afghan Wireless with a median download speed of 6.38 Mbps. The operator also had the lowest median multi-server latency at 74 ms and the highest Consistency of 52.3% in Q3 2023.
Bangladesh: Banglalink was the fastest mobile operator in Bangladesh with a median download speed of 25.03 Mbps in Q3 2023. Banglalink also recorded the highest Consistency of 85.3% and the lowest median multi-server latency of 35ms. DOT Internet was the fastest fixed broadband provider with a median download speed of 90.20 Mbps, while also recording the highest Consistency at 85.6% and the lowest median multi-server latency at 5 ms.
Bhutan: There was no statistical winner for fastest mobile download performance during Q3 2023 in Bhutan, with BT and TashiCell both tied.
Brunei: There was no statistical winner for fastest mobile download performance during Q3 2023 in Brunei, with DST and Imagine both tied.
Cambodia: Cellcard recorded the fastest median mobile download speed at 31.76 Mbps during Q3 2023, while Metfone recorded the highest Consistency at 81.0% and the lowest median multi-server latency at 38 ms. There was no statistical winner among top providers in Cambodia for median fixed download speed, with SINET and MekongNet both tied.
China: China Mobile was the fastest mobile operator with a median download speed of 179.81 Mbps, and highest Consistency of 95.6%. China Broadnet recorded the fastest median 5G download speed at 297.59 Mbps. China Unicom was fastest for fixed broadband at 208.59 Mbps. Among China’s most populous cities, Beijing recorded the fastest median mobile download speed of 220.21 Mbps, while Tianjin recorded the fastest median fixed download speed of 284.90 Mbps.
Georgia: There was no statistical winner for fastest mobile download performance during Q3 2023 in Georgia, with Geocell and Magti both tied. Geocell recorded the lowest median mobile multi-server latency at 41 ms, while Magti recorded the highest mobile Consistency with 88.0%. MagtiCom had the fastest median fixed download speed at 27.80 Mbps during Q3 2023. It also recorded the highest Consistency, of 66.3%, and the lowest median multi-server latency at 12 ms. Among Georgia’s most populous cities, Gori recorded the fastest median mobile download speed of 39.01 Mbps, while Tbilisi recorded the fastest median fixed download speed of 26.98 Mbps.
Indonesia: Telkomsel was the fastest Indonesian mobile operator with a median download speed of 31.04 Mbps. Telkomsel also had the lowest median mobile multi-server latency at 45 ms.
Japan: Rakuten Mobile recorded the fastest mobile download and upload speeds during Q3 2023 in Japan, at 46.98 Mbps and 19.34 Mbps, respectively. The operator also recorded the highest Consistency in the market at 90.4%, while SoftBank recorded the lowest median multi-server latency at 44 ms. So-net had the fastest fixed download and upload speeds, at 270.59 Mbps and 213.43 Mbps, respectively, as well as the lowest median multi-server latency over fixed broadband at 9 ms.
Malaysia: TIME was the fastest fixed broadband provider in Malaysia with a median download speed of 110.23 Mbps. TIME also recorded the highest Consistency in the market with 88.5% and the lowest multi-server latency at 9 ms.
Pakistan: Jazz delivered the fastest median mobile download speed in Pakistan at 20.63 Mbps in Q3 2023 and the highest Consistency of 80.5%. Zong recorded the lowest median mobile multi-server latency of 52 ms. Transworld had the fastest median fixed broadband download speed in Pakistan at 18.91 Mbps and the highest Consistency at 40.1%.
Philippines: Smart delivered the fastest median mobile download speed in the Philippines at 35.56 Mbps in Q3 2023.
South Korea: SK Telecom recorded the fastest median mobile download and upload speeds at 174.80 Mbps and 17.94 Mbps, respectively, while also recording the highest Consistency in the market at 86.3%. LG U+ had the lowest median mobile multi-server latency in the market at 66 ms. In South Korea’s fixed broadband market, LG U+ delivered the fastest median download and upload speeds at 148.56 Mbps and 96.53 Mbps, respectively. LG U+ also recorded the lowest median multi-server latency of 38 ms.
Sri Lanka: SLT-Mobitel delivered the fastest mobile and fixed download speed in Sri Lanka at 21.78 Mbps and 35.70 Mbps respectively in Q3 2023. Dialog had the lowest median mobile multi-server latency at 35 ms, while SLT-Mobitel recorded the lowest fixed broadband multi-server latency at 13 ms and the highest Consistency at 56.4%.
Turkey: Turkcell was the fastest mobile operator in Turkey with a median download speed of 57.60 Mbps, and the operator also recorded the highest Consistency of 90.8%. Türk Telekom had the lowest median mobile multi-server latency at 41 ms. TurkNet was fastest for fixed broadband, with a median download speed of 64.31 Mbps. TurkNet also recorded the lowest median fixed multi-server latency at 13 ms, and highest Consistency at 80.6%. Among Turkey’s most populous cities, Istanbul recorded the fastest median download speeds across mobile and fixed, of 41.22 Mbps, and 44.38 Mbps, respectively.
Vietnam: Vinaphone had the fastest median mobile download speed in Q3 2023, at 54.74 Mbps. Vinaphone also had the lowest median mobile multi-server latency at 34 ms and the highest Consistency at 94.7%. Viettel was the fastest fixed provider with a median download speed of 109.77 Mbps. Viettel also recorded the lowest median fixed broadband multi-server latency of 7 ms and the highest Consistency at 91.4%.
Albania: There was no statistical winner for fastest mobile download performance during Q3 2023 in Albania, with One Albania and Vodafone tied. One Albania recorded the highest Consistency of 84.5%, while Vodafone recorded the lowest median multi-server latency at 35 ms. Digicom was the fastest fixed broadband provider with a median download speed of 93.98 Mbps, while also recording the highest Consistency at 87.9%. Among Albania’s most populous cities, Elbasan recorded the fastest median mobile download speed of 65.31 Mbps, while Vlorë recorded the fastest median fixed download speed of 56.98 Mbps.
Belgium: Proximus recorded the fastest median mobile download speed during Q3 2023, at 88.76 Mbps. Proximus also recorded the highest mobile Consistency in the market at 89.4%. Telenet had the fastest median fixed download speed at 149.77 Mbps, while VOO recorded the highest Consistency at 89.2%. Among Belgium’s most populous cities, Ghent recorded the fastest median mobile download speed of 213.88 Mbps, while Antwerp offered the fastest median fixed download speed of 88.93 Mbps.
Denmark: YouSee was the fastest mobile operator in Denmark with a median download speed of 131.88 Mbps in Q3 2023. Hiper was fastest for fixed broadband, with a median download speed of 274.54 Mbps.
Estonia: The fastest mobile operator in Estonia was Telia with a median download speed of 89.65 Mbps in Q3 2023. Elisa was the fastest fixed broadband provider, with a median download speed of 97.27 Mbps, while Infonet recorded the lowest median fixed broadband multi-server latency of 5 ms.
Finland: DNA had the fastest median mobile download speed at 100.55 Mbps in Q3 2023 and the highest Consistency of 91.9%. Telia recorded the lowest median mobile multi-server latency of 32 ms. Lounea was fastest for fixed broadband with a median download speed of 122.03 Mbps. Lounea also recorded the highest Consistency in the market at 92.3%, as well as the lowest median fixed broadband multi-server latency at 11 ms.
Germany: Telekom was the fastest mobile operator in Germany during Q3 2023, with a median download speed of 91.53 Mbps, as well as the top median download speed over 5G at 182.50 Mbps. Telekom also recorded the highest Consistency in the market at 90.7% and the lowest median mobile multi-server latency of 39 ms. Deutsche Glasfaser recorded the fastest fixed broadband performance, with a median download speed at 191.89 Mbps. It also recorded the highest Consistency in the market at 89.8% and the lowest fixed broadband multi-server latency of 14 ms.
Latvia: BITĖ was the fastest mobile operator in Latvia during Q3 2023, with a median download speed of 81.00 Mbps and the highest Consistency in the market of 89.3%. LMT recorded the lowest mobile multi-server latency at 27 ms. Balticom was fastest for fixed broadband with a median download speed of 256.37 Mbps. Balticom also had the highest fixed broadband Consistency of 92.5% and the lowest median fixed broadband multi-server latency at 4 ms.
Lithuania: Telia was the fastest mobile operator in Lithuania during Q3 2023, with a median download speed of 117.76 Mbps in Q3 2023. Telia also recorded the highest Consistency in the market at 92.8%. Cgates was fastest for fixed broadband with a median download speed at 167.30 Mbps. Cgates also recorded the highest Consistency over fixed broadband in the market at 90.1%.
Poland: T-Mobile was the fastest mobile operator in Poland during Q3 2023, with a median download speed of 50.31 Mbps. T-Mobile also recorded the highest Consistency in the market at 86.8%. Plus recorded the fastest 5G performance in the market, with a median 5G download speed of 146.01 Mbps. UPC was the fastest provider for fixed broadband with a median download speed of 228.57 Mbps in Q3 2023. Among Poland’s most populous cities, Łódź recorded the fastest median mobile download speed of 52.92 Mbps, while Wrocław recorded the fastest median fixed download speed of 163.04 Mbps.
Switzerland: Salt was the fastest fixed broadband provider in Switzerland, with a median download speed of 384.65 Mbps. Salt also had the highest Consistency in the market at 94.8% and the lowest median multi-server latency over fixed broadband at 8 ms.
New Zealand: One NZ was the fastest mobile operator in New Zealand during Q3 2023, with a median download speed of 74.20 Mbps. 2degrees led the market with the highest Consistency of 91.0% and the lowest median mobile multi-server latency at 41 ms.
The Speedtest Global Index is your resource to understand how internet connectivity compares around the world and how it’s changing. Check back next month for updated data on country and city rankings, and look for updated Ookla Market Reports with Q4 2023 data in January.
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.
TELUS showed the fastest Speed Score™ on mobile during Q3 2020 while Rogers was fastest on fixed broadband. Québec City had the fastest mean mobile download speed while London was fastest for fixed broadband.
Maxis had the fastest Speed Score on mobile during Q1-Q2 2020 while TIME was fastest for fixed broadband. Nusajaya had the fastest mean download speed over mobile while Shah Alam was fastest for fixed broadband.
EE had the fastest Speed Score on mobile during Q3 2020 while Virgin Media was fastest on fixed broadband. Three showed the fastest median download speed on 5G. Cardiff had the fastest mean download speed on mobile while Edinburgh was fastest for fixed broadband. Read our latest article debunking misleading claims in the U.K.
AT&T was the fastest mobile operator in the U.S. during Q3 2020 while Verizon was the fastest fixed broadband ISP. Fort Wayne, Indiana had the fastest mobile download speed on our list and Austin, Texas was the fastest city for fixed broadband.
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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.
Wi-Fi woes continue. Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® data shows Wi-Fi performance continues to lag behind ethernet performance within home networks in many advanced fixed broadband markets, with Wi-Fi speeds typically ranging from between 30-40% of ethernet speeds during Q1 2023.
Developed Asian and North American markets lead the charge to Wi-Fi 6/6E. Wi-Fi 4 and 5 remain the dominant Wi-Fi access technologies globally, accounting for a combined 89% of Speedtest® samples during Q1 2023. However, a number of advanced fixed broadband markets are rapidly migrating to Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, with China, Hong Kong (SAR), Singapore, Canada, and the U.S. leading the charge.
Growing Wi-Fi 6/6E adoption helps narrow the gap in Wi-Fi performance. In markets such as Canada, France, Germany, Singapore, Sweden, and the U.S., where the transition to fiber is more advanced, and where ISPs are actively driving adoption of Wi-Fi 6/6E routers, we see Wi-Fi performance closing the gap to ethernet. However, more needs to be done in other markets, where migration to more advanced fixed access networks is exposing the limitations of the installed base of Wi-Fi routers.
Router vendors pushing the envelope with Wi-Fi 7 capable launches. ASUS leads the market for Wi-Fi 6/6E routers among Speedtest samples, and both ASUS and other leading router vendors have been quick to launch Wi-Fi 7 capable routers. Despite this, Wi-Fi 6 and 6E remain the growing component of their installed bases. ASUS leads the market according to Speedtest Intelligence with 39% of its routers we sampled supporting Wi-Fi 6/6E during Q1 2023, well ahead of second placed NETGEAR with 26%.
Smartphone device support indicates Wi-Fi 6/6E should remain the immediate focus for ISPs. With the two largest smartphone vendors globally, Samsung and Apple, currently shunning Wi-Fi 7, ISPs waiting to see if they can leapfrog Wi-Fi 6E to Wi-Fi 7 should stay their hands. The fact that China still needs to allocate the 6 GHz spectrum band — key for Wi-Fi 6E and 7 — for unlicensed use is also significant, and appears to have weighed on the Wi-Fi 6E adoption among China’s leading Android smartphone manufacturers.
Wi-Fi performance continues to lag ethernet within the home
ISPs in advanced fixed broadband markets are increasingly looking to offer more advanced Wi-Fi routers and solutions such as mesh networks, which are designed to improve Wi-Fi coverage and performance. However, Speedtest Intelligence data shows that more needs to be done to improve Wi-Fi performance, which typically ranged from between 30-40% of ethernet speeds. Median Wi-Fi performance as measured by Speedtest will tend to lag behind median ethernet performance, depending on distance of the end-user device from the router, including any obstacles and signal interference the Wi-Fi signal needs to traverse to reach the device.
Our analysis of Speedtest Intelligence data reveals that driving greater adoption of more advanced Wi-Fi routers can help ISPs narrow the gap between Wi-Fi and ethernet performance, with ISPs in Canada, France, Germany, Singapore, Sweden, and the U.S. already successfully doing so over the past year.
Despite this, the results are not always positive, with the gap between Wi-Fi and ethernet performance widening, in particular in the U.K. and Taiwan. Where markets are rapidly migrating from more legacy fixed broadband technology to advanced cable and fiber connections, Wi-Fi performance can lag relative to ethernet, indicating a need to accelerate the adoption of more advanced Wi-Fi technologies.
Older generations of Wi-Fi 4 and Wi-Fi 5 remain dominant globally
While much of the focus of the device ecosystem is on spurring adoption of the latest Wi-Fi standards, there is a long way to go before even Wi-Fi 6 becomes a dominant standard globally. Based on Speedtest Intelligence data, the proportion of Wi-Fi tests by generation (a good proxy for adoption) shows that Wi-Fi 4 and Wi-Fi 5 remain the dominant router technology, with Wi-Fi 6 representing just under 10% as of February 2023, and Wi-Fi 7 showing very few samples. The share of samples from Wi-Fi 4 routers has fallen by 6 ppts year-over-year, while Wi-Fi 5’s share of samples has marginally increased.
Asian and North American ISPs lead the charge to Wi-Fi 6 and beyond
ISPs are the main driver behind the adoption of new Wi-Fi standards, as highlighted by a 2022 study by Parks Associates, which found that 52% of U.S. consumers acquired their router from their ISP. Rolling out more advanced routers to their customer bases enables them to take advantage of the increased performance of newer generations of Wi-Fi technology, and helps to ensure ISPs deliver faster speeds, particularly over fiber access networks.
Adoption of Wi-Fi 6 varies by market, even among the most developed fixed broadband markets globally. ISPs in a number of advanced fixed markets have already begun offering Wi-Fi 6E routers to their customer bases, with ISPs in North America in particular moving in this direction, including Bell Canada, Rogers, Telus, Verizon, XFINITY, Charter, and Frontier, as well as leading ISPs in advanced Asian and European markets.
Markets in Asia led the way on Wi-Fi 6 adoption, with China and Hong Kong both recording 42% adoption, followed by Singapore with 37%. Outside of Asia, North America showed the next highest level of adoption, with the U.S. and Canada recording 32% and 30%, respectively. European fixed markets lagged behind, with adoption ranging from 13% in the U.K., to 24% in Sweden. For markets such as Chile, which placed towards the top of the Ookla Speedtest Global Index™ for median fixed broadband speeds, a relatively low-level of Wi-Fi 6 adoption (8% in Q4 2022) signals further opportunity for ISPs in the market to boost performance.
The fastest growing markets, in terms of increasing share of Wi-Fi 6 of Speedtest samples year-over-year in Q1 2023, were Canada and Malaysia (+15 ppts), Singapore (+14 ppts), and Hong Kong (+12 ppts). While there was considerable variance between ISPs within each market, leading ISPs such as SmarTone (Hong Kong), DiGi (Malaysia), and ViewQwest (Singapore), are prompting a competitive response so that even ISPs with lower levels of Wi-Fi 6 adoption are prioritizing the technology and seeing adoption grow steadily.
Country
ISP
Wi-Fi 6 %, Q1 2023
Hong Kong (SAR)
SmarTone
62.4%
Canada
Bell pure fibre
57.3%
Singapore
ViewQwest
53.7%
Singapore
MyRepublic
50.3%
Malaysia
Digi
50.2%
Malaysia
Maxis
49.0%
Hong Kong (SAR)
NETVIGATOR
44.2%
Canada
Rogers
43.4%
Singapore
M1
41.7%
Singapore
SingTel
41.4%
Canada
Telus PureFibre
41.0%
Hong Kong (SAR)
HKBN
41.0%
Canada
Shaw
39.0%
Singapore
StarHub
35.6%
Hong Kong (SAR)
HGC
30.0%
Malaysia
TIME
28.8%
Malaysia
TM
21.5%
In addition to providing newer routers, ISPs are increasingly positioned to help consumers solve Wi-Fi performance issues in the home, such as offering mesh Wi-Fi solutions. For some ISPs, this has even taken precedence over offering newer Wi-Fi 6E routers, as they look to improved coverage within the home as a faster route to improving Wi-Fi performance.
In the U.K., BT has prioritized whole-home coverage over Wi-Fi 6E with its BT Complete Wi-Fi (mesh) offer, despite the U.K. regulator Ofcom having released the lower portion of the 6 GHz band for unlicensed use in 2020. In Canada, Telus, while having recently released a Wi-Fi 6E router for its broadband users, also offers its WiFi Plus package, which includes professional installation and “wall-to-wall coverage” throughout the home. Rogers also offers guaranteed Wi-Fi coverage throughout the home, as well as Wi-Fi 6E routers. Plume offers a subscription-based service, HomePass, across a number of markets, which allows users to add additional access points to help eradicate not-spots or poor Wi-Fi signal within the home and also offers solutions for ISPs looking to improve their Wi-Fi offerings. In Hong Kong, China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK) was the first ISP in the market to offer a fiber-to-the-room service, while it and other ISPs such as NETVIGATOR offer consumers the option to subscribe to multiple channels over fiber with separate IP addresses, allowing them to divide their activities across channels and thereby help avoid congestion.
To capture the full performance benefits of Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7, countries must allocate 6 GHz spectrum for unlicensed use, therefore allowing Wi-Fi devices to access this higher frequency, higher capacity spectrum, and utilize wider channels. At present, according to the Wi-Fi Alliance, allocation of the lower portion of the 6 GHz spectrum band (5,925 MHz to 6,425 MHz) is common among developed economies, with some notable exceptions in some developed markets in Asia and Asia Pacific, in particular China, while allocation of the full 6 GHz band is more limited, available across North America and some Latin American markets, as well as Saudi Arabia and South Korea.
Wi-Fi 7 on the horizon as router vendors continue to push the envelope on performance
Wi-Fi performance continues to scale, and with Wi-Fi 7 routers and smartphones having launched in the second half of 2022, that trend is set to continue. In addition to higher throughput, successive Wi-Fi generations also support lower latency, helping to better support higher quality video streaming, cloud gaming, and future use cases linked to concepts such as the Metaverse and other uses of extended reality (XR).
The major silicon vendors, Broadcom, Qualcomm, and Mediatek, were quick to update their solutions to support the emerging Wi-Fi 7 standard, and hardware vendors have followed suit. Chinese vendor H3C was the first to launch with its H3C Magic BE18000 Wi-Fi 7 router in July 2022, and it has since been followed by other major vendors including tp-link, ASUS, and more recently NETGEAR. However, the prices of early Wi-Fi 7 routers that take advantage of Wi-Fi 7’s range of enhanced performance capabilities will be a barrier to entry for many, with tp-link’s flagship Archer BE900 currently retailing at a cost of $699.99.
Speedtest Intelligence data shows minimal Wi-Fi 7 adoption as of March 2023, however we are likely to see the same vendors drive Wi-Fi 7 adoption that are currently leading on Wi-Fi 6. Based on global Speedtest Intelligence samples, we see ASUS leading the market in Wi-Fi 6 penetration, with 39% of samples recorded using Wi-Fi 6 compatible routers. NETGEAR and Belkin followed, but for the remaining major router vendors, Wi-Fi 6 penetration currently stands at close to 10% or below. Wi-Fi 6E remains a small but growing subset of Wi-Fi 6 certified devices, currently standing at 7.7% of products based on the latest Wi-Fi Alliance data. Of these, a majority are either routers or smartphones, with an almost even split between the two.
Smartphone support indicates ISPs should focus on Wi-Fi 6E for now
With Samsung releasing its Galaxy S23 range in February 2023 without Wi-Fi 7 support, and Apple’s latest iPhone 14 smartphones limited to Wi-Fi 6, it’s clear that, for now, ISPs should prioritize the rollout of Wi-Fi 6/6E among their customer bases rather than consider leapfrogging to Wi-Fi 7. The Xiaomi Mi13 Pro was the first Wi-Fi 7 capable smartphone to hit the market, launching in December 2022, although it was limited to Wi-Fi 6E initially, requiring a software update to enable Wi-Fi 7. The availability of Wi-Fi 7 supporting Android smartphones will grow through 2023, enabled by SoCs from leading vendor Qualcomm with its flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and MediaTek with its Dimensity 9200. Apple, on the other hand, lags on the latest Wi-Fi standard support, with the iPhone 14 series featuring Wi-Fi 6, and with its fall 2023 models rumored to be adding Wi-Fi 6E to their feature list.
Samsung, as the leading Android smartphone vendor globally, has the largest installed base of smartphones supporting Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, and has stolen a march on its main rivals Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo. While the major Chinese smartphone vendors have launched Wi-Fi 7 compatible devices, the lack of assignment of 6 GHz spectrum for unlicensed use in China does appear to have held them back relative to brands such as Samsung and ASUS.
The outlook for Wi-Fi in the home
It’s clear from the gap between Wi-Fi and ethernet performance that ISPs need to do more to improve the customer experience for Wi-Fi users within the home. Part of the solution lies in rolling out more advanced generations of Wi-Fi technology, given Wi-Fi 4 and 5 remain the dominant technologies deployed globally. However, evidence linking increased adoption of Wi-Fi 6 to overall Wi-Fi closing the gap to ethernet performance is mixed, and validates the approach of ISPs looking to also offer mesh networking Wi-Fi solutions. Contact us to find out more about how Ookla Research can help you monitor the performance of your networks, and stay ahead of the competition.
Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.
Ookla® Market Reports™ identify key data about internet performance in countries across the world. This quarter we’ve provided updated analyses for 48 markets using Speedtest Intelligence® and summarized a few top takeaways below. Click through to the market report to see more details and charts about the countries you’re interested in, including the fastest fixed broadband providers and mobile operators, who had the most consistent service, and 5G and device performance in select countries during Q2 2023. Jump forward to a continent using these links:
Cameroon: Speedtest Intelligence data showed no winner for fastest mobile operator in Cameroon during Q2 2023. blue had the lowest median mobile multi-server latency at 191 ms, while Douala had the fastest median mobile download speed among Cameroon’s most populous cities at 15.51 Mbps.
Ethiopia: Safaricom had the fastest median mobile download speed at 35.19 Mbps during Q2 2023. Safaricom also recorded the lowest median mobile multi-server latency at 42 ms, and highest Consistency of 89.4%. Of Ethiopia’s most populous cities, Gondar had the fastest median mobile download speed of 61.22 Mbps.
Tanzania: There were no winners over fastest mobile or fixed broadband in Tanzania during Q2 2023. Maisha Broadband registered the lowest median multi-server latency in Tanzania at 14 ms. Of Tanzania’s most populous cities, Dar es Salaam had the fastest median mobile download speed of 26.33 Mbps, while Mbeya had the fastest median fixed download speed of 21.32 Mbps.
Argentina: Personal had the fastest median download speed over mobile (35.05 Mbps) and lowest mobile multi-server latency (38 ms) during Q2 2023. In the fixed broadband market, Movistar recorded the fastest median download speed (98.37 Mbps) and lowest multi-server latency (12 ms). Among Argentina’s most populous cities, Buenos Aires recorded the fastest download speeds across mobile and fixed broadband networks.
Belize: Digi had the fastest median mobile download and upload speeds of 17.61 Mbps and 9.88 Mbps respectively during Q2 2023. It also recorded the highest Consistency of 79.8%. smart! recorded the lowest median mobile multi-server latency, of 67 ms. NEXGEN had the fastest median download and upload performance over fixed broadband in Belize at 48.65 Mbps and 47.38 Mbps respectively.
Canada: Bell was the fastest mobile operator in Canada with a median download speed of 116.59 Mbps in Q2 2023. Bell also had the fastest median 5G download speed at 208.05 Mbps. Rogers had the fastest median mobile upload speed of 13.29 Mbps, and the highest Consistency of 84.7%. Bell pure fibre was fastest for fixed broadband across both download (277.24 Mbps) and upload (235.27 Mbps) speeds. Of Canada’s most populous cities, St. John’s recorded the fastest median mobile download speed (214.29 Mbps) and Fredericton recorded the fastest median fixed download speed (239.28 Mbps).
Colombia: Movistar was fastest for fixed broadband with a median download speed of 161.28 Mbps in Q2 2023. ETB had the lowest median multi-server latency over fixed broadband at 8 ms. Of Colombia’s most populous cities, Cartagena recorded the fastest median fixed download speed of 109.01 Mbps.
Costa Rica: Claro had the fastest median download and upload speeds among mobile operators at 51.88 Mbps and 12.56 Mbps respectively. Liberty had the lowest mobile multi-server latency at 34 ms, and the highest Consistency at 79.7%. Metrocom was fastest for fixed broadband download and upload performance, at 192.00 Mbps and 143.94 Mbps respectively.
Dominican Republic: Claro had the fastest median download and upload speeds among mobile operators at 30.60 Mbps and 8.70 Mbps respectively. Viva had the lowest mobile multi-server latency at 44 ms. SpaceX’s Starlink was fastest for fixed broadband at 57.31 Mbps.
Ecuador: CNT was the fastest mobile operator in Ecuador with a median download speed of 28.45 Mbps in Q2 2023. It also recorded the highest Consistency of 81.5%. Movistar registered the lowest median multi-server latency in Ecuador at 39 ms. Netlife was fastest for fixed broadband, at 78.36 Mbps.
El Salvador: Claro had the fastest median download and upload speeds among mobile operators at 42.00 Mbps and 15.42 Mbps respectively. Movistar registered the lowest median multi-server latency in El Salvador at 65 ms. Cable Color recorded the fastest median fixed download speed (51.14 Mbps), upload speed (47.58 Mbps), and lowest median multi-server latency (35 ms).
Guatemala: Claro was the fastest mobile operator in Guatemala with a median download speed of 34.67 Mbps and median upload speed of 20.68 Mbps. Claro also had the highest Consistency with 84.4% of results showing at least a 5 Mbps minimum download speed and 1 Mbps minimum upload speed. Claro was also fastest for median fixed download performance, at 40.60 Mbps, while Cable Color was fastest for fixed upload performance, at 26.85 Mbps, and had the lowest median multi-server latency, of 35 ms.
Guyana: ENet was the top performing operator in the market, recording a median mobile download and upload speed of 67.58 Mbps and 20.92 Mbps respectively, and a median fixed download and upload speed of 62.40 Mbps and 39.66 Mbps respectively, in Q2 2023. ENet also recorded the lowest median multi-server latency across mobile and fixed networks.
Haiti: Digicel was the fastest mobile operator in Haiti with a median mobile download speed of 10.53 Mbps and median upload speed of 6.99 Mbps. SpaceX Starlink had the fastest median fixed download speed at 60.24 Mbps, while Natcom had the fastest median fixed upload speeds (17.76 Mbps) and lowest median fixed multi-server latency at 32 ms.
Jamaica: Flow was the fastest mobile operator in Jamaica with a median download speed of 35.56 Mbps. Flow also had the lowest mobile median multi-server latency at 36 ms. SpaceX Starlink had the fastest median fixed speeds at 84.93 Mbps.
Mexico: Telcel had the fastest median download speed over mobile at 48.76 Mbps, and for 5G at 223.93 Mbps. Telcel also had the lowest mobile median multi-server latency at 64 ms. Totalplay was fastest for fixed broadband (87.03 Mbps) and had the lowest median multi-server latency at 24 ms. Among Mexico’s most populous cities, Guadalajara recorded the fastest median mobile download speed of 39.13 Mbps, and Monterrey the fastest median fixed download speed of 78.30 Mbps.
Peru: Claro was the fastest mobile operator with a median download speed of 22.67 Mbps, and had the highest mobile network Consistency in the market with 80.4%. Apple devices had the fastest median download speed among top device manufacturers at 29.68 Mbps.
Trinidad and Tobago: Digicel had the fastest median download speed over mobile at 37.34 Mbps, and highest Consistency of 87.7%. Digicel+ had the fastest median fixed broadband download and upload speed at 99.11 Mbps and 98.32 Mbps respectively, and the lowest median multi-server latency at 7 ms.
United States: T-Mobile was the fastest mobile operator with a median download speed of 164.76 Mbps. T-Mobile also had the fastest median 5G download speed at 220.00 Mbps, and lowest 5G multi-server latency of 51 ms. Spectrum edged out Cox as the fastest fixed broadband provider with a median download speed of 243.02 Mbps. Verizon had the lowest median multi-server latency on fixed broadband at 15 ms.
Venezuela: Digitel was the fastest mobile operator with a median download speed of 9.53 Mbps, and had the highest mobile network Consistency in the market with 58.1%. Airtek Solutions had the fastest fixed median download speed of 73.44 Mbps, and lowest median multi-server latency at 8 ms.
Afghanistan: The fastest mobile operator in Afghanistan was Afghan Wireless with a median download speed of 7.17 Mbps. It also had the lowest median multi-server latency at 78 ms, and highest Consistency of 58.1% in Q2 2023.
Bangladesh: Banglalink was the fastest mobile operator in Bangladesh with a median download speed of 23.47 Mbps in Q2 2023. DOT Internet was the fastest fixed broadband provider with a median download speed of 90.88 Mbps and had the lowest median multi-server latency at 4 ms.
Bhutan: There was no fastest mobile operator in Bhutan during Q2 2023, but TashiCell had the lowest median multi-server latency at 42 ms, and offered the highest Consistency in the market with 83.8%.
Brunei: There was no statistical winner for fastest mobile download performance during Q2 2023 in Brunei, but Apple devices had the fastest median download speed at 143.97 Mbps.
Cambodia: Cellcard recorded the fastest median mobile download speeds at 31.60 Mbps during Q2 2023. SINET had the fastest median fixed download speed at 42.26 Mbps.
China: China Mobile was the fastest mobile operator with a median download speed of 132.81 Mbps. China Mobile also had the fastest median mobile 5G download speed at 279.14 Mbps. China Unicom was fastest for fixed broadband at 222.22 Mbps.
Georgia: There was no statistical winner for fastest mobile download performance during Q2 2023 in Georgia. Geocell recorded the lowest median mobile multi-server latency at 39 ms, while Magti recorded the highest mobile Consistency with 90.0%. MagtiCom had the fastest median fixed speed at 27.81 Mbps. MagtiCom also had the lowest median multi-server latency at 11 ms.
Indonesia: Telkomsel was the fastest Indonesian mobile operator with a median download speed of 28.71 Mbps. Telkomsel also had the lowest median mobile multi-server latency at 46 ms.
Japan: There was no statistical winner for fastest mobile download performance during Q2 2023 in Japan, however Rakuten recorded the fastest mobile upload speed at 19.90 Mbps. So-net had the fastest fixed download and upload speeds, at 276.58 Mbps and 179.51 Mbps respectively, and the lowest median multi-server latency at 9 ms.
Malaysia: TIME was the fastest fixed provider in Malaysia with a median download speed of 108.38 Mbps, and had the lowest multi-server latency at 9 ms.
Pakistan: Transworld had the fastest median fixed broadband download speed in Pakistan at 17.10 Mbps, and the highest Consistency, at 36.6%.
Philippines: Smart delivered the fastest median mobile download speed in the Philippines at 35.39 Mbps.
South Korea: SK Telecom recorded the fastest median mobile download and upload speeds at 161.16 Mbps and 16.37 Mbps respectively. LG U+ had the lowest median multi-server latency in the market at 63 ms. KT delivered the fastest median fixed download speed at 131.09 Mbps.
Sri Lanka: SLT-Mobitel delivered the fastest mobile and fixed broadband speeds in Sri Lanka at 20.71 Mbps and 38.97 Mbps, respectively in Q2 2023. Dialog had the lowest median mobile multi-server latency at 35 ms, and the highest Consistency, at 81.8%.
United Arab Emirates: etisalat by e& recorded the fastest median download speeds across both mobile and fixed, at 216.65 Mbps and 261.98 Mbps respectively in Q2 2023. etisalat by e& also had the fastest median 5G download speed at 680.88 Mbps and lowest median mobile multi-server latency at 35 ms. du recorded the lowest fixed multi-server latency, at 12 ms.
Vietnam: Vinaphone had the fastest median mobile download speed in Q2 2023, at 52.58 Mbps. It also had the lowest median mobile multi-server latency at 34 ms, and highest Consistency at 94.8%. Viettel was the fastest fixed provider with a median download speed of 105.72 Mbps.
Albania: Digicom was the fastest fixed broadband provider in Albania in Q2 2023, recording a median download speed of 93.40 Mbps. It also recorded the highest Consistency in the market, at 86.0%. There was no winner for fastest mobile operator in the market.
Belgium: Proximus recorded the fastest median mobile download speed during Q2 2023, at 78.01 Mbps. It also recorded the highest Consistency in the market, at 90.5%. Telenet had the fastest median fixed download speed at 143.42 Mbps. Among Belgium’s most populous cities, Ghent recorded the fastest median mobile download speed of 187.90 Mbps, and Antwerp the fastest median fixed download speed of 87.72 Mbps.
Denmark: YouSee was the fastest mobile operator in Denmark with a median download speed of 140.59 Mbps. Hiper was fastest for fixed broadband at 268.02 Mbps.
Estonia: The fastest mobile operator in Estonia was Telia with a median download speed of 101.32 Mbps. Telia also had the lowest median multi-server latency on mobile at 31 ms. Elisa was the fastest fixed broadband provider, with a median download speed of 94.70 Mbps.
Finland: DNA had the fastest median mobile download speed at 99.07 Mbps. Lounea was fastest for fixed broadband at 105.84 Mbps and had the lowest median multi-server latency at 11 ms.
Germany: Telekom was the fastest mobile operator in Germany with a median download speed of 93.39 Mbps, and a median download speed with 5G at 187.25 Mbps. Vodafone recorded the fastest fixed broadband performance, with a median download speed at 121.76 Mbps. It also recorded the highest Consistency in the market, at 83.8%.
Latvia: BITĖ was the fastest mobile operator in Latvia during Q2 2023, with a median download speed of 114.51 Mbps. LMT recorded the lowest mobile multi-server latency, at 26 ms. Balticom was fastest for fixed broadband with a median download speed of 243.92 Mbps. Balticom also had the lowest median fixed broadband multi-server latency at 4 ms.
Lithuania: The mobile operator with the fastest median download speed was Telia at 117.68 Mbps in Q2 2023. It also recorded the highest Consistency in the market, at 95.0%. Cgates was fastest for fixed broadband with a median download speed at 161.67 Mbps.
Poland: UPC was the fastest provider for fixed broadband with a median download speed of 223.32 Mbps in Q2 2023. There was no statistical winner for fastest mobile operator during Q2 2023, however Plus recorded the fastest median 5G download performance, at 153.19 Mbps.
Switzerland: Salt blazed ahead for the fastest fixed broadband in Switzerland, with a median download speed of 358.73 Mbps. Salt also had the lowest median multi-server latency over fixed broadband at 8 ms, and highest Consistency in the market, at 94.1%.
Turkey: Turkcell was the fastest mobile operator in Turkey with a median download speed of 58.52 Mbps. Türk Telekom had the lowest median mobile multi-server latency at 39 ms. TurkNet was fastest for fixed broadband, with a median download speed of 62.80 Mbps. It recorded the lowest median fixed multi-server latency, at 13 ms, and highest Consistency, at 80.5%. Among Turkey’s most populous cities, Istanbul recorded the fastest median download speeds across mobile and fixed, of 39.89 Mbps, and 40.27 Mbps respectively.
New Zealand: Speedtest Intelligence data showed no winner for fastest mobile operator in New Zealand during Q2 2023. 2degrees had the lowest median mobile multi-server latency at 40 ms, and the highest Consistency, at 91.6%.
The Speedtest Global Index is your resource to understand how internet connectivity compares around the world and how it’s changing. Check back next month for updated data on country and city rankings, and look for updated Ookla Market Reports with Q3 2023 data in October.
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.
When it comes to the internet, the news is mostly good for 2018. Download and upload speeds are increasing across the globe on both mobile and fixed broadband. 5G is on the horizon and gigabit service is expanding.
We looked at data from Speedtest IntelligenceTM, Ookla’s flagship data platform, from December 2017 through November 2018, to analyze everything from global internet speeds to the world’s fastest countries to when people are online. We also investigated which parts of the world are seeing the most benefit from high speed LTE on mobile and gigabit speeds on fixed broadband.
Mobile speeds increased more than 15% in 2018
The world’s average mobile download speed of 22.82 Mbps increased 15.2% over the past year, while mobile upload speed increased 11.6% to reach 9.19 Mbps.
With a mean download speed of 27.84 Mbps and a mean upload of 10.61 Mbps, worldwide speeds on iOS devices were faster than those on Android (21.35 Mbps download, 8.73 Mbps upload) in 2018. This is likely due to market factors as Android devices are more popular in emerging markets where internet speeds tend to be slower.
However, download speed on Android devices increased 19.0% and upload speed increased 15.1%, more than those on iOS (18.0% increase for download and 11.1% increase for upload), which is good news for those emerging markets.
Fixed broadband speeds increased more than 26% in 2018
On a global level, fixed broadband speeds were nearly twice as fast as those on mobile in 2018. The world’s average download speed on fixed broadband was 46.12 Mbps, 26.4% faster than last year. Upload speed increased 26.5% to 22.44 Mbps.
All said, though, both mobile and fixed broadband speeds increased at a slower rate in 2018 than they did in 2017.
Countries with the fastest internet in 2018
The countries with the fastest mean download speeds over mobile in the past 12 months were: Norway (63.19 Mbps), Iceland (58.68 Mbps), Qatar (55.17 Mbps), Singapore (54.71 Mbps) and the Netherlands (53.42 Mbps).
Singapore showed the world’s fastest mean download speeds over fixed broadband during the past twelve months at 175.13 Mbps. Next fastest were Iceland (153.03 Mbps), Hong Kong (138.31 Mbps), South Korea (114.67 Mbps) and Romania (109.90 Mbps).
Costa Rica saw the largest increase in mobile download speed over the past year at 194.6%. Myanmar was second with 121.8%, Saudi Arabia third (113.2%), Iraq fourth (92.3%) and the Ukraine fifth (82.1%).
The countries with the largest improvements in upload speeds were Bangladesh (179.2%), the Ukraine (172.5%), Costa Rica (163.4%), Myanmar (146.9%) and Iraq (126.7%).
Paraguay saw the biggest increase in mean download speed over fixed broadband in the world over the past year at 268.6%. Guyana was second with 113.5%, Libya third (108.0%), Malaysia fourth (89.5%) and Laos fifth (76.2%).
Libya showed the most improvement in mean upload speed over fixed broadband during the past twelve months at 176.4%. Guyana was second with 116.1%, Malaysia third (95.2%), Belize fourth (88.9%) and Iraq fifth (76.8%).
4G is increasing mobile speeds
When we looked specifically at Speedtest results on 4G, we saw that mean download speeds increased in most countries. Costa Rica was most improved for 4G download speed as was the case with overall download speed on mobile increasing 184.3% year over year. Saudi Arabia was second at 110.2% and Myanmar third at 78.0%.
Most encouragingly, we saw the number of Speedtest results over 4G increase in all but 15 countries. This could indicate that 4G availability is expanding. Tanzania saw the greatest increase with 355.0% more tests over 4G in 2018 than in 2017. Malta was second at 267.2% and Algeria third at 143.7%. We can see this expansion on the map above as 4G results fill in areas of the globe that were previously blank.
Gigabit coverage is expanding globally
Gigabit is in the news as ISPs across the globe expand their high-speed networks. We looked at Speedtest results on fixed broadband in excess of 750 Mbps to see which cities are benefitting most. Comparing locations with 100 or more gigabit-speed results in 2017 with those in 2018, that expansion becomes obvious. In 2017, 60 countries met our gigabit test threshold. In 2018, 16 additional countries joined our gigabit list. We’re also seeing that more cities around the world now have access to gigabit speeds.
Also exciting is that cities which already had gigabit in 2017 saw increases in the number of gigabit-speed results in 2018 as ISPs continue to build out infrastructure across cities. Many cities saw their first real gigabit expansion in 2018. For example, we saw the number of gigabit tests in New Delhi increase from 119 gigabit speed results in 2017 to 20,239 in 2018, that’s a mind-boggling 16,908% increase. Chennai, India saw a 7,481% increase (from 763 to 57,840) and Cormeilles-en-Parisis, France jumped 6,480%. Huge leaps in the number of gigabit-speed results were also seen in Gdańsk, Poland (6,338%); Rome, Italy (4,909%); Lancashire, United Kingdom (3,962%); Ota, Japan (3,240%); São Paulo, Brazil (2,947%); Hangzhou, China (2,669%) and Turda, Romania (2,636%).
When people are online
The internet is always on, but we were surprised to see how consistently and steeply usage fell off on both mobile and fixed broadband after 9 pm local time. Normalizing the time of day for Speedtest results from around the globe, we found that usage bottoms out at 4 am and then climbs steeply again until 10 am. From there, the internet gets gradually busier until that night time drop off.
Internet in the world’s largest countries
The world’s five most populous countries are notably absent from the lists of fastest and most improved countries on mobile and fixed broadband. China, India, the U.S., Indonesia and Brazil represent about 46% of the world’s population, which makes their internet speeds worth noting nonetheless.
Internet Speeds in the World’s Largest Countries Speedtest Data | December 2017-November 2018
Country
Mean Mobile Download Speed (Mbps)
% Improvement in Mobile Speed
Mean Fixed Download Speed (Mbps)
% Improvement in Fixed Speed
China
30.96
-5.8%
76.03
42.5%
India
9.11
15.2%
23.00
50.4%
United States
28.50
22.3%
92.77
37.3%
Indonesia
10.39
5.3%
14.89
18.3%
Brazil
18.65
29.3%
22.95
39.4%
Mobile internet speeds in the world’s largest countries
China had the fastest average mobile download speed among the world’s most populous countries in the past twelve months. However, China’s mobile download speed decreased during that time. The United States is fast catching up with China on mobile download speed.
Brazil occupied a middle ground for mobile download speed among the world’s most populous countries and showed the fastest rate of increase. India and Indonesia were at the bottom of this list. While the two nations show similar mobile download speeds to each other, India’s mobile download speed is improving much more quickly than Indonesia’s.
Fixed broadband speeds in the largest countries in the world
The United States showed the fastest fixed broadband download speed among the world’s most populous countries over the past year. China was second, India and Brazil nearly tie for third and Indonesia follows.
India showed the largest improvement in mean download speed over fixed broadband of the world’s five largest countries. China was second, Brazil third, the U.S. fourth and Indonesia fifth.
We’ll be back throughout 2019 to report on the state of the world’s internet as it evolves. Until then, take a Speedtest to find out how your network compares.
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.
When it comes to the internet, the news is mostly good for 2018. Download and upload speeds are increasing across the globe on both mobile and fixed broadband. 5G is on the horizon and gigabit service is expanding.
