Dave Andersen | December 16, 2025

Loaded Latency and L4S: The Next Frontier for Network Performance

Access networks have gotten faster and more capable in recent years, thanks to improvements in fiber, DOCSIS, and 5G. These upgrades have pushed peak speeds higher, but throughput is only part of the experience. As more applications depend on real-time responsiveness, latency—especially under load—will play an increasingly important role in shaping overall user experience.

Many applications—cloud gaming, video conferencing, XR, and interactive voice and video AI models—depend on latency that stays low and stable. A network can perform well when traffic is light, with latency close to idle, but those conditions rarely reflect real-world network usage. Once background activity begins, packets start waiting in buffers and latency increases, even on fast connections. Loaded latency measures that effect directly by testing delays while the connection is under heavy use, and Ookla captures this behavior through its standard testing methodology.

The difference between idle latency and latency under load is becoming a defining factor for modern networks. With more network activity shifting toward real-time and interactive use cases, operators are focusing on how their networks perform during busy moments—not just how fast they appear under light conditions.

Low Latency, Low Loss, Scalable Throughput (L4S) is one of the most promising ways to keep latency stable under load as networks carry more real-time traffic. Operators enable L4S in the network, and applications benefit when their congestion-control algorithms understand those signals and adjust before users notice a delay. This article looks at why loaded latency matters, how L4S works, and what it enables across today’s networks. For a deeper discussion on loaded latency, check out our full webinar on demand.

Why Loaded Latency Defines Real-World Experience

A growing share of user activity now depends on latency staying low and stable, not just on fast speeds. Even small delays can interrupt timing-sensitive tasks, and those delays typically appear only when the network becomes busy. Loaded latency metrics capture this behavior by showing how performance changes under everyday multitasking—not just in controlled, low-traffic scenarios.

Measuring loaded latency also reveals behaviors that don’t appear in tests where the connection isn’t carrying much traffic. When large uploads or downloads begin, packets start accumulating in buffers and competing for scheduling, and delays can rise even though the connection may look fast under simple tests. Latency tests that measure only idle conditions rarely capture this difference, which is why a connection can appear fine in a quick check but struggle once everyday background activity kicks in.

The rise of real-time and interactive applications has made latency far more noticeable to users. Networks built primarily around throughput do not always maintain low delays once competing traffic appears, which is pushing operators to focus more on performance during busy moments—not just during minimal-traffic conditions.

To measure your own network’s loaded latency, simply run a Speedtest.

How L4S Keeps Latency Low Under Load

Interactive and real-time applications place tighter demands on networks than activities like streaming or web browsing. These applications need latency to stay low and consistent, even when background traffic ramps up. Typical congestion control isn’t designed for that level of responsiveness because it waits for packet loss before signaling a slowdown—by the time loss occurs, users have already seen a frozen frame, lag spike, or audio glitch.

Low Latency, Low Loss, Scalable Throughput (L4S) is a network technology that solves that problem by signaling congestion early, before queues build and delays become noticeable. It uses explicit congestion notification (ECN) marks instead of relying on packet loss, giving applications a near-instant signal that they should adjust their sending rate.

This early warning system keeps queues short and delays close to the network’s idle baseline, even when the connection is fully utilized. In practice, this means:

Latency stays low under load
Minimal packet loss or retransmissions
Smoother performance for mixed real-time and background traffic
Applicability across cable, fiber, mobile, and fixed wireless access (FWA) networks

Another key advantage is that L4S doesn’t require new towers, radios, or major hardware overhauls. Operators enable it through software updates to network elements, and applications add support through ECN-aware congestion control. Once L4S is enabled in the network and supported by applications, improvements appear without requiring new infrastructure.

Why Operators Are Prioritizing Low-Latency Architectures

Operators are focusing more on latency than they used to, because it’s now affecting the parts of their business that matter most: support costs, customer satisfaction, and competitive differentiation. When delays spike during busy moments, subscribers interpret it as “the network isn’t working,” even when the underlying issue is momentary latency, not overall capacity. That perception directly affects retention and brand strength.

Many network designs were built to maximize throughput, not to keep latency steady during real-time interactions. That limitation becomes clear when everyday tasks overlap—like a cloud backup running while someone joins a video call. Background uploads sync while users interact with apps that expect instant responses, and those overlapping demands show how older network designs can allow delays to increase under load.

Technologies like L4S give operators new tools to address these architectural gaps. They reduce latency spikes during congestion, keep performance steadier across different types of traffic, and create measurable improvements operators can use for differentiation. A few key forces are driving L4S adoption:

More activity now happens at the same time on a single connection, making delay spikes far more noticeable to users.
Vendor support for L4S has matured, making it practical to deploy at scale.
Operators can roll it out incrementally, improving latency without replacing existing infrastructure

Keeping latency stable during busy periods is becoming a meaningful competitive advantage. The operators investing now are doing it to strengthen service quality, reduce support friction, and prepare for workloads that rely on tight timing rather than speed alone.

The Application Ecosystem Is Moving Toward Stable Low Latency

Many emerging applications require latency to stay low and consistent; even small increases in latency can disrupt the user experience, so many apps depend on mechanisms that prevent delays from rising when networks become busy. As L4S support expands across operating systems, browsers, and real-time audio/video systems, developers will gain a more reliable foundation for experiences that require low latency and immediate responsiveness.

Application support is essential because L4S only delivers its full value when software knows how to react to early congestion signals. When apps can interpret L4S feedback, they adjust their sending rates before delays become visible, keeping interactions smooth even when networks are busy. This coordination between networks and applications is what makes low-latency performance noticeable in real use—not just in controlled testing.

L4S adoption is accelerating in several areas:

Browsers are integrating L4S-aware feedback, especially through WebRTC.
Operating systems and devices are beginning to enable L4S, increasing the number of devices that can benefit.
Cloud gaming and interactive media platforms are testing L4S, improving responsiveness during busy periods.
Developers are gaining clearer signals to react to congestion, allowing their apps to adjust sending rates sooner.

These shifts point toward a broader move to more tightly timed digital experiences, including:

XR and spatial computing, which require the display to update immediately when the user moves.
Live collaboration tools that rely on immediate responsiveness.
AI-driven assistants and interactive agents that need smooth, fast exchanges to feel natural in voice and video models requiring cloud inferencing
New real-time applications that will emerge as latency becomes more predictable.

As more apps and platforms adopt L4S, users will benefit from smoother, more responsive performance in everyday interactions. In addition, operators may have opportunities to offer L4S-enabled service tiers for specific audiences—such as gamers—creating new ways to capture value from these improvements.

The Future of Low-Latency Networking

The next generation of connected experiences will place even greater pressure on latency. Immersive XR environments, remote-operation scenarios, industrial automation, and interactive AI all depend on responses that stay smooth even when networks are busy. When delays increase, these experiences break down, making stable latency a core requirement for what comes next.

Technologies like L4S give operators a practical way to deliver the stable latency that emerging applications demand. As networks adopt modern congestion-control mechanisms like L4S and more applications learn how to react to those early congestion signals, users will see more consistent performance during busy periods.

Low-latency performance is becoming a core competitive requirement. Operators that invest early will be better positioned for the increasingly interactive workloads ahead—workloads that will place even greater emphasis on consistently low latency. To explore loaded latency and L4S in more detail, watch the full webinar on demand.

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

About the author

Dave Andersen

Dave Andersen is a Marketing Program Manager at Ookla, where he creates enterprise and consumer content across Ookla’s brands. Dave got his start in the telco space in 2012, producing content for RootMetrics. Dave has a bachelors in marketing from Washington State University and studied creative writing in Oklahoma State’s MFA program.

Ookla Research™ Articles

Dave Andersen | July 31, 2025

Rethinking Indoor Connectivity: Why It Matters More Than Ever

Mobile networks have seen major upgrades in recent years—from 5G rollouts to expanded spectrum to denser infrastructure—but indoor coverage is still a major weak spot. Whether in office towers, schools, hospitals, or transportation hubs, buildings often block or weaken cellular signals, creating a frustrating experience for users and a missed opportunity for mobile network operators (MNOs). In many cases, indoor coverage gaps pose more than an inconvenience; they create real risks for public safety and limit economic potential for property owners.

This problem is nothing new, but in many developed markets, it’s actually getting worse. Our earlier research explored how a combination of higher frequency 5G spectrum (which struggles to penetrate buildings), newer construction materials like low-emissivity (low-E) glass, and the sunsetting of legacy 2G and 3G networks has deepened indoor coverage challenges. Meanwhile, mobile data usage continues to concentrate indoors, and networks built to prioritize outdoor coverage often don’t deliver the performance users now expect inside buildings.

In this article, we’ll break down the key challenges facing in-building mobile coverage, explore solutions, and show how Ookla’s data can help improve outcomes for consumers, operators, and property owners. For a deeper dive into these topics, watch our recent webinar on-demand, “Reimagining In-Building Cellular: Closing the Coverage Gap.”

The Data Gap: What Regulators Miss About Indoor Coverage

Accurate data is the foundation of good policy. But when it comes to indoor connectivity, many public maps and benchmarks focus on outdoor or predicted coverage and ignore what users actually experience once they step inside.

Higher-frequency 5G spectrum, signal-blocking materials like low-E glass, and the shutdown of legacy networks have all made reliable in-building coverage harder to achieve in many developed markets.

Data from Ookla’s Cell Analytics™ platform highlights the scale of the problem. In cities like London and Paris, building-level data reveals large clusters of poor indoor performance, even in areas that draw large numbers of people and appear well-served on public maps. In many cases, users experience degraded 5G coverage and fallback to low-band spectrum that offers limited capacity, leading to a poorer quality of experience. This disconnect between perception and reality underscores several important points:

Traditional coverage maps often present an overly optimistic view of network performance—especially indoors—based on computer-modeled predictions rather than reflecting the actual signal conditions enjoyed by end users.
Crowdsourced data reveals large pockets of poor in-building coverage in major global cities.
These blind spots can lead to misaligned investments and missed opportunities to improve service where it’s most needed.
Without building-level insights, policymakers and operators lack the visibility required to close the indoor coverage gap.

Better indoor outcomes start with a more accurate understanding of what users actually experience. Without that understanding, it’s difficult to allocate funding or resources where they’ll make a difference.

Why Indoor Coverage is a Public Safety Issue

Dropped calls and dead zones inside buildings are more than a nuisance—they can be dangerous. In emergencies, people expect to reach help from anywhere, but many buildings still lack the coverage needed for reliable 911 (or equivalent) service. And as emergency response operations increasingly rely on mobile networks and broadband applications, buildings without reliable service could put lives at risk.

When people in distress cannot quickly reach emergency services, every second counts. A one-minute delay in dispatching help can increase cardiac arrest mortality rates by 1–2% and raise fire damage by up to 20%. FCC modeling during the E911 modernization effort found that improving vertical (z-axis) location accuracy—made possible partly through better indoor mobile coverage—could save thousands of lives each year,

Here’s why indoor connectivity matters for public safety—and what’s standing in the way:

Indoor coverage gaps can delay or prevent emergency calls. People expect to have mobile service everywhere—but many buildings don’t deliver it when it matters most.
First responders increasingly depend on mobile broadband—like apps, video, and real-time data—which all require strong indoor cellular coverage to work reliably.
Buildings that lack coverage can disrupt first responder communication and coordination.
Fire and building codes in many areas require indoor coverage for public safety radios (not general mobile service), but enforcement varies widelyBetter indoor coverage also helps 911 responders find people faster—especially in multi-story buildings. Today’s emergency systems use more advanced location technology, like device-based hybrid (DBH) methods, which combine GPS, Wi-Fi, and barometric sensors. These signals can now estimate not just your location on a map, but also what floor you’re on. As of April 2025, the FCC requires carriers to provide this vertical accuracy—within about 10 feet (or one floor)—for 80% of wireless 911 calls.

That level of precision can save critical time. If first responders know exactly where to go, they can reach people faster—often shaving a full minute off response times. In serious emergencies like cardiac arrests, where every second matters, that minute could save a life.

In-building coverage should be treated with the same urgency as other public safety infrastructure. Lives may depend on the ability to communicate from inside a building—whether by call, text, or other mobile tools.

New Models for Indoor Connectivity: The Rise of Shared Infrastructure

A new funding model is taking hold across the industry, with more venue owners now willing to foot the bill for in-building deployments as part of broader efforts to improve tenant experiences and stay competitive. With operators focused on outdoor network coverage and typically investing in custom in-building solutions only for the highest-profile venues (like stadiums), many building owners are realizing they’ll need to take the lead if they want better indoor coverage.

One solution gaining traction is the neutral host model, where a single shared infrastructure supports multiple mobile operators within a building. Instead of each carrier deploying its own system, a neutral host handles the design, installation, and operation—reducing cost and complexity for everyone involved. Key benefits of shared deployments include:

Neutral hosts design, build, and operate infrastructure that supports multiple MNOs through a single system.
Shared systems eliminate the inefficiencies (physical equipment and cost duplications) of carrier-by-carrier installations.
The model is particularly effective in transit systems, stadiums, airports, and other high-traffic venues where all operators need coverage and there are significant space constraints
Participation often hinges on securing an anchor tenant—an MNO willing to be the first onboard.

Neutral host systems reduce complexity while improving results for everyone involved. As demand grows, expect shared infrastructure to become the norm, not the exception.

The Building Owner Equation: What’s the ROI?

Even when building owners recognize the value of strong indoor connectivity, calculating the return on investment isn’t always straightforward. While features like upgraded lobbies or new HVAC systems have clear costs and resale value, cellular deployments can feel abstract by comparison.

Still, connectivity is increasingly a requirement for tenants—not a perk. With hybrid work schedules, hot-desking, and mobile-first workflows, workers now expect reliable coverage throughout the building—from shared lounges to meeting rooms to wherever they can take a call or join a video meeting. If a space can’t support consistent connectivity across both cellular and Wi-Fi, it becomes harder to attract and retain tenants.

As connectivity becomes a baseline expectation in modern workspaces, building owners face growing pressure to deliver. Here’s what that means in practice:

Tenants expect strong indoor coverage (both cellular and Wi-Fi) as part of a modern workspace.
Poor connectivity can influence leasing decisions and renewal rates.
Owners of mid-sized or lower-profile buildings are often underserved by MNOs—and may need to take the lead on providing connectivity.
Without benchmarks or transparency, it’s hard to know where a building stands—or how to improve.

Reliable connectivity increasingly factors into occupancy, retention, and tenant satisfaction. For owners, strong mobile coverage is becoming a basic competitive differentiator.

Policy Can Make or Break Progress

Technology alone won’t fix the indoor coverage problem. Regulation and planning play a critical role—and some countries are showing what works. Leading global markets like Singapore, South Korea, and Hong Kong have implemented policies that require mobile-ready infrastructure in new buildings as a condition of zoning approval. This ensures operators have access to deploy equipment without facing prohibitive delays or costs.

South Korea offers one of the most comprehensive policy approaches to indoor mobile coverage anywhere in the world. New building codes require in-building mobile infrastructure—like risers, conduit, power, and equipment rooms—for a wide range of structures, including high-rise buildings (16 floors or taller), large buildings over 1,000 square meters, any building with underground levels, apartment complexes with 500 or more units, and all subway stations.

The Korean government also sets clear coverage requirements. Every mobile operator must provide service at all subway stations and high-speed rail hubs using mid-band 3.5 GHz spectrum. To make sure performance matches expectations, public scorecards put serious weight on indoor results: about half of the testing in South Korea’s national 5G Quality Evaluation takes place inside buildings like malls, hospitals, and campuses. Carriers that underperform can face financial penalties and public callouts. Together, these policies ensure strong indoor coverage is built in from the start—and that operators are held accountable for delivering it.

That kind of clear policy framework offers a model for other markets to follow. For countries like the U.S. and those across Europe, there are several clear policy opportunities to help close the indoor coverage gap:

Require cellular-ready infrastructure (ducting, risers, equipment space) in building codes.
Expedite permitting for indoor mobile deployments in public buildings like schools and hospitals.
Encourage government facilities to adopt 5G and in-building solutions as part of national strategy.
Develop transparent coverage certification or ratings to drive competition and investment.
Support more flexible use of spectrum for shared or private indoor deployments.

The bottom line is that indoor coverage can’t be an afterthought in policy. Clear requirements and streamlined permitting are essential for creating long-term change.

How Ookla Is Helping Improve Indoor Connectivity

Ookla supports better in-building connectivity through a powerful set of tools that deliver actionable, real-world insights. These solutions help operators, regulators, and property owners understand performance at the building level—revealing where indoor coverage falls short and where investment is most needed. Here’s how each group is using Ookla’s data to drive better outcomes:

Operators use Cell Analytics and Speedtest Intelligence® to identify coverage gaps, prioritize in-building upgrades, optimize spectrum deployment, and validate improvements.
Regulators and policymakers rely on Ookla data to support evidence-based planning, improve public reporting, and track progress over time.
Building owners use Speedtest results and building-level insights to assess tenant experiences, benchmark performance, and guide connectivity investments.

Ookla’s insights into indoor connectivity continue to play a key role in helping the industry move beyond outdated assumptions and improve mobile performance where people really need it.

Looking Ahead: Closing the Indoor Coverage Gap

Indoor coverage is no longer a secondary concern. As more mobile activity happens inside buildings, strong indoor performance is now essential—for everything from emergency response to tenant satisfaction. Yet this critical area still suffers from outdated assumptions, inconsistent data, and underinvestment.

Fixing the problem requires a coordinated approach—one that brings together network operators, property owners, infrastructure providers, policymakers, and data partners. \With better visibility through tools like Cell Analytics and Speedtest Intelligence, there’s a real opportunity to target improvements where indoor connectivity continues to fall short.

To explore these topics in more detail, watch our full webinar on-demand. And stay tuned—more in-building connectivity research and insights are coming soon!

About the author

Dave Andersen

Ookla Research™ Articles

Ookla | October 24, 2025

How Globe Uses Ookla Data to Deliver the Most Consistent Mobile Experience in the Philippines [Case Study]

In a highly competitive and mobile-first Philippine market, Globe Telecom, the leading mobile network operator in the country, is committed to delivering superior customer experience everyday. Recognizing the need to champion consistent user experience as key to customer satisfaction, Globe sets an ambitious goal: to establish itself as the Most Consistent Mobile Network in the Philippines.

Knowing that marketing claims must rest on neutral evidence, Globe turned to Ookla’s Speedtest Intelligence®—specifically the Consistency Score, which tracks the share of user tests that meet a minimum threshold of 5 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload.

Globe boosted speeds and focused on consistent downlink and uplink performance, because as Ookla’s own research confirms, sustained throughput along with typical app requirements is a stronger predictor of user experience than occasional speed peaks. Leveraging Speedtest Intelligence® insights, Globe pinpointed where to upgrade capacity, align cross-functional teams, and guide strategic network investments.

Situation

Globe Telecom set out to differentiate its brand and elevate user experience by becoming the country’s Most Consistent Mobile Network. Ookla confirms that a company’s Consistency Score is a stronger predictor of everyday app performance than peak speed alone, because it shows how often users actually receive ‘good-enough’ speeds for streaming, browsing, and video calls. Guided by these insights, Globe pinpointed upgrade priorities and invested where consistent performance would matter most to customers.

Download the full case study

Check out our full case study to discover how Globe leveraged Ookla data to become the most consistent mobile provider in the Philippines.

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About the author

Ookla

Ookla® is a global leader in connectivity intelligence that provides consumers, businesses, and other organizations with data-driven insights to improve networks and connected experiences.

Ookla Research™ Articles

Ookla | September 10, 2025

Rated #1: How DITO Grew its Brand with Speedtest Awards™ [Case Study]

Entering a market long dominated by two established mobile providers, DITO faced an uphill climb in building brand recognition and growing its subscriber base. With a commercial launch in 2021, the company set an ambitious goal: to connect every Filipino to the people, places, and things that matter most—through reliable, high-speed mobile service and a fresh, customer-first approach.

That mission quickly gained traction. DITO’s dedication to service and innovation earned the company more than 13 million subscribers in just three years. But building trust in such a competitive market takes more than scale. It takes proof.

In 2023 and 2024, DITO received a major endorsement of its network quality and customer satisfaction when it was named the #1 Rated Mobile Network in the Philippines by Ookla® three consecutive times. The Speedtest Award™, based on real user feedback from Speedtest® Intelligence data, became a cornerstone of DITO’s marketing strategy, offering trusted, third-party validation of its brand promise.

Situation

Launching in 2021, DITO entered a saturated and highly competitive mobile market in the Philippines. With entrenched competitors and decades of consumer loyalty behind them, the legacy operators had a clear advantage. DITO, in contrast, needed to prove itself from the ground up: it had to build brand awareness, earn trust, and deliver on the promise of a better mobile experience.

DITO expanded rapidly, reaching over 13 million subscribers by 2024. That growth was fueled by aggressive network investments, expanded 4G and 5G availability, and a strong focus on customer-centric service.

As DITO gained momentum, established competitors also ramped up their efforts, making it even more important for DITO to find fresh ways to differentiate its brand. It needed a campaign that blended credibility with emotional resonance—one that would validate its achievements while deepening brand affinity. That’s where the Speedtest Award came into the picture.

Download the full case study

Check out our full case study to learn more about DITO’s “Sa Puso Ko” campaign to celebrate its Speedtest Award as the #1 Rated Mobile Network in the Philippines.

Download case study

About the author

Ookla

Ookla® is a global leader in connectivity intelligence that provides consumers, businesses, and other organizations with data-driven insights to improve networks and connected experiences.

Ookla Research™ Articles

Dave Andersen | July 1, 2025

Speed Plus Experience: How Speedtest’s New Awards Capture What Really Matters to Users

As our digital lives grow more connected and complex, expectations for network performance are rising. It’s no longer just about speed — it’s about whether your internet experience works the way you need it to: consistently, smoothly, and without frustration. As those expectations evolve, so must the way we measure and recognize great networks. New expectations call for new testing — and that means new awards.

That’s why we’ve updated the Speedtest Awards™ methodology to better reflect what really matters to consumers. The changes include smarter performance criteria and introduce two new awards: Best Mobile Network and Best Fixed Network. These awards — along with updates to our Fastest Network recognition — now factor in not just raw speed, but also real-world experience metrics like responsiveness and quality of experience.

This article explores Ookla’s updated Speedtest Awards™ methodology, designed to offer a more comprehensive view of network performance. We’ll explain how these new awards combine crucial QoE and QoS insights, and why speed still plays a key role in the bigger performance picture, especially when paired with real-world experience metrics.

Why Speed Still Matters

Quality of Experience (QoE) and Quality of Service (QoS) metrics offer valuable depth into network performance — and among them, speed stands out as the most tangible and universally understood. Speed is a key QoS measure that reflects the capacity of a network and continues to play a central role in enabling new digital use cases. That role is cyclical: faster speeds unlock new applications, which in turn drive demand for even greater speeds — continually pushing the boundaries of what networks can deliver.

Speed is foundational because it:

Affects how quickly users can load and upload content and use apps: From instant webpage loading to rapid file downloads, speed is critical.
Acts as a high-level indicator of overall network health and capacity: A fast network generally indicates robust infrastructure and sufficient capacity to handle demand.
Enables emerging and demanding use cases: High-bandwidth applications like 4K streaming, virtual reality (VR), and cloud gaming are only possible with consistently high speeds.

In short, speed isn’t going anywhere. It continues to be critical for users and is a useful and widely understood metric for operators — especially when paired with QoE metrics.

A More Holistic View: Speedtest Connectivity Score™

While speed remains a major part of the equation, the true measure of a network’s performance lies in how it enables real-world activities. The Speedtest Connectivity Score™ provides a rich, contextual understanding of the actual consumer experience by factoring in not just speed, but also the responsiveness (or latency) of common online tasks like web browsing and video streaming. This holistic approach helps operators understand what truly matters to their users.

The Speedtest Connectivity Score is calculated on a 0-100 scale and comprises three key components:

Speed Score: It combines download and upload speeds with latency to provide a smarter, more complete measure of a network’s overall responsiveness.
Web Browsing Score: This measures the responsiveness of web page loading, reflecting how quickly and smoothly users can navigate the internet.
Video Streaming Score: This assesses how well a network handles video playback, reflecting the ability to stream popular services smoothly and without buffering or interruptions.

The components of the Speedtest Connectivity Score — speed, web browsing responsiveness, and video streaming quality — work together to provide a more complete view of real-world network performance. By blending speed with Quality of Experience (QoE) insights, the Speedtest Connectivity Score reflects what matters most to users: the ability to seamlessly browse, stream, and stay connected in their everyday lives.

The Ookla Difference: Measuring What Matters Most

Ookla stands apart by delivering superior insights on both Quality of Service (QoS) and Quality of Experience (QoE) — thanks to our unmatched scale, methodology, and real-world data.

Scale and volume of QoS testing: Our consumer-initiated Speedtests are trusted worldwide by millions every day. Consumers actively hit the “Go” button, generating 11+ million daily tests. This huge volume of consumer-initiated tests offers a trusted, real-world snapshot of network performance that’s both broad and representative.

Testing anywhere users go: Our testing reaches wherever phones go — indoors, rural areas, stadiums, highways, and beyond. This ensures our data captures performance at the times and places consumers actually use their devices, unlike other testing methods.

Scale and relevance of real-world QoE measurements: We offer QoE insights like web browsing and video streaming across more than 200 countries. And those web browsing and video streaming insights come directly from when consumers are actively engaged on their phones — not from passive background collection, not from synthetic testing, and not from estimates of what the consumer experience should be like based solely on RF conditions. This direct measurement delivers a practical benchmark of how well networks support the activities consumers care about most.

With a combination of unparalleled scale with real-world relevance, Ookla provides operators and users alike with the most precise and actionable view of network performance — both in speed and quality.

Introducing New Speedtest Awards™: Recognizing True Performance

Our commitment to accurately reflecting the consumer network experience is driving the evolution of our Speedtest Awards. The new methodology, which incorporates QoE and QoS insights, is designed to recognize operators who truly excel in delivering superior connectivity.

Best Fixed Network Award: Highlights operators excelling in both Quality of Service (QoS) and Quality of Experience (QoE), reflecting overall fixed network performance that matters to users.
Best Mobile Network Award: Recognizes mobile operators delivering strong, dependable performance by measuring both QoS and QoE to capture real-world user experience.

Tying It All Together: Speed and QoE for a Complete Picture of Performance

Speed and QoE aren’t competing metrics—it’s quite the opposite. They work together to give a complete picture of network performance. Speed shows how fast the network can go, acting as a quick snapshot of its capacity. QoE reflects how the connection actually feels to the user and how well it supports real-world activities. When combined, speed and QoE provide a stronger, more balanced view of performance than either metric alone.

This comprehensive approach to network performance is precisely why Ookla’s Speedtest Awards™ are evolving to incorporate not just raw speed, but also key QoE metrics through the Speedtest Connectivity Score. By acknowledging both the underlying power and the real-world usability of a network, our awards highlight providers who truly excel in delivering superior connectivity.

Speedtest has long given the cleanest and most trusted view of speed performance; we believe our QoE data is similarly a touchpoint for how this type of data should be collected. Providing the best and most relevant view of performance for today’s connectivity needs means pushing beyond traditional testing methods and metrics. That’s what we’re offering. It’s better data, for better insights, to help create better connectivity for all.

Interested in learning how these changes might impact you? Contact us—we’re happy to chat.

About the author

Dave Andersen

Ookla Research™ Articles

Sylwia Kechiche | June 27, 2022

Dtac and True Merger Talks Point to a Need to Address Unequal Footing in Thailand's 5G

The planned merger between True Corporation (“True”) and Total Access Communication (“dtac”) in Thailand is currently awaiting regulatory approval. The announcement of the merger or “amalgamation” as the involved companies like to call it, wasn’t unexpected as rumors around dtac’s owner Telenor’s plans to exit Thailand circulated for a while. Besides, Telenor hopes to merge its Malaysian operations and it sold its operations in Myanmar in March 2022. On November 20, 2021, True and dtac entered a non-binding memorandum of understanding to pursue the “amalgamation.” In April 2022, the two companies received the approval from their shareholders for the merger and to create a new listed company — NewCo — despite not knowing what the conditions or measures of the deal will be. In June 2022, a legal subcommittee of NBTC concluded that the telecom regulator has the power to approve or dissolve the planned merger. In this article we will assess the impact of the proposed merger on the Thai telecommunications market by examining its current state.

Key takeaways

Thailand’s 5G performed well compared to its regional counterparts due to a timely 5G network roll out and dedicated 5G spectrum availability.
Based on mobile performance, Thailand is a market dominated by one player — AIS. It had a lead in terms of 4G performance and that lead has been extended further with 5G. The third operator in the market, dtac, is not competitive on 5G due to its limited spectrum holdings (dtac’s 5G performance is equivalent to AIS’ 4G).
The merged operator, NewCo, could provide more robust competition to AIS while also having the scale to invest in 5G. While this will turn Thailand into a two-player market, examples of mergers and acquisitions in other countries suggest a number of measures will be most likely put in place: spectrum divestment, more capacity allocated to MVNOs, converged and innovative offerings, all of which can potentially offset its negative impact.

Thailand’s 5G performs well compared to its regional counterparts

5G deployment in Thailand is comparable in terms of 5G speeds and 5G Availability with more developed countries in the region such as Singapore, even though the country previously lagged behind its peers in assigning 3G and LTE spectrum.

In our recent article, we concluded that the country’s regulator, The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), has been instrumental in establishing Thailand as a leading 5G market in the region. In fact, Thailand was one of the first markets to launch 5G in the Asia-Pacific region, with AIS and TrueMove H both launching commercial 5G services in Q1 2020, shortly after the conclusion of the country’s 5G auction. The Thai government plays an active role in ensuring 5G can bring societal benefits, e.g., improving government services and extending healthcare access. Some of the campaigns include establishing a telemedicine center, setting up a 5G network for smart city management, developing a pilot project on digital farming in Songkhla Lake Basin, and using 5G connectivity for pandemic related measures as tourism was reopening in Phuket.

In Q1 2022, Speedtest Intelligence® data put Thailand on par with its regional peers such as Australia and China and ahead of the Philippines, Japan, Singapore and New Zealand in terms of 5G Availability (the proportion of users on 5G-capable devices who spend a majority of their time on 5G networks).

In February 2020, NBTC assigned spectrum for 5G use across low (700 MHz), mid (2,600 MHz), and high (26 GHz) frequency bands. It also plans a further auction of mid-band spectrum in 2022 in the 3.5 GHz band, which was vacated in September 2021 by Thaicom, a satellite provider. All of the countries in the comparison above assigned spectrum in the mid-band frequency, which is the sweet spot for 5G in terms of coverage and capacity. In South Korea, which came first in terms of median 5G download speed, the government allocated a total of 2,680 MHz of spectrum including 280 MHz in the 3.5 GHz band and 2,400 MHz in the 28 GHz spectrum band. Korean provider KT is also using a standalone 5G network, a form of 5G that doesn’t rely on 4G LTE as the foundation of the 5G experience, which should provide faster speeds and lower latency than non-standalone (NSA) 5G networks. In fact, a few operators in the analyzed countries have launched 5G SA including China (all operators), Singapore (M1, Singtel, and Starhub), Australia (Telstra and Vodafone), Japan (Softbank), and Thailand (AIS).

AIS wins on 5G performance in Thailand, TrueMove H on 5G Availability

In Q1 2022, AIS came as the fastest operator in terms of 5G speeds, this was also the case in Q4 2021 as per our recent article. According to Speedtest Intelligence, AIS recorded a median 5G download speed of 261.19 Mbps and 5G upload speed of 40.57 Mbps during Q1 2022. AIS launched 5G NSA (non-standalone) in February 2020 using the 700 MHz, 2.6 GHz and 26 GHz bands, followed by 5G SA in July 2020 in cooperation with Huawei. AIS deployed 5G CA (New Radio Carrier Aggregation) by integrating its mid-band (2600 MHz) and low band (700 MHz) spectrum. This in turn gave a 1.7x boost to the operator’s data transmission capabilities. TrueMove H was second for 5G download speed, with a median of 197.79 Mbps and a 5G upload speed of 25.52 Mbps. The lack of mid-band spectrum limits dtac’s performance, which showed a median 5G download speed of 32.70 Mbps and 19.18 Mbps upload.

The ranking shifts when we compare 5G Availability – the percentage of users on 5G-capable devices that spend a majority of time with access to 5G networks. TrueMove H came first for 5G Availability at 37.9% during Q1 2022, a three percentage point improvement over Q4 2021. This was well above the rest of the Thai operators: AIS (18.7%), and dtac (7.9%). Based on our data AIS & TrueMove H had 5G Availability in all 77 provinces but TrueMove H 5G Availability was higher in most of the provinces as per Q1 2022.

This disparity we see between TrueMove H and AIS is largely down to the fact that AIS requires users to subscribe to a 5G tariff, as opposed to TrueMove H which allows greater access to 5G-enabled devices on its network. TrueMove H’s 5G Availability remains the highest via a combination of coverage and 5G handsets. The operator’s initial focus was to roll out 5G to most densely populated areas such as the Bangkok metropolitan area, in which over 90% of population is covered by 5G, followed by key locations. At the time of 5G network launch, TrueMove H offered 30 models of 5G smartphone under promotional prices, True 5G VR4K vision and True5G VR Headset, IoT equipment as well as gadgets. AIS rolled out a 5G network out to all 77 provinces, covering 78% of the population in Q1 2022, with a year end target of 85% population coverage.

At the same time, Thai operators continue to grow the number of 5G users, expanding the addressable market beyond early adopters; for example TrueMove H saw its 5G user base increase to 2.6 million in Q1 2022, AIS had 2.8 million 5G package subscribers and 3 million 5G handset on AIS network in Q1 2022.

Songkhla tops the charts for median 5G download speed

Every operator takes a unique approach to regional strategy, so we looked closely at 5G performance in select regions during Q1 2022. Songkhla came top when it comes to median 5G download speed (253.44 Mbps), but ranked last in 5G Availability (8.9%), which points to low network congestion due to a lower number of users.

We removed dtac from the operator level comparison due to the low sample size. AIS came top in almost all regions, apart from Khon Kaen. AIS’s fastest median 5G download speed (313.35 Mbps) was in Songkhla.

Bangkok has the highest 5G Availability

In Q1 2022, Bangkok had the highest 5G Availability (30.1%), Songkhla ranked last in 5G Availability (8.9%). Ookla 5G Map® shows 215 commercial 5G deployments in the Bangkok area. What’s more, because Bangkok is more affluent than the rest of the country, smartphone adoption, including 5G, is higher than in the rest of the country. Due to the pandemic, Thai operators have actually accelerated their 5G rollout, starting with hospitals in Bangkok. At the end of 2021, AIS reported that its 5G network covered more than 99% of the population in Bangkok compared to 76% across the whole country. At the end of Q1 2022, dtac’s 5G network covered 34 provinces, though we have excluded dtac from the above ranking due to low sample count. Dtac has been focusing on network expansion using the 700 MHz band, resulting in capacity and coverage uplift, yet it is still lagging behind competition in uptake. Dtac reported that it will prioritize 5G expansion by expanding coverage to all of Thailand’s 77 provinces within the Q3 2022.

4G Availability close enough, AIS in the lead for 4G speeds

The leaderboard for 4G LTE performance in Thailand looked very similar to the 5G one during Q1 2022. AIS was in the lead (31.16 Mbps for download/17.51 Mbps upload), followed by TrueMove H (23.38 Mbps for download/10.80 Mbps for upload), and dtac (13.57 Mbps for download/ 5.05 Mbps upload), there was a major difference, however, when 4G performance is considered separately to that on 5G. AIS’s median download speed on all technologies combined was almost eight times higher than dtac’s, but AIS’s median download speed on 4G was just double of dtac’s. Furthermore, there was no substantial difference in terms of 4G Availability – the percentage of users on all devices who spend the majority of their time connected to 4G technology both roaming and on-network – across Thai mobile networks.

Consolidation wave across Asia-Pacific could stifle competition

Merger and acquisitions activity is heating up across the Asia-Pacific region with deals on the table across a number of countries including Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Indonesia. Thus far, only the merger between Indosat and Tri in Indonesia has received regulatory approval and been completed. This is true in Europe as well, as we discussed in our recent article, with recent examples including the agreed joint venture between MasMovil and Orange in Spain and Iliad’s recent bid for Vodafone Italy.

A number of studies have attempted to assess the impact of mergers. For instance, in 2017 GSMA analyzed the impact of the 2012 Hutchison/Orange merger in Austria (a 4-to-3 merger) on quality using difference-in-differences (DD) and synthetic control methods. The study concluded that the merger in Austria had a positive and statistically significant effect on quality outcomes. The U.K. telecom regulator, Ofcom, in its Economic Discussion Paper on Market structure, investment and quality in the mobile industry analyzed a number of M&A activities. It concluded that the results of merger-specific analysis are mixed, as there is no evidence that mergers have generated improvements in network quality to the benefit of consumers. Instead, there is some evidence that both investment and average download speeds declined following some of these mergers. Closer to Thailand, Indosat Ooredoo and Hutchison 3 Indonesia (Tri) merged into Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH) to create a number two player in Indonesia with 26.3% market share as of Q1 2022. It was conditioned upon a number of factors, though, around improved geographic reach and network performance.

However, there are rare examples of a market moving towards duopoly. In 2011, Philippines mobile market became a duopoly after PLDT acquired Digitel. The deal was studied by regulators for seven months, the main issue being the large amount of the country’s 3G spectrum that the merged operator would control. It eventually passed on condition that PLDT gave up the 10 MHz 3G license held by one of its subsidiaries. Almost a decade later, a third player entered the Philippines, which we will discuss in an upcoming article.

The shape of the Thai mobile market

If approved, M&A would bring more MVNOs to the market

With close to 100 million mobile connections, Thailand’s SIM penetration of the population is 140%, meaning that on average a mobile subscriber has 1.58 SIMs. The market is served by four operators: AIS, DTAC, TrueMove H and the government owned National Telecom (NT). NT was formed in January 2021 via a merger of Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) Telecom and TOT (Telephone Organization of Thailand).

AIS, whose backers include Singtel Group, led the market with 44.5% of all mobile subscriptions, equivalent to 44.6 million subscribers, at the end of March 2022. By contrast, TrueMove H held 33.4% of the market share (32.5 million subscribers), with dtac claiming a 19.8% market share with 19.9 million subscribers. According to industry estimates, NT had less than 3.5 million subscribers in Q1 2022, equating to 3.3% market share. Currently, MVNOs hold a miniscule market share of the Thai market, under 1% combined. NT is the sole operator hosting MVNOs in Thailand since MVNOs were introduced in 2009, despite the fact that all of operators licenses’ terms and conditions have a clause that a minimum 10% of their spectrum capacity should be allocated to MVNOs. Opening up the market to MVNOs is often one of the conditions for M&A to go ahead.

The topic of mergers is widely discussed in Thailand; there have been a number of concerns raised. Thai consumer advocates and academics voice their disapproval of the M&A, saying consumers will be at a disadvantage due to less competition in the market. For instance, the People’s Network Protecting Public Interest claimed that the market would become a de facto duopoly with foreseen price increases of 20-30% in the long term. NT Telecom, which is both a competitor and a minority stakeholder in dtac, disapproved of the True-dtac merger.

The discussion as to who should approve the merger was put to rest when a legal subcommittee of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) concluded the telecom regulator has the power to approve or prohibit the planned merger. NBTC is still conducting studies on the impact of the merger, both short-term and long-term, as well setting up a number of independent committees to advise on the best course of action. Most recently, a panel that was tasked with determining whether the merger would have economic impact, M&A could reduce Thailand’s GDP growth by between 0.05% and 1.99%, and increase mobile prices by 2.03%-19.5% depending on the degree of collusion. Against this backdrop, it is hard to imagine that the merger would get a green light.

If the merger goes ahead, the newly combined entity will become the number one player in Thailand with a 52.2% market share, ahead of the current market leader, AIS. However, it takes time for the companies to merge their operations and it is most likely that in the short term both companies will use their separate brands while working out the go to market proposition. Also the companies’ execs at a recent seminar were at pains to assure that there will be no price hikes if the merger goes ahead, instead because of the economies of scale there will be more investment into the market resulting in more innovation and better customer experience.

If approved, M&A would change the spectrum landscape

As it stands right now, AIS has the largest amount of 5G spectrum — a total of 1,330 MHz — across low-, mid-, and high-frequency bands. In May 2022, AIS added a further 10 MHz of bandwidth on the 700 MHz spectrum from NT due to the deal with NT Telecom. With this deal, AIS will increase its bandwidth to 40 MHz from August 2022 onward, which should improve its 5G coverage.

AIS and TrueMove H deployed their initial 5G networks on the 2600 MHz spectrum, while dtac used frequencies in the 26 GHz band. All operators, except for NT, also deployed 5G in the 700 MHz spectrum band when it became available for use in early 2021, following the completion of broadcasting service migration. NT is yet to deploy 5G.

Thanks to the merger, dtac would have access to True’s mid-band spectrum, which should substantially improve its performance. Furthermore, there is another C-band spectrum auction planned in 2022 (3.4-3.7 GHz band). This should have a positive effect on the 5G download speeds as we have seen in the USA when since deployment in the C-band, Verizon’s 5G speeds have set it apart from AT&T.

However, it is common practice that operators that undergo mergers have to divest part of their spectrum as an M&A condition. For example, this was the case when Hutchison 3G acquired Orange in Austria, Hutchison 3G bought Telefonica in Ireland and Telefonica merged with E-Plus in Germany.

The benefits of scale are obvious

Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) bundling is offered by most operators in Thailand due to competitive pressures coming from TrueMove H and AIS. The merger could enable convergent offerings from dtac too, which is solely a mobile player, and would allow it to offer better service in terms of coverage and further expand its market share. According to Analysys Mason, FMC penetration will continue to increase in Thailand, and if the merger is blocked, dtac’s competitive standing will be further disadvantaged.

On the other hand, True Corporation has a portfolio of services:

TrueMove H — mobile operator, which also offers NB-IoT (Narrowband IoT).
TrueOnline — broadband internet and fixed-line. It is the largest fixed broadband provider with a 46.7% market share.
TrueVision — Pay TV, digital TV and content provider and an online game and influencer network; 3.5M subscribers.
True Digital Group — Digital media, data analytics, cybersecurity, IoT, integrated digital health, digital solutions and True Digital Academy.

The merged operator NewCo would remain at its core a telecommunication player but would extend its reach to support the digital transformation of Thailand, in line with Thailand 4.0 vision. The quoted benefits of the “amalgamation” include:

Improved 5G coverage with better network quality, reliability and speed.
More value-driven convergence or products and services thanks to access to a wider ecosystem of partners.
Utilization of consolidated infrastructure such as outlets to expand its outreach to deliver on Thailand 4.0 policy.
Greater opex and capex cost efficiencies when deploying 5G networks thanks to the benefit of scale. As a result improving the quality of telecom infrastructure and customer satisfaction.
Streamlined efficiencies will deliver better consumer experience and will enable NewCo to invest in future technologies and networks.
Positioning Thailand as a regional technology hub.

The NewCo will operate:

Telecom services and the sale and distribution of mobile devices via subsidiaries dtac, TriNet, and TrueMove H — using the 700 MHz, 850 MHz (under agreement with NT), 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, and 2300 MHz (under agreement with NT) spectrum.
Broadband internet provider via TrueOnline.
Pay TV, digital TV, and content provider via TrueVisions.
Portfolio of digital services via True Digital Group, and new businesses through artificial intelligence, cloud technology, smart devices, smart cities, amongst others.
Venture capital investments, with the intention to raise VC funding of USD 100-200 million with partners to invest in promising digital startups.

The merged operator could provide more competition to AIS across all market segments, not only mobile. AIS Fiber, for instance, holds a 14% market share and differentiated its services with value added and bundling packages. NewCo would build on existing TrueOnline offering and could take a convergent offering to a new level, e.g. quadplay.

While we await the final decision on the merger, it is clear that dtac is falling behind its competitors when it comes to 5G performance. The recently announced National 5G Alliance aims to further promote the role of 5G in enabling digital transformation. We will monitor Thai operators’ performance and wait for the results for the upcoming mid-band spectrum auction to see whether this will close the performance gap. In the meantime, you can compare mobile performance across operators and countries using Speedtest Intelligence.

About the author

Sylwia Kechiche

Sylwia Kechiche, formerly Principal Industry Analyst, Enterprise at Ookla. Previously Principal Analyst, IoT and Enterprise at GSMA Intelligence, where she was responsible for the development of IoT & Enterprise product, including market sizing, custom consulting, survey work and report writing.

Ookla Research™ Articles

Mark Giles | February 15, 2023

Are 5G Networks Meeting Consumers’ Expectations?

Key messages

In-market 5G performance varies widely. Reviewing the top 10% and worst 10% of Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® samples reveals significant variance in the consumer experience on today’s 5G networks, with 5G speeds peaking at over 1 Gbps for the top 10% of users in the U.A.E on average, but falling to below 20 Mbps for the lower 10% in Norway, the U.S., Japan, Germany, and Spain.
Median 5G performance is declining in many early launch 5G markets. While understandable as 5G adoption grows and users in more remote locations access 5G, declining median download speeds also point to investment and deployment challenges in some markets. At the same time, many of these markets are facing economic headwinds, placing more emphasis than ever on cost control. As a result, operators must carefully balance network investment priorities.
5G Net Promoter Scores (NPS) significantly higher than 4G LTE in most markets, but waning. With the exception of Sweden and Qatar, all the early launch 5G markets in our analysis saw 5G NPS fall year-over-year. Operators’ 5G NPS still trade at a premium compared to 4G, and while performance is just one part of the equation, operators should take care to build on the positive sentiment that 5G has brought to date.

Despite impressive headline speeds, 5G performance varies a lot

Median 5G performance allows us to gauge the midpoint of user experience on 5G networks, however it doesn’t paint the full picture. While headline 5G speeds impress, Speedtest Intelligence data lays bare the ups and downs of 5G performance for consumers, even in early launch, advanced 5G markets. We recently looked at 5G network performance over high frequency (mmW) bands, painting a view of the true potential of 5G networks. However, if we look at performance on today’s 5G networks, looking beyond the median at the range of performance between users in the top 10% and those in the lower 10%, Speedtest Intelligence data reveals huge variance in the performance users experience.

The U.A.E. was the fastest 5G market in our analysis, based on median download performance of 545.53 Mbps in December 2022, followed by South Korea and Qatar. However, the top 10% of users in the U.A.E. recorded speeds of at least 1,266.49 Mbps on average, while the lowest 10% of users experienced speeds of 127.52 Mbps or slower on average. At the other end of the scale, Spain recorded a median 5G speed of 94.14 Mbps, but also demonstrated wide variance between the top 10% of samples at 537.95 Mbps or faster and the lowest 10% with 10.67 Mbps or less.

Based on many of the marketing messages around 5G, consumers are led to expect a big bang change in performance. However, with 5G operating over a greater range of spectrum bands than previous generations, including high frequency spectrum which has relatively poorer propagation, it’s understandable that 5G performance will vary more than previous generations of mobile network technology.

5G markets set to face performance challenges during 2023

While globally 5G speeds have remained stable, for many of the markets in our analysis, median 5G download speeds have fallen over the past year. The U.S. was the main outlier, recording the strongest uplift in 5G performance as T-Mobile continued to drive home its performance advantage in the market, while Verizon’s performance improved early in 2022 through its deployment of 5G in C-band spectrum. This trend is likely to continue in 2023 in the U.S., as more C-band spectrum is made available. However, the picture remains concerning for a number of other 5G markets, particularly those where median 5G speeds are at the lower end of the spectrum.

In some markets, 5G was initially priced at a premium to 4G, with operators focused on driving incremental returns on the new network technology. However, operators have been increasingly opening up 5G access by removing incremental costs for consumers and adding prepaid plans too. As 5G adoption scales, it places more strain on the new networks. The challenge for many of these markets is that network performance is likely to degrade further unless network densification picks up.

For network operators, this investment imperative is occuring amidst macroeconomic headwinds, which are driving up operating costs and putting pressure on consumer and enterprise spend. In addition, there remain challenges in deploying additional 5G cell sites in dense urban areas where demand is strongest, while in some markets EMF limits and other regulations can limit the deployment of high-capacity 5G sites.

Degrading 5G performance impacts consumer sentiment

Net Promoter Score (NPS) from Speedtest Intelligence paints a largely positive picture of current 5G networks. NPS is a key performance indicator of customer experience, categorizing users into Detractors (score 0-6), Passives (score 7-8), and Promoters (score 9-10), with the NPS representing the percentage of Promoters minus the percent of Detractors, displayed in the range from -100 to 100. Across the markets we analyzed, 5G users on average rated their network operator with NPS scores that were universally higher than those for 4G LTE users. However, consumer sentiment for users on 5G networks is beginning to shift, with NPS scores falling, coinciding with lower median 5G performance in many of the markets we analyzed.

Declining performance levels will be a factor driving NPS down for some 5G users. It’s also important to remember that as 5G scales in many of these early launch markets, the profile of 5G users is also changing from predominantly urban-based users, to more of a mix of urban, suburban, and rural users, which brings additional coverage and performance challenges for network operators. We plan to examine the relationship between 5G performance and spectrum in an up-coming content piece. Please get in touch if you’d like to learn more about Speedtest Intelligence data.

About the author

Mark Giles

Mark Giles heads up Ookla Research™, leading a team of expert analysts in transforming the world's largest repository of network performance data into authoritative insights. Mark is passionate about using data to illuminate the state of global connectivity, in order to advocate for a better, more accessible internet for all.

Linkedin /mark-d-giles

Ookla Research™ Articles

Mark Giles | February 28, 2023

Chile Writes the Blueprint for Fixed Network Improvement in Latin America

Key messages

From a median download speed of 50.23 Mbps in Q1-Q2 2020 to 205.96 Mbps in Q3-Q4 2022 – Chile punches up on fixed line performance. Chile has been the top performing fixed broadband market across Latin America, consistently outperforming other markets in the region. Over the last three years it has also closed the performance gap to other leading markets globally, and during 2022 consistently featured in the top five of Ookla®’s Speedtest Global Index™, where as of January it placed second.
Strong competition the primary driver. Chile’s strong fixed broadband performance — an anomaly in the region — is due primarily to strong competition among Chilean ISPs. Chile has six ISPs with more than 5% market share, all of which are heavily focused on migrating customers to fiber, and five of which recorded median download speeds in excess of 100 Mbps during Q4 2022.
Fixed-line investment focused on driving rapid migration to fiber. Strong competition has promoted heavy fixed-line network investment, with reported data indicating capital intensity ratios in excess of 20% in the market. This has translated into a rapid technology migration, shifting the market from a majority of connections via cable (HFC) at the end of 2019, to fiber now comprising almost two-thirds of connections. Furthermore, it has also seen the formation of a neutral network, On*Net, which offers wholesale fiber access to other ISPs.
Supporting economic growth in the market. Subject to rising inflation and a market overheated following government intervention post the COVID-19 pandemic, Chile’s economy is expected to contract in 2023 before returning to growth in 2024. Despite this, broadband adoption among businesses continues to advance at a rapid pace, a positive sign in helping support the market’s future growth potential. In addition, broadband performance across the entire market is strong, with median download speeds in all Chilean regions in excess of 100 Mbps as of Q4 2022.

Chile punches up on fixed-line performance

Chile has been a regional leader in fixed line performance in Latin America since 2016, and since then has continually widened its advantage over its regional peers. Over the past three years Chile has driven fixed-line performance increases, from a median download speed of 50.23 Mbps in Q1-Q2 2020 to 205.96 Mbps in Q3-Q4 2022. This makes Chile now a clear anomaly among Latin American markets, having closed the performance gap to the top-performing fixed-line markets worldwide during 2022.

Chile’s population is predominantly urban-based, with a rural population of just 12.2% in 2021 according to the World Bank. While connecting rural premises with advanced fixed access networks is more costly and less profitable than in urban environments, the urban nature of Chile is not markedly different compared to its peers in Latin America. Brazil has only a marginally greater rural share of population at 12.7%, while Argentina has a lower share, at only 7.8%.

Speedtest Intelligence® data shows that at a regional level within Chile, ISPs are supporting median download speeds in excess of 100 Mbps across all regions during Q4 2022. Santiago Metropolitan Region is the most populous region in Chile, and recorded a median download speed of 215.73, while the region with the largest rural share of population, Maule, recorded a median download of 189.36 Mbps. The lowest median speed was observed in Aysén, with 117.34 Mbps. This relative equity in fixed line performance across regions echoes a 2020 OECD country report on Chile, which highlighted that while economic disparities between Chile’s regions are above the OECD average, it has shown the largest reduction in regional economic inequality among OECD countries since 2008.

Hyper-competitive fixed broadband market

Of the top eight markets in the Speedtest Global Index, Chile had the greatest concentration of ISPs supporting high-speed broadband services. Speedtest data shows eight ISPs active in the Chilean market with more than 3% share of samples, and of these seven supported median download speeds in excess of 100 Mbps. According to the regulator Subtel, Telefonica led the market with 30.3% market share, ahead of second-placed VTR with 26.2%.

Telefonica also led the market in terms of fiber connections, with a market share of 45.7%, followed by Mundo with 25.0%, which in January 2023 announced that it had completed the migration of its customer base from HFC (hybrid fiber-coaxial cable) to fiber-to-the-home (FTTH). Other smaller ISPs are actively deploying fiber or looking for alternative solutions to boost their reach. Entel agreed to sell its fiber network to On*Net Fibra, a joint venture between KKR and Telefonica Chile to provide a neutral fiber network in Chile, in October 2022. This will allow Entel to continue provisioning new households over the larger OnNet network. We also see SpaceX’s Starlink active in the market, alongside Hughesnet, although satellite remains a very small but growing technology within the market.

Strong competition driving network investment

Strong competition in Chile’s fixed line market has helped drive network investment, with Chilean ISPs focused on expanding the number of homes passed and migrating to more advanced fiber access. The relatively late launch of 5G networks in the region has enabled operators to focus more heavily on fiber deployment, with a view to increasing fixed broadband adoption and also supporting 5G networks. The first 5G networks in the market launched in December 2021.

While there is limited reported fixed-line financial data in the market, Telefonica Chile has reported capex historically. Its data shows strong early investment in the market, with capital intensity (capex as a share of revenues) well above 20% from 2015 onwards, peaking at 28.8% of revenues in 2018.

Telefonica Chile stopped reporting fixed revenues in 2020, however its fixed capex dipped significantly, highlighting the change in strategy from its parent group to deleverage its Latin American operation. This eventually led to KKR’s acquisition of a 60% share in InfraCom from Telefonica, creating On*Net Fibra, a neutral FTTH network joint-venture, which began offering wholesale services in July 2021. Rival ISP VTR confirms the overall trend of strong fixed-line investment in the country, reporting capital intensity in excess of 20% over the past three years. In addition, Mundo announced in early 2022 that it planned to invest $200 million expanding its fiber infrastructure in Chile, and the ISP is targeting 4.5 million homes passed, by the end of 2023.

Accelerating migration to fiber

As of 2019, a majority of Chilean broadband connections were supported by hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) services, with fiber the second most frequently used technology, followed by ADSL. The transformation of the Chilean fixed broadband market since then has been rapid, with the latest data for September 2022 showing that fiber makes up the majority of broadband connections, with HFC’s share declining strongly, and ADSL’s share dropping below that of wireless broadband connections.

This rapid tech migration has also led to Chile being among the strongest adopters of Wi-Fi 5 and 6 in Latin America, which support faster speeds within business and in the home. In Q4 2022, 71.3% of Chile’s Speedtest samples utilized Wi-Fi 5, with less than 20% utilizing Wi-Fi 4. By contrast, Brazil had 38.2% of samples utilizing Wi-Fi 4, and Argentina 53.4%. Adoption of the newer Wi-Fi 6 routers is slower in Chile compared to international peers, standing at 8.5% as of Q4 2022, however it still leads within Latin America by a significant margin. Within Chile GTD led the pack with 33.5% of samples utilizing Wi-Fi 6 during Q4 2022, followed by WOM with 25.9%, Entel with 21.9% and Telefonica del Sur with 19.4%. By contrast, Claro, Movistar, Mundo and VTR all returned less than 10% in Wi-Fi 6 samples, indicating there is plenty of scope to increase median fixed-line performance yet further in the market. Our analysis of the median download speeds shows a strong correlation with adoption of Wi-Fi routers utilizing 5 GHz spectrum (WiFi 5 and above).

Driving increased fixed broadband adoption

The growth in fixed broadband adoption in Chile was disrupted significantly by the COVID-19 pandemic, and resultant move towards remote working and more people staying at home. Connections growth increased from 5.5% in 2019, to 10.7% in 2020 and 12.8% in 2021, as the importance of home internet connectivity grew.

The initial acceleration in connection growth in 2020 was due to growth in residential fixed broadband adoption, with connections increasing by 13% in 2020 and 12% in 2021. Business fixed broadband connections declined in 2020 as the economy contracted, but rebounded strongly in 2021 on the back of government economic stimuli, increasing 19%, and a further 8% in the first three quarters of 2022, demonstrating the important role of broadband in supporting economic growth in the market.

Chile’s economy is forecast to contract in 2023, as inflation continues to impact the market, and fiscal stimuli following the COVID-19 pandemic are unwound. However, the Chilean Central Bank forecasts that the market will rebound in 2024, with growth ranging from 2.25% – 3.25%. A key component of Chile’s future growth will be the ability of businesses to secure fast and reliable internet connections. From an infrastructure point of view, Chile is very well served in this regard, with a very dynamic fixed infrastructure market, as demonstrated by its operators continuing to push on fiber rollout, the emergence of a neutral fiber network with broad coverage, and even the increasing role of satellite connectivity in the market. Such is the success of its Chilean operation, that Telefonica is using the market as a blueprint for its other operations across Latin America. We’ll continue to monitor the rapid progress of Chile’s fixed broadband market as it continues to vie with other leading markets internationally at the top of Ookla’s Global Index. To find out more about Speedtest Intelligence, please get in touch.

About the author

Mark Giles

Linkedin /mark-d-giles

Ookla Research™ Articles

Sylwia Kechiche | October 9, 2022

India's 5G Speeds Reach 500 Mbps

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

Key messages:

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

Airtel and Jio turned 5G on

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Consumers are 5G ready

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

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

iPhone users have most 5G-capable phones

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

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

About the author

Sylwia Kechiche

Ookla Research™ Articles

Mark Giles | June 2, 2022

Fixed Broadband Network Performance in Indonesia Falling Further Behind Regional Peers

Bahasa Indonesia

Key messages:

Fixed performance in Indonesia continues to lag behind regional peers. While Indonesian fixed broadband network performance continues to improve quarter over quarter, Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® shows that Indonesia lags behind many of its regional peers on key metrics such as median download speed and the penetration of more advanced routers supporting 5 GHz Wi-Fi, and this disparity is growing.
East and Central Java among the slowest performing Indonesian regions. Most regions of Indonesia achieve similar median download speeds. However there remain outliers: Bali was the top-performing region, and the more populous regions of East and Central Java continued to record some of the slowest performance in the market.
Faster speeds equal happier customers. Consumer sentiment towards fixed broadband providers in Indonesia, as measured by Ookla’s 5-Star Rating, tracks closely with network performance over the past year.
Competition ramps up in the Indonesian fixed broadband market. Speedtest Intelligence® sample data for Q3-Q4 2021 shows 306 ISPs active in the market. Of these, four major national network operators meet our threshold to be considered top providers (with a minimum of 3% of samples) — Telkom, First Media, MyRepublic, and Biznet. At a regional level, this list of top providers expands to ten, including CBN, MNC Play, StarNet, PT Global Media Data Prima, MTM Bali, and GlobalXtreme.
Biznet leads the market in fixed broadband network performance according to Speedtest Intelligence. Biznet is the leading operator both nationally and in many of Indonesia’s regions, achieving almost symmetrical download and upload speeds.

Singapore leads in fixed broadband network speeds in Southeast Asia

Indonesia ranks 114th on the Speedtest® Global Index^TM for median fixed download speeds, based on data for May 2022. According to Speedtest Intelligence, fixed broadband speeds in the country have increased over the past year, from a median download speed of 17.37 Mbps in March 2021 to 21.23 Mbps in March 2022. Fixed broadband upload speeds in the market have improved by a greater margin, from 4.95 Mbps in March 2021, to 9.73 Mbps in March 2022. However, as with its mobile market, and despite its improving trajectory, Indonesia’s fixed broadband performance continues to lag behind many of its regional peers.

Looking at performance across 2021 in Southeast Asian markets, Singapore and Thailand continue to maintain a sizable performance gap compared to their regional peers, with both achieving median fixed broadband download speeds in excess of 150 Mbps during Q4 2021. There was also clear separation in performance between Malaysia (75.91 Mbps), Vietnam (67.91 Mbps), and the Philippines (47.50 Mbps). Of the remaining four markets, Brunei and Laos achieved speeds of close to 30 Mbps, while Indonesia and Cambodia were the slowest fixed-line markets, recording median download speeds of 20.08 Mbps and 18.89 Mbps respectively.

median fixed broadband download speeds in ASEAN markets

We used data from Speedtest Intelligence to evaluate fixed broadband performance in Indonesia during Q3-Q4 2021. Our analysis examines fixed broadband speeds at the country and provider-level. We also examine Wi-Fi performance as a subset of total fixed broadband samples in order to assess the speed delivered to end-user devices and look at the share of samples that utilize routers that support 5 GHz over Wi-Fi.

Operators worldwide are increasingly offering home networking solutions in order to help improve Wi-Fi speeds and coverage within the home. In Indonesia, First Media, Biznet, and MyRepublic offer mesh networking solutions, while some ISPs also offer the option to upgrade to routers that support the 5 GHz band. This offers greater channel bandwidth and typically lower interference than Wi-Fi over the 2.4 GHz band, allowing for improved performance for high bandwidth activities such as gaming and streaming high definition video content.

Looking at the distribution of fixed Wi-Fi Speedtest samples run over 2.4 GHz versus 5 GHz Wi-Fi connections, regional leaders Singapore and Thailand are joined by Malaysia as the only markets on this list with a majority of samples recorded using 5 GHz. Indonesia again came last with 5 GHz connections accounting for only 22% of samples.

wi-fi band distribution in ASEAN markets

Biznet leading in Indonesia nationwide fixed broadband download speed

Our statistical methodology sets a minimum threshold of 3% of samples for an operator to be considered a top provider and part of our analysis. Using this methodology, Biznet was the fastest fixed broadband operator for both median download and upload speeds in Q3-Q4 2021, followed by My Republic. Biznet attained almost symmetrical results of 40.85 Mbps download and 39.29 Mbps upload, with My Republic achieving 34.27 Mbps download 21.93 Mbps upload. As of May 2022, Biznet’s fiber optic network extends to a total of more than 64,000 km, with its access network currently passing over 1.46 million households. In a bid to compete more aggressively with Telkom’s IndiHome service, Biznet launched an IPTV service in February 2020. The remaining two national ISPs, Telkom and First Media, lagged behind, achieving median download speeds of 18.91 Mbps and 16.54 Mbps respectively.

indonesian median fixed broadband speeds

Looking at the split of samples from 2.4 GHz versus 5 GHz Wi-Fi connections shows some divergence between the market leaders, Biznet and MyRepublic and First Media and Telkom. However, all four fixed broadband operators recorded in excess of 70% of tests using 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi connections. If we look at Wi-Fi performance in Indonesia as a subset of total fixed broadband samples, then a similar picture emerges, with Biznet and My Republic outperforming both Telkom and First Media.

indonesian median wi-fi broadband speeds

wi-fi band distribution in indonesia

Consumer sentiment tracks network performance

There is a clear positive correlation between fixed network performance and consumer sentiment within the Indonesian fixed broadband market. Based on the mean of Speedtest 5-Star Ratings in the market, Biznet was the top-rated fixed operator in Q3-Q4 2021 with a score of 3.9, while First Media placed last with a score of 2.8.

consumer sentiment (ranking) for top isps in indonesia

Regional disparities in fixed broadband download speeds over Wi-Fi persist

Despite the Indonesian Broadband Plan’s goal to improve speeds across Indonesia, some regional disparities in median download and upload speeds persist. For a broad section of Indonesia’s regions, download speeds show little variation, ranging between 16 Mbps and 20 Mbps. There are however outliers. Tourist hotspot Bali, which has also emerged as a popular destination for digital nomad workers, and the Indonesian capital Jakarta occupied the top two positions nationally during Q3-Q4 2021, with download speeds of 22.77 Mbps and 21.92 Mbps respectively.

At the other end of the scale, two of the country’s most populous regions, East and Central Java, scored some of the lowest median download speeds at 15.34 Mbps and 15.17 Mbps, respectively. Upload speeds across the market show much more variation, ranging from a high of 17.47 Mbps in Bali, to a low of 3.97 Mbps in Bengkulu.

median wi-fi broadband speeds by region in indonesia

Biznet leading in Jakarta Region for Wi-Fi download speeds

Biznet was the fastest fixed provider in the Indonesian capital Jakarta during Q3-Q4 2021, recording near symmetrical speeds for median download (42.59 Mbps) and upload (41.22 Mbps). It was followed by MyRepublic, with a download speed of 32.47 Mbps and upload of 25.46 Mbps, and CBN which also achieved symmetrical speeds at about 28 Mbps. Wi-Fi performance for the remaining three providers, First Media, Telkom, and MNC Play lagged behind, with First Media and Telkom recording upload speeds well below the competition, both below 10 Mbps.

median wi-fi broadband speeds in jakarta

One in three Speedtest samples for provider CBN utilized 5 GHz Wi-Fi, the largest share of any operator in Jakarta. Biznet, MyRepublic and First Media followed, while Telkom and MNC Play showed the lowest share of samples using 5 GHz Wi-Fi.

wi-fi band distribution in jakarta

MyRepublic leading in Banten Region fixed broadband download speed over Wi-Fi

In Banten, the westernmost province of the island of Java, Biznet was the fastest provider over Wi-Fi. Biznet has extended its reach in this region, and obtained sufficient samples (in excess of 3% of the market) to be included as a top provider in our analysis of Banten. Biznet recorded a median download speed of 42.73 Mbps and upload of 41.32 Mbps.

median wi-fi broadband speeds in banten

Biznet also led the region for use of 5 GHz Wi-Fi, at 29% of samples. MyRepublic followed with a download speed of 37.60 Mbps and upload of 23.84 Mbps, setting it apart from both Telkom and First Media.

wi-fi band distribution in banten

Biznet leading in West Java Region fixed broadband download speed over Wi-Fi

As the most populous region in Indonesia, West Java saw more providers meet the minimum statistical threshold to be included in our analysis. Biznet was once again the fastest provider over Wi-Fi, albeit with slower speeds than in its other coverage regions, at 36.18 Mbps for median download and 35.76 Mbps for upload speed. MyRepublic was the second placed operator for download speeds, recording 29.57 Mbps, followed by Telkom, StarNet, and First Media.

median wi-fi broadband speeds in west java

Providers in West Java generally recorded slower speeds than in other regions, and the distribution of Wi-Fi samples between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz also skewed further towards 2.4 GHz than elsewhere, with First Media, Telkom, and StarNet all recording approximately 85% of samples over 2.4 GHz.

wi-fi band distribution in west java

MyRepublic leading in Central Java Region Wi-Fi fixed broadband download speed

In Central Java, in contrast to most other Indonesian regions, MyRepublic outperformed Biznet on median Wi-Fi download speeds, recording 29.11 Mbps during Q3-Q4 2021. Biznet followed with 25.85 Mbps, but also recorded the fastest upload speed of 18.95 Mbps. Telkom followed with a download speed of 16.39 Mbps, while PT Global Media Data Prima lagged behind the rest of the region with a median download speed of 3.81 Mbps. It also recorded the lowest proportion of Wi-Fi samples using 5 GHz, at only 5%.

median wi-fi broadband speeds in central java

Biznet leading in East Java Region for Wi-Fi fixed broadband download speed

East Java saw a return to form for Biznet as the fastest performing provider over Wi-Fi, with a median download speed of 33.11 Mbps and upload speed 29.34 Mbps. It was closely followed in terms of download speeds by MyRepublic with 27.75 Mbps. Telkom and First Media came next with download speeds of 15.68 Mbps and 14.39 Mbps respectively, while their upload speeds lagged far behind their rivals.

median wi-fi broadband speeds in east java

Wi-Fi distribution showed a similar story, with Telkom and First Media scoring the lowest share of samples over 5 GHz, at 16% and 14%, respectively.

MTM Bali leading in Bali Region fixed broadband download speed over Wi-Fi

Bali was the most competitive region in this analysis in terms of top speeds among providers, with three providers all recording similar median download and upload speeds of close to 40 Mbps. We could not declare a statistical winner based on median Wi-Fi download speeds, with both MTM Bali and GlobalXtreme’s download speeds in the same range, although GlobalXtreme’s upload speeds were demonstrably faster.

median wi-fi broadband speeds in bali

GlobalXtreme also recorded the highest share of 5 GHz Wi-Fi samples, at 35% of total, far outpacing the competition, with the remaining operators achieving 20% or less.

wi-fi band distribution in Bali

Indonesian fixed broadband outlook

Fixed broadband penetration among Indonesian households remains low, at below 20% according to most estimates. Mobile internet remains the dominant access technology in the market, but the move to working and studying at home as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has driven more households to subscribe to fixed broadband services. Competition is ramping up in the market, with smaller players such as Biznet and MyRepublic actively rolling out networks and targeting gains from Telkom, which still maintains a majority market share of broadband connections. The recent news that Axiata Group and its Indonesian subsidiary XL Axiata have signed a non-binding agreement to acquire a majority share of Indonesian broadband provider LinkNet is further evidence that providers see strong opportunity for growth. We expect this will help accelerate network rollout and the provision of more sophisticated bundled broadband services in the market, which in turn will help drive up Indonesian fixed broadband speeds, particularly in the densely populated regions covered in this report.

Performa Jaringan Fixed Broadband di Indonesia Semakin Tertinggal dari Rekan-rekannya di Satu Kawasan

Pesan utama:

Performa jaringan fixed di Indonesia terus tertinggal dari rekan-rekannya di satu kawasan. Meskipun performa jaringan fixed broadband di Indonesia terus meningkat dari kuartal ke kuartal, Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® menunjukkan bahwa Indonesia tertinggal dari banyak rekannya di satu kawasan pada metrik utama seperti median kecepatan unduh dan penetrasi router yang lebih canggih yang mendukung Wi-Fi 5 GHz, dan perbedaan ini semakin besar.
Jawa Timur dan Jawa Tengah termasuk wilayah di Indonesia yang paling lambat performanya. Sebagian besar wilayah di Indonesia mencapai median kecepatan unduh yang sama. Namun masih ada beberapa pencilan (outlier): Bali adalah wilayah dengan performa terbaik, dan wilayah-wilayah di Jawa Timur dan Jawa Tengah yang penduduknya lebih padat terus mengalami performa yang paling lambat di pasar.
Dengan kecepatan yang lebih tinggi, pelanggan pun lebih bahagia. Sentimen konsumen terhadap penyedia jaringan fixed broadband di Indonesia, yang diukur dengan Peringkat Bintang 5 Ookla, berkaitan erat dengan performa jaringan selama setahun terakhir.
Persaingan kian sengit di pasar jaringan fixed broadband Indonesia. Data sampel Speedtest Intelligence® untuk K3-K4 2021 menunjukkan 306 ISP aktif di pasar. Dari jumlah tersebut, empat operator jaringan nasional utama memenuhi ambang batas kami untuk dianggap sebagai penyedia teratas (dengan minimal 3% sampel) – Telkom, First Media, MyRepublic, dan Biznet. Di tingkat regional, daftar penyedia teratas ini berkembang menjadi sepuluh, termasuk CBN, MNC Play, StarNet, PT Global Media Data Prima, MTM Bali, dan GlobalXtreme.
Biznet memimpin pasar dalam performa jaringan fixed broadband menurut Speedtest Intelligence. Biznet merupakan operator terkemuka, baik secara nasional maupun di banyak wilayah di Indonesia, dengan kecepatan unduh dan unggahnya yang hampir simetris.

Singapura memimpin dalam kecepatan jaringan fixed broadband di Asia Tenggara

Indonesia menempati peringkat ke-114 pada Speedtest® Global Index^TM untuk median kecepatan unduh tetap (fixed download), berdasarkan data Mei 2022. Menurut Speedtest Intelligence, kecepatan fixed broadband di negara ini telah meningkat selama setahun terakhir, dari median kecepatan unduh 17,37 Mbps pada Maret 2021 menjadi 21,23 Mbps pada Maret 2022. Kecepatan unggah fixed broadband di pasar telah meningkat dengan margin yang lebih besar, dari 4,95 Mbps pada Maret 2021, menjadi 9,73 Mbps pada Maret 2022. Namun, sebagaimana pasar selulernya, dan meskipun lintasannya membaik, performa fixed broadband Indonesia terus tertinggal dari banyak rekannya di satu kawasan

Mengamati performa selama tahun 2021 di pasar Asia Tenggara, kesenjangan performa yang cukup besar terus terjadi antara Singapura dan Thailand dibandingkan dengan rekan-rekan keduanya di satu kawasan, di mana keduanya mencapai median kecepatan unduh tetap (fixed download) lebih dari 150 Mbps selama K4 2021. Juga terjadi perbedaan performa antara Malaysia (75,91 Mbps), Vietnam (67,91 Mbps), dan Filipina (47,50 Mbps). Dari keempat pasar yang tersisa, Brunei dan Laos kecepatannya nyaris 30 Mbps, sementara Indonesia dan Kamboja menjadi pasar fixed-line yang paling lambat, dengan median kecepatan unduh masing-masing 20,08 Mbps dan 18,89 Mbps.

Kami menggunakan data dari Speedtest Intelligence untuk mengevaluasi performa fixed broadband di Indonesia selama K3-K4 2021. Analisis kami memeriksa kecepatan fixed broadband di tingkat negara dan penyedia. Kami juga memeriksa performa Wi-Fi sebagai subset dari total sampel fixed broadband untuk menilai kecepatan yang dikirimkan ke perangkat pengguna akhir dan melihat pangsa sampel yang menggunakan router yang mendukung 5 GHz melalui Wi-Fi.

Semakin banyak operator di seluruh dunia yang menawarkan solusi jaringan rumah untuk membantu meningkatkan kecepatan dan jangkauan Wi-Fi di dalam rumah. Di Indonesia, First Media, Biznet, dan MyRepublic menawarkan solusi jaringan mesh, sedangkan beberapa ISP juga menawarkan opsi untuk melakukan upgrade ke router yang mendukung jalur (band) 5 GHz. Dengan jalur ini, bandwidth saluran yang dihasilkan menjadi lebih besar dan gangguan yang ditimbulkan pun biasanya lebih rendah daripada Wi-Fi di jalur (band) 2,4 GHz, yang memungkinkan peningkatan performa untuk aktivitas bandwidth tinggi seperti bermain game dan streaming konten video definisi tinggi.

Mencermati distribusi sampel Speedtest untuk fixed Wi-Fi yang berjalan pada koneksi Wi-Fi 2,4 GHz versus koneksi Wi-Fi 5 GHz, pemimpin di kawasan ini, Singapura dan Thailand, berikut Malaysia, menjadi satu-satunya pasar di daftar ini yang mayoritas sampelnya tercatat menggunakan 5 GHz. Indonesia kembali berada di urutan terakhir dengan koneksi 5 GHz yang hanya menyumbang 22% sampel.

Biznet memimpin di Indonesia secara nasional pada kecepatan unduh fixed broadband

Metodologi statistik kami menetapkan ambang batas minimal 3% sampel bagi operator agar dapat dipertimbangkan sebagai penyedia teratas dan bagian dari analisis kami. Dengan menggunakan metodologi ini, Biznet menjadi operator fixed broadband tercepat untuk median kecepatan unduh dan unggah selama K3-K4 2021, disusul oleh My Republic. Biznet meraih hasil yang hampir simetris dari kecepatan unduh 40,85 Mbps dan kecepatan unggah 39,29 Mbps, sedangkan My Republic mencapai kecepatan unduh 34,27 Mbps dan kecepatan unggah 21,93 Mbps. Hingga Mei 2022, jaringan fiber optik Biznet meluas hingga mencapai total lebih dari 64.000 km, dengan jaringan aksesnya saat ini yang mencakup lebih dari 1,46 juta rumah tangga. Untuk bersaing lebih agresif dengan layanan IndiHome Telkom, Biznet meluncurkan layanan IPTV pada Februari 2020. Dua ISP nasional lainnya, Telkom dan First Media, tertinggal, yang masing-masing mencapai median kecepatan unduh 18,91 Mbps dan 16,54 Mbps.

Mencermati pemisahan sampel dari koneksi Wi-Fi 2,4 GHz versus koneksi Wi-Fi 5 GHz, terlihat adanya perbedaan antarpemimpin pasar, antara Biznet dan MyRepublic serta First Media dan Telkom. Namun, keempat operator fixed broadband tersebut mencatat lebih dari 70% tes menggunakan koneksi Wi-Fi 2,4 GHz. Jika kita mengamati performa Wi-Fi di Indonesia sebagai bagian dari total sampel fixed broadband, maka muncul gambar serupa, di mana Biznet dan My Republic mengungguli Telkom dan First Media.

Sentimen konsumen mengikuti jejak performa jaringan

Ada korelasi positif yang jelas antara performa jaringan tetap (fixed) dan sentimen konsumen di pasar fixed broadband Indonesia. Berdasarkan rata-rata (mean) Peringkat Bintang 5 Speedtest di pasar, Biznet menjadi operator tetap (fixed) dengan peringkat teratas di K3-K4 2021 dan skor 3,9, sedangkan First Media menempati posisi terakhir dengan skor 2,8.

Kesenjangan di tingkat regional dalam hal kecepatan unduh fixed broadband melalui Wi-Fi tetap terjadi

Terlepas dari tujuan Rencana Broadband Indonesia untuk meningkatkan kecepatan di seluruh Indonesia, tetap terjadi sejumlah kesenjangan di tingkat regional dalam hal median kecepatan unduh dan unggah. Bagi sebagian besar wilayah di Indonesia, kecepatan unduh menunjukkan adanya sedikit variasi, berkisar antara 16 Mbps dan 20 Mbps. Namun terdapat beberapa pencilan (outlier). Bali, sebagai hotspot wisata dan berkembang menjadi tujuan populer bagi pekerja nomaden digital, dan Jakarta, sebagai ibukota Indonesia, menempati dua posisi teratas secara nasional selama K3-K4 2021, dengan kecepatan unduh masing-masing 22,77 Mbps dan 21,92 Mbps.

Sementara itu, dua wilayah terpadat di negeri ini, Jawa Timur dan Tengah, menghasilkan median kecepatan unduh terendah, masing-masing 15,34 Mbps dan 15,17 Mbps. Kecepatan unggah di seluruh pasar menunjukkan variasi yang lebih banyak, mulai dari tertinggi 17,47 Mbps di Bali, hingga terendah 3,97 Mbps di Bengkulu.

Biznet memimpin di wilayah Jakarta dalam kecepatan unduh Wi-Fi

Biznet adalah penyedia broadband fixed tercepat di Jakarta, ibukota Indonesia, selama K3-K4 2021, dengan kecepatan yang hampir simetris untuk median unduh (42,59 Mbps) dan unggah (41,22 Mbps). Disusul oleh MyRepublic, dengan kecepatan unduh 32,47 Mbps dan unggah 25,46 Mbps, serta CBN yang juga mencapai kecepatan simetris sekitar 28 Mbps. Performa Wi-Fi untuk tiga provider lainnya, First Media, Telkom, dan MNC Play justru tertinggal, di mana First Media dan Telkom mencapai kecepatan unggah jauh di bawah pesaing, keduanya kurang dari 10 Mbps.

Satu dari tiga sampel Speedtest untuk penyedia CBN menggunakan Wi-Fi 5 GHz, yang terbesar di antara seluruh operator di Jakarta. Biznet, MyRepublic, dan First Media menyusul, sementara Telkom dan MNC Play menunjukkan sampel terendah dengan menggunakan Wi-Fi 5 GHz.

MyRepublic memimpin di wilayah Banten dalam kecepatan unduh fixed broadband melalui Wi-Fi

Di Banten, provinsi paling barat di Pulau Jawa, Biznet menjadi penyedia tercepat melalui Wi-Fi. Biznet telah memperluas jangkauannya di wilayah ini, dan memperoleh sampel yang cukup (lebih dari 3% dari pasar) untuk dimasukkan sebagai penyedia teratas dalam analisis kami di Banten. Biznet mencatat median kecepatan unduh 42,73 Mbps dan unggah 41,32 Mbps.

Biznet juga memimpin di wilayah tersebut dalam penggunaan Wi-Fi 5 GHz, pada 29% sampel. MyRepublic mengekor dengan kecepatan unduh 37,60 Mbps dan unggah 23,84 Mbps, sehingga tampak berbeda dari Telkom dan First Media.

Biznet memimpin di wilayah Jawa Barat dalam kecepatan unduh fixed broadband melalui Wi-Fi

Sebagai wilayah terpadat di Indonesia, Jawa Barat memiliki lebih banyak penyedia yang memenuhi ambang batas statistik minimal untuk dimasukkan dalam analisis kami. Biznet sekali lagi menjadi penyedia tercepat yang menggunakan Wi-Fi, meskipun dengan kecepatan yang lebih lambat daripada di wilayah cakupan lainnya, pada 36,18 Mbps untuk median unduh dan 35,76 Mbps untuk kecepatan unggah. MyRepublic menjadi operator di urutan kedua untuk kecepatan unduh, mencatat 29,57 Mbps, diikuti oleh Telkom, StarNet, dan First Media.

Para penyedia jaringan di Jawa Barat umumnya meraih kecepatan yang lebih lambat daripada di daerah lain, dan distribusi sampel Wi-Fi antara 2,4 GHz dan 5 GHz juga condong lebih jauh ke arah 2,4 GHz daripada di tempat lain, di mana First Media, Telkom, dan StarNet semuanya merekam sekitar 85% sampel pada 2,4 GHz.

MyRepublic memimpin di wilayah Jawa Tengah dalam kecepatan unduh fixed broadband melalui Wi-Fi

Di Jawa Tengah, berbedar dari sebagian besar wilayah Indonesia lainnya, MyRepublic mengungguli Biznet pada median kecepatan unduh Wi-Fi, mencapai 29,11 Mbps selama K3-K4 2021. Biznet menyusul dengan kecepatan unggah 25,85 Mbps, namun sekaligus mencatat kecepatan unggah tercepat 18,95 Mbps. Telkom menyusul dengan kecepatan unduh 16,39 Mbps, sedangkan PT Global Media Data Prima jauh tertinggal dari wilayah lainnya dengan median kecepatan unduh 3,81 Mbps. Penyedia ini juga mencatat proporsi terendah sampel Wi-Fi menggunakan 5 GHz, hanya 5%.

Biznet memimpin di wilayah Jawa Timur dalam kecepatan unduh fixed broadband melalui Wi-Fi

Jawa Timur kembali hadir untuk Biznet sebagai penyedia dengan performa tercepat melalui Wi-Fi, dengan median kecepatan unduh 33,11 Mbps dan kecepatan unggah 29,34 Mbps. Selanjutnya diikuti oleh MyRepublic dalam hal kecepatan unduh dengan 27,75 Mbps. Telkom dan First Media berada di urutan berikutnya dengan kecepatan unduh masing-masing 15,68 Mbps dan 14,39 Mbps, sementara kecepatan unggah mereka tertinggal jauh di belakang saingan-saingan mereka.

Distribusi Wi-Fi menunjukkan hal yang senada, di mana Telkom dan First Media mencetak persentase sampel terendah pada 5 GHz, masing-masing sebesar 16% dan 14%.

MTM Bali memimpin di wilayah Bali dalam kecepatan unduh fixed broadband melalui Wi-Fi

Bali merupakan wilayah yang paling kompetitif pada analisis ini dalam hal kecepatan tertinggi di antara para penyedia, dengan tiga penyedia semuanya merekam median kecepatan unduh dan unggah serupa yang mendekati 40 Mbps. Kami tidak dapat menyatakan pemenang statistik berdasarkan median kecepatan unduh Wi-Fi, dengan kecepatan unduh MTM Bali dan GlobalXtreme dalam kisaran yang sama, meskipun kecepatan unggah GlobalXtreme terbukti lebih cepat.

GlobalXtreme juga mencatat persentase tertinggi dari sampel Wi-Fi 5 GHz, pada 35% dari total, jauh melampaui persaingan, dengan para operator yang lain mencapai 20% atau kurang.

Prospek fixed broadband di Indonesia

Penetrasi fixed broadband dalam lingkup rumah tangga di Indonesia tetap rendah, di bawah 20% menurut sebagian besar perkiraan. Internet seluler tetap menjadi teknologi akses yang dominan di pasar, tetapi peralihan ke opsi bekerja dan belajar di rumah sebagai akibat dari pandemi COVID-19 telah mendorong lebih banyak rumah tangga untuk berlangganan layanan fixed broadband. Persaingan semakin meningkat di pasar, di mana para pemain yang lebih kecil seperti Biznet dan MyRepublic aktif meluncurkan jaringan dan menargetkan keuntungan dari Telkom, yang masih mempertahankan pangsa pasar mayoritas koneksi broadband. Berita yang muncul baru-baru ini yang menyatakan bahwa Axiata Group dan anak perusahaannya di Indonesia, XL Axiata, telah menandatangani perjanjian yang tidak mengikat untuk mengakuisisi mayoritas saham penyedia broadband Indonesia, LinkNet, menjadi bukti lebih lanjut bahwa para penyedia melihat adanya peluang besar untuk pertumbuhan. Kami berharap hal ini akan membantu mempercepat peluncuran jaringan dan penyediaan layanan broadband bundel yang lebih canggih di pasar, yang pada gilirannya akan membantu meningkatkan kecepatan fixed broadband Indonesia, terutama di wilayah-wilayah padat penduduk yang diulas pada laporan ini.

About the author

Mark Giles

Linkedin /mark-d-giles

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