Tag: Tech Insights

Ookla Research™ Articles
| October 24, 2018

Everything You Need to Know about 5G

Tech Insights

What is 5G?

5G stands for “Fifth Generation” Wireless Technology and is the next evolution for mobile technology after 4G LTE. 5G will bring faster speeds and improved network capacity and efficiency. 5G enables operators to address exponential growth in mobile and internet of things (IoT) connections.

A brief history of cellular technologies

Every decade or so, a new generation of mobile technology brings ground-breaking performance improvements and introduces new applications and use cases. In the 1980s, 1G (analog cellular) enabled mobile phone calls. 2G in the 1990s brought digital voice and texting. In the 2000s, 3G brought the mobile internet, music streaming and picture messaging. And in 2010, 4G LTE delivered enough capacity for a true multimedia experience including streaming HD video.





Enter 5G and the future. Defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standard body, 5G is listed as wireless standard “Release 15” and “Release 16.” 5G is also sometimes referred to as 5G NR, which stands for New Radio.

Why do we need 5G?

5G aims to deliver a significant technological leap from LTE, delivering an exponential increase in peak and average speeds and capacity. A significant increase in download and upload speeds could enhance many existing use cases including cloud-based storage, augmented reality and artificial intelligence.

5G will also enable cell sites to communicate with a greater number of devices. Reduced latency could enable edge computing, making possible remote graphic rendering for enhanced gaming. Primarily a mobile technology, 5G will also allow mobile operators to deliver “fiber-like” wireless broadband service, which also stands to increase speeds.

Is 5G really that much faster than 4G?

Yes. The initial wave of 5G smartphones expected in 2019 will be able to reach peak speeds of up to 5 Gbps. This is just the beginning. As networks and chipsets mature, peak speeds of tens (or even hundreds) of gigabits per second will theoretically be achievable and devices capable of 10-20 Gbps are expected in the next 5 years. In comparison, the fastest 4G LTE networks in the world are breaking the 1 Gbps mark and the latest 4G LTE devices are capable of reaching 1.4 Gbps.

T-Mobile and Ericsson have recently achieved over 12 Gbps on a 5G connection. The first global 5G end-to-end handset solution has recently been announced by Qualcomm, and will deliver mobile speeds of up to 5 Gbps to end users in 2019. Whether carriers choose to provide service at these speeds remains to be seen.

5G also introduces a host of new technologies that will make networks faster, more energy efficient, more responsive and more reliable including network slicing and beamforming and beamtracking.

Can Speedtest measure 5G?

Ookla, the company behind Speedtest, is ready for 5G. We’ve been optimizing the Speedtest app and preparing our infrastructure to accurately measure and display 5G-level speeds. In fact, we’re already seeing 5G tests as mobile operators use Speedtest to test their infrastructure.

When and where will 5G be available?

5G trials and pre-standard (5GTF) deployments are already underway. Both Verizon and AT&T offer fixed-wireless 5G in several major markets, including Sacramento, Houston, Indianapolis and Los Angeles. But the 5G NR (New Radio) networks based on 3GPP Release 15 standard are expected at the tail end of this year. AT&T promised to have the first mobile 5G “wireless hotspot” device shipping this year. And the first wave of 5G NR smartphones are expected during the first half of 2019.

The initial 5G NR deployments in late 2018 and early 2019 will be “non-standalone” (NSA). This timing means that operators will continue using their existing 4G LTE network core for voice, handoffs and signaling, and will bond the existing 4G signal with the 5G air interface using a technique called carrier aggregation for the time being. While the continued use of 4G LTE won’t achieve the true capability of 5G, it will ensure seamless transition to standalone (SA) 5G and allow operators to gracefully repurpose legacy spectrum over the next decade. Many operators continue heavily investing into LTE networks, expecting LTE to serve as the main workhorse coverage layer well into the 2020’s.

Can my phone get 5G?

Once a 5G network is deployed in your area, you will still need a capable smartphone to access it. The 5G-capable chipsets are currently being tested by smartphone manufacturers and network operators. The first commercial 5G smartphones are expected to be available in the first half of 2019. By that time all four operators are expected to launch mobile 5G networks in several markets throughout the U.S.

Network slicing helps 5G prioritize traffic

5G introduces a new technology called “network slicing”, which creates multiple logical partitions within resource allocations that are designed to address specific use cases ranging from mission-critical (e.g. self-driving cars) to IoT devices. This is preferable to the 4G scenario where all use cases have to share a single physical layer partition.

For example, IoT devices like smart meters and home appliances (which do not require fast speeds, low latency, or a high level of prioritization) talk to the network once a day or week. This means they can be supported with a small sliver of network resources. On the other hand, mobile operators can chose to prioritize the partition allocated for specific services like autonomous vehicles, remote surgery or remote manufacturing that require very low latency and high quality of service.

Best of all, the user experience on “best effort” consumer devices like smartphones and tables will not be affected on 5G because these special services will be delivered within their own relatively small slivers of spectrum. This type of resource management has never been possible before, and it leads to much improved spectral utilization and monetization of deployed resources.

How 5G uses spectrum

5G leans on a more optimized version of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM)-based waveform, a modulation format used for popular wireless technologies like LTE and Wi-Fi.

For decades, operators have been investing billions of dollars to acquire 10 MHz, 15 MHz or 20 MHz slivers of spectrum to address exponential growth in capacity demand from subscribers. In order to deliver much faster speeds and massive network capacity, mobile operators in the United States are mainly investing in the millimeter Wave (mmWave) spectrum for 5G, specifically in the 28 GHz and 39 GHz band. The main attractiveness of this high-band spectrum is its immediate availability and quantity as the mmWave frequency range includes hundreds of megahertz of unused spectrum that’s available for immediate 5G deployment.

While the high band frequencies will offer very large amounts of bandwidth, the mmWave frequencies will be limited by their short range. They are also not well suited for deployments on large cell towers due to necessary quality measures. This short range will force operators to densify their networks using 5G small cells positioned much closer to users.

Advanced techniques for providing a quality signal on high-frequency bands

High-spectrum airwaves are finicky and bring challenges, including significantly reduced propagation characteristics, increased path loss and scattering. To tackle these issues, the use of advanced techniques like beamforming and beamtracking are absolutely mandatory.

Beamforming is the network signaling system implemented on network basestations that identifies the most efficient signal delivery to a user. Instead of flooding the area with a signal in all directions, beamforming focuses energy into a beam to minimize interference. Beamtracking, a technique implemented on mobile devices, helps with beam selection and signal retention. Beamforming and beamtracking require very powerful algorithms working together to focus the cleanest possible beam of electromagnetic energy to each user and reduce inter-site interference.

While we’re accustomed to seeing huge cell towers using giant antennas required for low and mid frequency bands, 5G mmWave will depend on dense small cell deployments. Instead of two or four antenna elements, each mmWave small cell will have hundreds required for beamforming and beamtracking to properly work. This is commonly referred to as massive MIMO (mMIMO). Massive MIMO in 5G will offer much better interference measurements and link adaptation via the improved channel state information (CSI) feedback mechanism. This will result in improved data rates and reduced retransmissions.

The upside is that the mmWave antennas are many times smaller than typical cell antennas and can be deployed on light posts, rooftops, city furniture and other areas typically found in inhabited environments. For this reason, cities will get mmWave 5G first as operators add capacity in high traffic areas.

5G at other frequencies

5G has also been proposed in the sub-6 GHz spectrum range. This frequency won’t offer as much capacity relative to mmWave, but it will deliver better coverage. Sub-6 GHz spectrum will also offer improved spectral efficiency by the way of Higher Order MIMO (4×4 MIMO) when paired with the mid-band spectrum (2.5 GHz, 3.5 GHz initially). In the U.S., Sprint has announced plans for 5G leveraging 2.5GHz spectrum.

T-Mobile’s sub-6GHz 5G deployments, expected in 2019, will include 600 MHz low-band. This should provide a strong coverage layer and serve as a foundation for future mid- and high- frequency band deployments, because the low-band frequency has better propagation characteristics than the mid- and high-band frequencies.

Outside the U.S. most operators are using 3.5 GHz for 5G.

What else can 5G do?

5G isn’t only about attaining the fastest speeds or ultra-low latency. 5G will enable the use of automation in a broad range of industries from autonomous manufacturing, autonomous vehicles, medicine, retail, education, to smart homes and smart cities. It will promote the use of low-cost sensors, which will talk to the network intermittently, use low amounts of data, and draw very little power. This will extend mobile device battery life from several hours to several years.

These sensors can be deployed anywhere, in autonomous vehicles for collision avoidance, autonomous drones providing temporary cell coverage in targeted areas, in the urban core (parking, traffic lights, bridge tolls, air quality, etc.) and in rural environments (help animals detect predators, alert farmers to changes in chemical composition of the soil, etc.).

That’s just the beginning. The endless potential of 5G has yet to be envisioned. Despite the benefits we already see in a hyper-connected society: the massive growth of IoT, faster speeds and lower latency, it’s likely that new services not possible with today’s technology will be developed, new use cases created, and our lives will never be the same.

From the technological standpoint, the 5G NR is designed to be future-proof and flexible enough to address known and unknown use cases as the way we use it evolves. The new air interface and 5G core network are also still being perfected, and over the next 2-5 years we are likely to see major technological leaps and major changes in how we interact with the internet. The next 10 years will be exciting!

If you’re implementing 5G on your network, Speedtest Intelligence can provide you insight into actual user experience.

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.

Tech Insights

About the Author

Milan Milanović

Ookla Research™ Articles
| April 29, 2019

Analyzing the Capabilities and Performance of the Samsung Galaxy S10 Series

Tech Insights

The recent launch of the Samsung Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+ and Galaxy S10e marks the world’s first commercially available multi-gigabit LTE smartphone, with a theoretical max download speed of 2 Gbps. We took a look at how the phone performed during its first month on the market in the U.S. and the technology that makes multi-gigabit download speeds possible.

Performance comparison of Galaxy S10 models

It’s been three years since the very first Samsung 4Rx antenna design (Galaxy S7 Edge). This year’s Samsung Galaxy S10 series allows for up to 20 concurrent spatial streams depending on the spectrum availability and network deployments. This shines the light on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X24 LTE modem and Qualcomm’s RF Front-End (RFFE). Together they enable the aggregation of up to five mid- and high-frequency bands, each leveraging up to four spatial streams, providing an end-to-end, modem-to-antenna solution. The Samsung Galaxy S10 series is the first Cat 20 commercially available smartphone to use this technology.

Ookla’s data science team took a closer look at U.S. performance across Samsung Galaxy S10 models during their first month on the market:

Speedtest® Results Among Galaxy S10 Models
United States | March 8-April 8, 2019
Model Mean Download (Mbps) Mean Upload (Mbps)
Samsung Galaxy S10+ 51.26 10.87
Samsung Galaxy S10 49.54 12.08
Samsung Galaxy S10e 49.18 12.61

In analyzing more than 606,000 Speedtest results performed on over 213,000 unique devices during March 8-April 8, 2019, we saw that the Galaxy S10+ mean download speed reached 51.26 Mbps. The Galaxy S10 and S10e closely followed with mean download speeds at just over 49 Mbps.

Comparing S10+ to other flagship phones

Numerous OEMs have shipped devices equipped with Category 16 and 18 LTE modems capable of up to 1 Gbps and 1.2 Gbps download speeds in recent years. These devices utilize a combination of three or four channel Carrier Aggregation, higher modulation and higher order MIMO to improve data rates. However, quite a few of these devices were limited to only eight concurrent spatial streams (Cat 15) by the carrier profile software load, which capped the full potential of the chipset and thereby the network.

Galaxy S10 Series vs. Other Flagship Phones
Speedtest® Results
United States | March 8-April 8, 2019
Model Mean Download (Mbps) Mean Upload (Mbps)
Samsung Galaxy S10+ 51.26 10.87
Samsung Galaxy S10 49.54 12.08
Samsung Galaxy S10e 49.18 12.61
Samsung Galaxy Note9 43.32 10.97
Apple iPhone Xs Max 43.04 11.23
Samsung Galaxy S9+ 42.25 10.95
Apple iPhone Xs 41.92 10.37
Google Pixel 3 XL 41.27 12.48
Apple iPhone Xr 33.17 10.78

As the table above shows, the Galaxy S10+ showed double-digit improvements over the mean download speeds of last year’s top flagship devices, beating the Note9 by 18.3% and the iPhone XS Max by 19.1% during the same period. The increase in speeds means that each S10+ data session completes significantly faster, making the wireless networks considerably more efficient.

Samsung was one of the first OEMs to overcome the challenges of implementing four spatially separated antennas into the handheld form factor in 2016. The company is further improving the isolation and reducing the antenna correlation necessary for high performing MIMO with each year’s design. The “plus” size of the S10+ seems to aid this process.

Upload speeds did not see the same improvement across Galaxy S10 models when compared to last year’s flagship phones. The Galaxy S10e did have the fastest upload speed among models included in this analysis with a 12.3% improvement over the iPhone XS Max and 14.9% over the Note9 during the same period. However, the Galaxy S10+ achieved slower upload speeds than either 2018 phone.

The technology behind the Samsung Galaxy S10’s multi-gigabit speeds

The Galaxy S10 is powered by Samsung’s own Exynos 9820 System on a Chip (SoC) in most of the world or Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 SoC in the U.S. and China. Both variants have an integrated LTE modem while the Qualcomm’s variant is capable of processing 20 concurrent spatial streams and reaching peak download speeds of 2 Gbps. This involves complex circuitry between the antennas and the RF transceiver responsible for transmitting and receiving the RF signals over the air.

Carrier Aggregation

The Galaxy S10 supports a whopping 7-channel Carrier Aggregation (CA). CA allows operators with multiple (disparate) frequency bands to offer faster download speeds to users by aggregating (bonding) multiple frequency bands into a faster “pipe.” As a result, subscribers complete data queries quicker, returning their devices to idle state which allows the operators to reuse the network resources.

256 QAM or higher order modulation

Another LTE-Advanced technology used by the Galaxy S10 is 256 QAM. 256 QAM allows for the transmission of more bits per symbol (8-bits) as opposed to 64 QAM (6-bits). This provides a spectral efficiency gain of 33%. However, devices need to report a relatively clean channel state or high Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR), back to the network in order for 256 QAM payload to be scheduled. This means 256 QAM is typically limited to devices served at the very center of the cell.

4X4 MIMO

The Galaxy S10 also supports up to 5 channels running in a 4×4 MIMO configuration for a total of 20 spatial streams. 4×4 MIMO requires twice as many antennas as 2×2 MIMO at both the cell site and the user device. This increase in antennas allows for a potential doubling of the number of independent spatial streams (rank), which then can double the user’s data rates. To achieve a higher rank, the antennas at the cell site and the device need to be uncorrelated to provide independent paths for up to 4 data streams at the same time. Similarly to 256 QAM, this speed-boosting technique also depends on favorable signal conditions (high SINR).

One of the main benefits of 4×4 MIMO system is the antenna diversity gain which can provide signal robustness in areas of poor coverage. Because one or two data streams can be broadcast over four antennas, retransmissions are minimized and data rates improve. In order to achieve acceptable antenna de-correlation and isolation in a spatially constrained form-factor, the integration of 4 antennas into the smartphone design is limited to frequency bands above 1600MHz. Reaching the target throughput and spectral efficiency in a 4×4 network isn’t only a function of the radio access network optimization, but often times is limited by the user equipment modem-to-antenna performance.

4x4-mimo

The level of complexity that went into the Samsung Galaxy S10’s LTE design would have been unimaginable just a few years ago. This means that operators can provide even faster speeds to end users and deliver data more efficiently while leveraging existing spectrum assets.

Configuration of the Galaxy S10 in the U.S.

While 5G is only slowly trickling out to U.S. markets, the Galaxy S10 already supports virtually every imaginable Carrier Aggregation combination. This allows the S10 to take advantage of the specific configurations of all the top providers’ networks to provide faster speeds for consumers.

  • AT&T users benefit from the inclusion of Band 14, the FirstNet spectrum, when using the Galaxy S10. In addition, multiple mid- and high-band component carriers can leverage up to 4 data streams at the same time.
  • Sprint users can expect to see the aggregation of FDD and TDD spectrum. It’s worth noting that the Galaxy S10 can aggregate up to five TDD channels, all running in 4×4 MIMO mode, which allows for faster speeds and more efficient spectral utilization.
  • The Galaxy S10 can take advantage of T-Mobile’s new support for the aggregation of Band 71 (600MHz) with multiple mid-band component carriers in a 4×4 MIMO configuration. The company will also be able to take advantage of License Assisted Access (LAA) which is heavily deployed in dense urban markets like New York City to increase download speeds.
  • On Verizon, the Galaxy S10 enables the use of the recently opened up Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum on Band 48. This phone also enables Verizon to combine LAA Band 46 with licensed spectrum to offer even faster speeds.

Improved speeds using Wi-Fi 6

The Samsung Galaxy S10 is also the world’s first smartphone to support the Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) standard. This standard promises to deliver faster speeds, better user experience in crowded environments, better management of shared spectrum resources, and better use of Multi-User MIMO. Broadcom delivered the BCM4375 chip which takes care of the Wi-Fi and bluetooth connectivity.

Faster speeds to come with the Galaxy S10 5G

The Samsung Galaxy S10 5G promises to deliver the multi-gigabit experience of 5G out of the box when connected to a capable network. This device is powered by two different 5G discrete modems depending on the geographical region. For the global market Samsung is using its own Exynos 5100 5G modem, while the U.S. market is getting the Qualcomm Snapdragon X50. The Snapdragon modem supports TDD frequency bands, including the 2.5GHz and the millimeter Wave bands in the 28GHz and 39GHz range that are used in the United States.

We at Ookla are as excited as anyone to watch as 5G networks commercially launch. When they do, we’ll be watching Speedtest results to see how the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G performs in the wild.

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.

Tech Insights

About the Author

Milan Milanović

Ookla Research™ Articles
| December 19, 2023

The State of Worldwide Connectivity in 2023

Global Speeds

To gain insight into the current performance of networks, we analyzed Speedtest® data in Q3 2023. Our analysis compares changes in 5G performance to the previous year, identifies the top 10 countries with the best performance, and discusses customer satisfaction with 5G. We also ranked countries based on the performance of their fixed networks and investigated the connectivity gap across the world.

5G | Fixed | Connectivity for All

Key takeaways 

  • Global 5G download speed improved. The median global 5G download speed experienced a substantial 20% increase in Q3 2023, reaching 203.04 Mbps, compared to 168.27 Mbps in Q3 2022. This improvement aligns with a significant rise in global 5G subscriptions, indicating positive progress in user adoption of 5G and the performance of 5G networks. 
  • Top 5G performers have shifted. The top 10 countries for 5G performance witnessed notable changes, with the United Arab Emirates claiming the top spot, surpassing South Korea. Malaysia, India, and the Dominican Republic also made significant strides, showcasing a dynamic shift in the global 5G landscape.
  • Speedtest user ratings indicate room for 5G improvement. Despite advancements in 5G technology, there has been a decline in the Net Promoter Score (NPS) among 5G users. Factors contributing to this dissatisfaction could include unmet expectations and discrepancies between actual 5G speeds and advertised speeds.
  • Fixed Networks Advancements. On a global scale, fixed networks demonstrated significant performance improvement, with a 19% increase in median download speed (83.95 Mbps) and a 28% increase in upload speed (38.32 Mbps) in Q3 2023 compared to the previous year. This highlights the ongoing transition to more advanced broadband technologies, particularly Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH).
  • The imperative of closing the connectivity gaps. Despite improvements in global connectivity, there are still areas that fall outside of network coverage. Speedtest® data highlights disparities in internet performance between fixed and mobile networks across different regions, emphasizing the importance of addressing connectivity challenges worldwide.

5G Networks

Global 5G download speed improvements

Illustration of 5G Median Performance Worldwide

The median global 5G download speed has experienced a noteworthy surge, registering a 20% increase and reaching 203.04 Mbps in Q3 2023, compared to 168.27 Mbps in Q3 2022, according to Speedtest Intelligence® data. This improvement coincides with a substantial rise in global 5G connections, reaching 1.4 billion according to GSMA Intelligence, representing a 65% year-on-year increase from 872 million a year ago. 

In terms of upload speed and latency, only a very modest improvement of 1% occurred. Median 5G upload speeds reached 18.93 Mbps in Q3 2023, compared to 18.71 Mbps in the same period last year; multi-server latency, a critical metric for network responsiveness, improved from 45 ms in Q3 2022 to 44 ms in Q3 2023. 

Speedtest users experiencing the top 10% of 5G download speeds globally have seen a 9% increase, rising from 525.54 Mbps in Q3 2022 to 573.12 Mbps in Q3 2023. However, speeds have not yet reached Gigabit levels, primarly because of network economics. 5G was originally designed to deliver peak data rates of up to 20 Gbps based on IMT-2020 requirements, but we are still a ways off before gigabit speeds become the new normal. For instance, symmetrical download, upload speeds, and ultra-low latency haven’t been realized, partially because the vast majority of 5G networks are not ‘true 5G’ as they have been deployed in Non-Standalone (NSA) mode, meaning they rely on a 4G LTE network core. According to GSA, over 40 operators have launched 5G standalone (SA) in public networks, but the rollout is not yet complete. Nevertheless, the industry is actively exploring the prospect of 5G Advanced, which promises symmetrical upload and download speeds and ultra-low latency, signaling a proactive stance ahead of the eventual transition to 6G.

Malaysia joined South Korea and the U.A.E at 5G speeds podium

Chart of Fastest Countries for Median 5G Download Speed

During Q3 2023, the United Arab Emirates and South Korea stood out as leaders in 5G performance, boasting the fastest median 5G download speeds globally at 592.01 Mbps and 507.59 Mbps, respectively. Our top 10 list also includes Malaysia, Qatar, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Kuwait, Macau, Singapore, and India. The shift in the top 10 rankings reveals dynamic changes, with Malaysia, the Dominican Republic, and India making significant strides, while Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, and Bahrain dropped out of the rankings.

The U.A.E showcased a 14% increase in its median 5G download speed, reaching 592.01 Mbps in Q3 2023, up from 511.68 Mbps in Q3 2022, allowing the U.A.E to take the top spot from South Korea. Key factors contributing to the U.A.E.’s 5G leadership include fierce market competition driven by Etisalat and du, resulting in extensive 5G coverage and widespread access to 5G services. Additionally, the allocation of a 100 MHz of contiguous spectrum, as discussed in our 5G spectrum article, has played a pivotal role in achieving faster speeds, lower latency, and improved spectral efficiency.

The regional shift in 5G performance leadership is noteworthy. In 2022, half of the top 10 countries were from the Middle East, while in 2023, the same proportion hailed from the Asia Pacific region. Our analysis suggests that early adopters in the Asia Pacific region have outperformed major European markets in 5G performance, due to factors such as early spectrum availability and supportive government policies.

Malaysia’s remarkable achievement in reaching the third spot globally for 5G download speed, with a reported speed of 485.24 Mbps in Q3 2023, is particularly noteworthy. Despite launching its nationwide 5G network less than two years ago, Malaysia’s unconventional deployment strategy has proven effective. India has also made a significant leap, with its median 5G download speed of 312.26 Mbps allowing India to reach the top 10 worldwide. The country’s climb of 72 places on the Speedtest Global Index™ between September 2022 and August 2023 is primarily credited to the launch of 5G. Following a 5G spectrum auction in India, operators have successfully addressed network congestion issues by offloading 4G traffic onto 5G networks.

In Brazil, 5G download speed increased 1.4 times, jumping from 312.09 Mbps in Q3 2022 to 443.93 Mbps in Q3 2023. Before Brazil’s 5G spectrum auction, operators had offered 5G using DSS since July 2020. While DSS can provide broad 5G coverage, its speeds are often similar to those on 4G LTE networks. In November of 2021, however, Brazil’s multi-band 5G spectrum auction closed, which not only generated BRL47.2 billion ($8.5 billion) in total commitments, but it also allowed operators to deliver much faster speeds on dedicated 5G spectrum compared to DSS. National operators – Telefonica Brasil (Vivo), Claro Brazil, and TIM Brazil – ended up with 40 MHz or 50 MHz in the 2.3 GHz spectrum band and 100 MHz each in the 3.5 GHz band. The subsequent simultaneous activation of 5G networks in July 2022 marked a transformative moment with the continuous expansion of 5G services to 623 municipalities by December 2023. An upcoming spectrum auction expects to improve Brazil’s 5G standing even further.

The Dominican Republic’s entry into the top 10 fastest 5G countries was marked by its official launch of 5G services in December 2021, making it the first Caribbean nation and the third in Latin America to adopt a 5G network.

Disparity Between 5G Performance and Consumer Perception

The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a tool that gauges customer loyalty and satisfaction. At the end of Speetest, users may be asked to answer “How likely is it that you would recommend [provider] to a friend or colleague?” on a scale from 0-10. Net Promoter Scores are applied to both users and providers. Users are categorized into Detractors (score 0-6), Passives (score 7-8), and Promoters (score 9-10). NPS is the percent of Promoters minus the percent of Detractors and is displayed in the range from -100 to 100. Providers are ranked in descending order of NPS. NPS categorizes users into Detractors (those that score 0-6), Passives (scores between 7 and 8), and Promoters (scores of 9-10). NPS represents the percentage of Promoters minus the percent of Detractors displayed in the range from -100 to 100. 

In our article discussing whether 5G was meeting customer expectations, we found that 5G users typically rate their network operator with NPS scores universally higher than those for 4G LTE users. In Q3 2023, that trend continued, as 5G  users that were on 5G network when answering the NPS question still scored higher than those on 4G across all markets analyzed. It isn’t surprising given that at a global level, 5G had a 637% better median download speed than 4G and a 130% better median upload speed. 

Chart of NPS Score, 5G Compared to 4G

While 5G NPS still outpaces scores on 4G, our data shows that 5G NPS has been decreasing annually. This could point to the fact that excitement about 5G as a new technology is waning as users become used to faster speeds, or as customers await new use cases that can take advantage of the faster speeds that 5G can provide. After all, we are still waiting for that killer app for 5G, the way the video and streaming were for 4G. 

While it is difficult to fully explain the reasons behind the 5G NPS decrease without further research, we can clearly see that network performance isn’t the only factor at play influencing NPS declines. Others can include customer care, pricing, and other services. For example, in South Korea, one of the first countries to launch 5G with one of the world’s fastest speeds, consumers scored 5G networks -41.47 in Q3 2023 compared to -20.51 in Q3 2022. 

In March 2021, South Korean consumers launched a class action suit against operators because they felt they were being misled by the promises of 5G in the country. Recently, South Korea’s antitrust regulator fined three 5G operators a total of 33.6 billion won ($25.06 million) for making exaggerated claims about the level of performance their networks could achieve. South Korean operators claimed consumers could experience theoretical 5G speeds, which are not practically achievable in a “real world” environment, as factors such as spectrum usage, network densification, user location, and device capability significantly affect actual performance. Our data shows that the top 10% of 5G users in South Korea experienced speeds of 1.004 Gbps in Q3 2023, which, although impressive, are far lower than the advertised 20 Gbps speeds. 

Chart of 5G NPS Score Change Year on Year

Fixed Networks

Fiber driving fixed performance gains 

Illustration of Fixed Median Performance Worldwide

On a global scale, fixed networks have demonstrated significant advancements, achieving a median download speed of 83.95 Mbps and an upload speed of 38.32 Mbps in Q3 2023, per Speedtest Intelligence data. This signifies a substantial 19% improvement in download speed and an impressive 28% enhancement in upload speed compared to those in 2022. This also indicates that more fixed connections have migrated to fiber networks.

According to the World Broadband Association (WBBA) report titled “Next Generation Broadband Roadmap 2023 to 2030” Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) is identified as the natural progression from copper-based xDSL broadband networks. The shift towards FTTH varies across different countries and regions, but the industry is committed to embracing more advanced and efficient broadband technologies. 

Oftentimes, despite improvement in underlying broadband technology, Wi-Fi is the bottleneck that reduces customer experience. Our research has shown that Wi-Fi performance can lag behind ethernet in markets where advanced cable and fiber connections are replacing legacy broadband technology (such as DSL or coax cable). Wi-Fi speeds typically range from 30-40% of ethernet, indicating a need to accelerate the adoption of more advanced Wi-Fi technologies and optimize the home network environment.

The UAE, Singapore, and Hong Kong are in the lead for fixed

Chart of Fastest Countries for Fixed Broadband Download Speed

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore led the way in fixed network performance.

The UAE achieved a median download speed of 247.63 Mbps in Q3 2023, representing a notable 1.83 times increase compared to the previous year. Most customers in the UAE have access to fiber networks, and additional measures have been implemented by operators in the region to enhance internet speeds, such as increasing the minimum download speed from 250 Mbps to 500 Mbps and offering price discounts to incentivize users to upgrade to higher-tier plans. 

Singapore also leads on the 2023 Fiber Development Index (FDI), with maximum scores in seven of the nine metrics. Singapore, along with Qatar and South Korea, has achieved 100% FTHH coverage. One of the reasons for this success, besides having a smaller area, is that Singapore’s regulator mandates building owners and real estate developers to provide adequate space, facilities, and accessibility for network operators to pre-install fiber networks.

Hong Kong also demonstrated significant progress, with a 37% increase in median download speed and a 40% increase in upload speed. To track broadband adoption, the Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) in Hong Kong monitors broadband adoption by advertised speed and technology mix; as of August 2023, 66% of residential clients already subscribed to the Internet with a download speed equal to or greater than 1 Gbps.

Chile has seen a 14% improvement in median download speed and a 29% improvement in upload speed on the back of a greater fiber adoption. Chile has been the top-performing fixed broadband market across Latin America, consistently outperforming other regional markets but over the last three years, it has also closed the performance gap with other leading markets globally. Chile’s strong fixed broadband performance — an anomaly in the region — is primarily due to strong competition among Chilean ISPs. Chile has seven ISPs with over 5% market share, all heavily focused on migrating customers to fiber. 

Thailand is a newcomer to the ranking as FTTH continues to grow strongly. FTTH constitutes an impressive 95% of fixed broadband users in Thailand, equivalent to around 58.96% of household penetration. Operators have been actively rolling out fiber in adherence to the Digital Thailand National Policy.

In the United States, there has been a 26% improvement in median download speed and a 7% improvement in upload speed. In this very competitive market, with a range of access technologies vying for customers, a combination of migration to fiber, 5G fixed-wireless access (FWA), and faster cable connections is helping drive higher performance levels. In line with the demand for faster network performance in the market, the FCC recently announced that it is seeking input on a planned increase to its definition of broadband/high-speed internet to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, up from the current 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload standard.

As discussed in our recent article, several European countries are making substantial progress in offering high-speed broadband. Across Europe, Denmark had the fastest median download speed for fixed broadband (196.43 Mbps), followed by Spain (176.08 Mbps) and France (170.51 Mbps). Denmark experienced a 25% improvement in median download speed and a 16% improvement in upload speed. Spain also showed significant improvement, with a 32% increase in median download speed and a 29% increase in upload speed. France exhibited even stronger progress, with a 53% increase in median download speed and a 41% increase in upload speed. The speed gains we’ve seen in Spain and France are correlated with an increase in fiber adoption; for example, Spain boasts nearly 90% fiber optic coverage, thanks to private initiatives and government support, while France expects a full-fiber rollout by 2025.

Connectivity for All

The imperative of closing the connectivity gap

Massive investments are being made to bridge the connectivity gap as recognition of connectivity as a fundamental human right is growing. According to a WBBA Whitepaper, a high level of broadband penetration is critical to the country’s socioeconomic development. However, it’s not only about being connected to the network per se; the quality of that broadband connection is equally crucial. Unlike other utility services like gas and electricity, where quality is generally stable, with broadband, the quality of the network experience is crucial to ensure users can benefit fully from multiple applications.

To assess the digital divide, we mapped mobile and fixed internet performance using data from the Open Data Initiative, which Ookla provides as part of Ookla for Good. 

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

Determining where a digital divide exists is a complex issue that involves identifying where network infrastructure is located, where people need connectivity, and how affordable it is. Although it can be challenging to dig into a specific location, it is evident that there are varying levels of Internet performance worldwide. A quick glance at our data shows that fixed broadband customers are more likely to experience faster networks (measured as an average download speed of 100 Mbps and above) than mobile across the Americas and Europe. The opposite is true for mobile networks across Africa and APAC, where mobile networks are often the primary means of connectivity. Compared to urban areas, rural communities are often ill-equipped for broadband access. Due to a lack of bandwidth (and therefore slower speeds), people in these areas need help doing many things on the internet, such as streaming videos. The US regulator FCC defines broadband in the United States as access to  25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds. Areas without those speeds are classified as broadband “digital deserts,” even if those areas have internet access. Although broadband definitions can vary considerably from country to country, we can see in the next section that many areas fall outside any standards of connectivity globally.

Despite the world becoming increasingly connected, many rural and remote areas still struggle to access the internet. For example, large swathes of South America and Africa fall outside terrestrial network coverage. As discussed in our recent article, cellular networks are critical to connecting individuals and businesses as internet access in Africa is predominantly mobile. Before we can start discussing 5G, connecting communities with the internet in general is a priority. Affordable 4G smartphones and targeted financing for under-served demographics are key for bridging the digital divide and reducing poverty, as a World Bank study found that 4G coverage can help cut poverty by up to 4.3%. 

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

5G technology can potentially replace fixed internet access in situations where the cost of fiber deployments is high and rolling out traditional fixed broadband networks isn’t commercially viable. However, in countries like Indonesia, satellite technology may be a more effective solution for connecting remote areas. While 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and satellite technology can complement each other, the adoption of satellite technology is currently limited by factors such as coverage, device affordability, and service cost. As revealed in our recent article, Starlink outperforms GEO satellites and is a suitable replacement for fixed networks in rural areas. While it may not match the leading cable or fiber providers in terms of median speeds or multi-server latency, satellite internet provides a viable alternative in places where cable and fiber access networks are unavailable. This is mainly due to a more consistent distribution of download performance across Speedtest samples, unlike FWA and DSL-based services, where performance is impacted by the distance from the cell site or exchange/DSLAM.

Fixed and mobile network operators across the globe widely use Speedtest data to enhance Internet quality, improve accessibility, and inform network expansion. The United States Federal Communications Commission and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission rely on Speedtest data to ensure accountability of telecommunications entities and allocate funds for rural and urban connectivity development. Ookla also licenses data to NGOs and educational institutions to help bridge the digital divide between areas with and without modern Internet access. Our mapping data is used to track results and determine whether broadband infrastructure can handle growth as more people connect devices and technologies demand more bandwidth. We are also actively involved in discussing best practices for ensuring digital transformation and connectivity for all in the APAC region, Central Asia, and Europe. If you are interested in working with us, please reach out. 

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

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

Global Speeds
5G
Ookla for Good
Tech Insights
Hong Kong

About the Author

Sylwia Kechiche

Ookla Research™ Articles
| September 21, 2023

Mobile gaming in the Gulf region: 5G improves the experience, but latency remains an issue

5G

In this article, we look at the performance of mobile networks in the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) during the first half of 2023 for their ability to support gaming services. To this end, we introduce Ookla’s Game Score™ to quantify the gaming experience and analyze four network metrics that typically impact mobile gaming: download speed, upload speed, latency, and jitter.

Key takeaways

  • The Gulf region offers strong growth potential for mobile gaming. The region benefits from a large youth demographic, a growing casual gaming base, widespread smartphone adoption, and high-speed internet access. Operators and governments are also helping to increase public engagement in gaming.
  • The U.A.E., Bahrain, and Qatar had the highest Game Scores in the Middle East (83.49, 83.24, and 82.81, respectively, on a 100-point scale). These countries have superior mobile network performance that helps to deliver a good gaming experience. Their Game Scores were also higher for 5G compared to 4G, highlighting the importance of network upgrades and migrating customers to 5G.
  • Relatively high latency in some markets can make some games glitchy. Most casual gamers should be able to enjoy a smooth experience over 5G thanks to fast download and upload speeds, but some latency-sensitive games (like multiplayer shooters) may have noticeable lags. Mobile operators can explore different approaches (such as deploying edge computing infrastructure) to improve game responsiveness and prepare their networks for more data-intensive games.

Ookla’s Game Score™ helps quantify the gaming experience

Game Score™ compares the performance of operators’ networks in terms of their ability to offer the best gaming experiences to consumers. The score is composed of different components, each measuring a different aspect of a consumer’s gaming experience based on multiple network key performance indicators. Game Score™ is based on Ookla’s consumer-initiated Speedtest Intelligence® results for download and upload speeds, as well as Consumer QoE’s™ latency and jitter measurements taken on real-world game servers. 

Each component is evaluated and scored on a scale of 0-100 for each eligible operator. Finally, scored components are combined in a weighted average to produce a Game Score for each operator. For this article, we aggregated the scores of eligible operators to obtain a country-level Game Score. More details about our Game Score methodology can be downloaded from this link.

The Gulf region offers strong growth potential for mobile gaming

According to BCG, the Middle East region has the highest gaming penetration: more than 60% of the population are game enthusiasts. The audience for live-streaming games is expected to exceed 200 million in 2025, making the Middle East one of the fastest-growing regions for gaming.

The GCC region, in particular, has strong growth potential in terms of active gamers and e-sports participants thanks to its large youth demographic, sizable disposable income, access to high-speed connectivity, and the ongoing development of gaming infrastructure (such as hosting local gaming servers and setting up gaming arenas and e-sports facilities). The market will expand as gaming becomes more mainstream and more female users and older demographics engage in gaming.

5G is also helping to increase mobile gaming adoption as it enables smoother gameplay than 4G. According to the GSMA, around half of surveyed 5G users (or those intending to upgrade to 5G) in eight developed markets game frequently compared to around 30% among non-5G users. More operators are also bundling gaming services into their 5G plans, making mobile gaming more mainstream. Operators consider gaming as a growth area and a means to increase customer engagement and differentiate their connectivity propositions (see table below).

Local governments have also implemented strategies to develop a local gaming ecosystem to diversify their economies. For example, Saudi Arabia has a national gaming and e-sports strategy while the U.A.E. aims to encourage global gaming producers to establish a local presence.

Recent gaming-related propositions and initiatives

Bahrain Batelco introduced a mobile gaming portal in 2022
stc offers stc play app and organizes e-sports tournaments. It partnered with gaming infrastructure provider Subspace in 2019 to improve the multi-player experience in the region
Zain offers a mobile game pass with a dedicated data allowance for popular games
Kuwait Zain has a dedicated e-sports division that hosts tournaments. It partnered with PLAYHERA to establish a gaming and e-sports platform in 2022
Ooredoo offers gamer-dedicated 5G and fiber plans with reduced latency. It also organizes e-sports competitions
stc offers a 5G plan add-on that promises to reduce latency, jitter, and packet loss
Oman Omantel launched ‘GeForce NOW’ cloud gaming service in partnership with NVIDIA. It also offers an add-on to get 100 Mbps extra speed on fiber and a dedicated mobile add-on for game data traffic
Ooredoo organizes local e-sports tournaments
Qatar Ooredoo launched the first e-sports tournament in Qatar, part of its e-sports brand, Ooredoo Nation – Gamers’ Land, in 2021. In 2023, it launched Ooredoo Nation League as a hub for Qatari gamers
Vodafone commercialized the Vive Cosmos headset with a subscription to VIVEPORT Infinity, a repository of VR games, apps, and videos
Saudi Arabia stc launched ‘stc play’ e-sports and game distribution platform and rolled out the Blacknut cloud gaming platform. It also offers a mobile data add-on tailored for gamers
Mobily launched an e-sports platform for gamers powered by D11 Gaming. It also offers Game Mode, an add-on for unlimited use of PUBG Mobile and League of Legends: Wild Rift games
Zain launched ‘GeForce NOW’ cloud gaming service. It also offers a fiber package dedicated to gaming that includes a low-latency router, up to 500 Mbps for download and 200 Mbps for upload speeds
U.A.E. Etisalat by e& launched ‘Arena Play’ mobile add-ons to enable customers to play without incurring data charges. It also introduced ‘Arena eLife’ fixed broadband add-on to access many games online from home
du launched Games Instant Play as part of its ‘My World’ mobile portal

Bahrain, Qatar, and the U.A.E. had the highest Game Scores in the Middle East

The U.A.E., Bahrain, and Qatar had the highest Game Scores during the first half of 2023 in the Middle East. That means that users in these countries get the best mobile gaming experience in the region. The U.A.E. is home to the fastest 5G operator globally in Q2 2023, according to Ookla Speedtest Intelligence™ data. The U.A.E. comes first with a Game Score of 83.49 on a 100-point scale (considering all mobile technologies). The U.A.E.  was closely followed by Bahrain with a score of 83.24 and Qatar with a score of 82.81. These results reflect the superior mobile network performance in these three markets which helps to deliver a good gaming experience. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Oman were further down the Game Score ranking, achieving scores of 80.41, 78.74, and 75.40, respectively. 

Chart of Overall Game Score™, per Country

Game Scores were consistently higher for 5G than 4G users in all Gulf countries. The gaming experience benefits from the larger bandwidth and lower latency offered by 5G, contributing to smoother and more responsive gameplay. Game Scores on 4G lagged those on 5G by a range from 5.37% in Oman to 8.26% in Saudi Arabia. Gulf operators have the potential to improve the gaming experience by continuing to improve their 5G infrastructure, migrating more customers to 5G, and establishing local gaming servers.

Chart of Game Score™ for 4G and 5G, per Country

In the following sections, we break down the Game Score into its components to understand how being on a 4G or 5G network can affect the everyday gaming experiences of Gulf-based mobile users.

Gaming download and upload speeds are markedly higher on 5G than on 4G, making mobile gaming more enjoyable

Download speed is essential in creating a smooth gaming experience without interruptions or degradations in streaming quality. High download speeds are also important for downloading digitally distributed games and updates. Download speed requirements for online mobile gaming vary depending on the game type (for example, cloud gaming needs higher bandwidth than a game played on a smartphone), gamer profile (for example, competitive gamers will need higher bandwidth than casual players) and use cases (for example, downloading game updates compared to playing preload games). 

For the purpose of this analysis, we assume that 25 Mbps is the minimum download speed to enjoy a good gaming experience for casual gamers (who represent the majority of gamers). According to Ookla’s data, all Gulf markets comfortably exceed that requirement on 4G and surpass it significantly on 5G. Kuwait had the lowest download speed over 4G in the first half of 2023 at 35.12 Mbps. In contrast, Oman had the lowest 5G download speed at 176.79 Mbps. 

U.A.E. offers the fastest median download speeds for both 4G and 5G at 69.17 Mbps and 566.10 Mbps, respectively, ahead of Qatar and Bahrain which rounded out the top 3 in the region. 5G offers significantly better performance than 4G in all markets. The median 5G speed across Gulf countries was 6.8X faster than the median 4G speed (345.53 Mbps vs. 43.9 Mbps).

Chart of Median Download over 4G and 5G, per Country

Upload speed also plays an essential role in creating a smooth gaming experience without interruptions or quality degradation, particularly in multiplayer games. We use 3 Mbps as a reference point based on the recommended minimum upload speed for a good gaming experience for casual gamers.

Ookla’s data shows that Gulf markets are crushing it when it comes to exceeding upload requirements for both 4G and 5G. The lowest median upload speed recorded on 4G was in Saudi Arabia at 10.87 Mbps; For 5G, it was in Oman at 17.28 Mbps. Median upload speeds on 5G were 1.27X faster than those on a 4G network in the region. The gap between 4G and 5G upload speeds is larger in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the U.A.E., which means that gamers in these countries could see the most significant improvement in gameplay and streaming quality when switching from 4G to 5G. In absolute terms, Qatar, Bahrain, and the U.A.E. offer the fastest upload speeds, reaching a maximum of 38.48 Mbps for the latter.

Chart of Median Upload over 4G and 5G, per Country

Relatively high latency in some markets can make some multiplayer games glitchy on 5G

Game Latency is a measure of latency to popular gaming server locations. Latency affects how quickly a gamer’s response is reflected in gameplay and is of particular interest to those who prefer games where reaction time is crucial. Low latency can provide smooth and lag-free gaming. For this analysis, we consider a sub-100 ms latency to be good for many games and most casual gamers.

Ookla’s data shows that most countries, except Oman, recorded latency below 100 ms on 5G. Bahrain had the lowest latency on 5G at 72.01 ms, and Oman had the highest latency at 115.46 ms. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait also had a relatively high 5G latency at 93.2 ms and 90.31 ms, respectively, which means that some multiplayer shooters, racing, fighting, and multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games might have a noticeable lag. Operators have room to improve the conditions for multiplayer games, especially for competitive gamers. 

Users saw more modest differences in latency between 4G and 5G than for download and upload speeds. That means that multiplayer gamers can still get decent gameplay on either network technology and may not perceive an improvement in response time when switching to 5G. However, enhancements in 5G infrastructure will widen 5G’s advantage over 4G and provide a stronger incentive for gamers to migrate over time.

Chart of Gaming Latency over 4G and 5G, per Country

The variation in latency to popular gaming servers, known as Game Jitter, can also cause laggy gameplay or distorted audio if it is too high. For smoother gameplay, latency should be consistently low. A jitter below 30 ms is considered good for casual mobile gamers.

Results show that the Gulf region has low jitter, especially on 5G. Jitter ranged from 8.26 ms in Bahrain to 13.43 ms in Oman during Q1-Q2 2023. Jitter on 4G was slightly higher than 5G in all countries except in Oman where it was surprisingly lower at 11.55 ms – both Ooredoo and Omantel recorded lower jitter on their 4G network than on 5G during the first half of 2023. 

Chart of Gaming Jitter over 4G and 5G, per Country

The localization of gaming servers, the rollout of 5G Standalone (SA), and edge computing can push mobile gaming performance to new heights

Mobile operators can explore different approaches to improve connectivity consistency, speeds, and latency compared to current 5G in order to support more data-intensive games, enhance the multi-player gaming experience on smartphones, and cater to competitive gamers. 

  • Shorten the distance between the users and the game servers. According to data published by the Saudi’s telecoms regulator, users can save, on average, 60 ms in latency when playing popular games with servers located in the GCC compared to servers in Europe. We expect more Gulf-based operators will host game servers in their data centers as more publishers strive to offer the best experience to local gamers.
  • Deploy 5G Standalone (SA) to increase bandwidth and speed and enable ultra-low latency. Most of the 5G networks deployed in the Gulf region use the Non-Standalone (NSA) model, where the radio antennas (part of the radio access network) are based on 5G but the core uses a 4G infrastructure. As of July 2023, the GSA reported that seven operators in the Gulf region were evaluating 5G SA, while six have either deployed or launched the service. The migration to 5G SA is expected to reduce latency to sub-5 ms, which should help the multiplayer and cloud gaming experience.
  • Deploy edge computing infrastructure to make gaming experiences more immersive. Edge computing enables new use cases with stringent bandwidth, latency, and availability requirements. Some local operators, such as Etisalat by e& and stc, have partnered with vendors and hyperscalers to develop edge computing capabilities to target enterprise customers. Operators should explore how to exploit these resources to support their own gaming and entertainment initiatives and support those of their partners.

The GCC region has a vibrant and untapped gaming market poised for tremendous growth. This potential hinges on the robustness of the telecoms infrastructure. Gulf operators’ investments in 5G infrastructure helped them climb Ookla’s Game Score leaderboard and demonstrated their commitment to putting their countries on the gaming map. Operators can continue to improve the gaming experience and further minimize latency by deploying local gaming servers, edge computing infrastructure, and 5G SA to make games more responsive and smooth. These improvements will put the region in an even better position to lead game development and foster the local gaming ecosystem.

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

5G
Tech Insights

About the Author

Karim Yaici

Ookla Research™ Articles
| December 13, 2023

Ookla’s Take on Telco Trends in 2024

Global Speeds

The year 2024 is anticipated to be another challenging year as the world continues to struggle with economic downturns, political unrest, and military conflicts. Despite this, digital transformation is making strides in various sectors, leading to greater efficiency, innovation, and the emergence of new business models. There is also a continued focus on sustainability and addressing climate change, as well as enhancing the adaptability and resilience of supply chains. Given this context, we have compiled some predictions for what we can expect in 2024 across a number of themes:

Future Ready Connectivity

5G rollout continues but user satisfaction and profitability miss the mark

The pace of 5G rollout remains robust, reaching 1.4 billion subscriptions globally, according to Ericsson’s latest Mobility Report. However, most of 5G today isn’t ‘true 5G’ as the majority of 5G networks have been deployed in non-standalone (NSA) mode, meaning they rely on a 4G LTE network core. Although 5G performance has shown improvement in 2023, not all consumers are satisfied with it. According to Speedtest Intelligence® Q3 2023 data, the global median 5G download speeds were 7.37 times faster than 4G (203.04 Mbps compared to 27.51 Mbps), and uplink was 2.3 times faster (18.93 Mbps compared to 8.21 Mbps). 

However, 5G latency failed to impress, with global median 5G multi-server latency at 44 ms compared to 52 ms for 4G, showing a mere 1% year-on-year improvement. Telecom operators have invested heavily in 5G infrastructure, but they find it challenging to recover these investments. Without new value-added services that use 5G bandwidth, consumer sentiment looks bleak, with the Net Promoter Score (NPS) for 5G falling in mature markets. The challenge for the 5G industry in the year ahead will be to find ways to monetize 5G beyond Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) use cases and to support investment into standalone (SA) 5G as the industry readies for 5G Advanced ahead of the 6G era. 

Phasing out legacy networks for spectrum efficiency 

As 5G takes center stage, legacy networks such as 2G and 3G will gradually fade away. Similarly, the copper switch-off will continue. As 4G LTE and 5G technologies are much more efficient in terms of spectrum, network operators are phasing out their legacy networks. This move is motivated by freeing up spectrum and refarming it to deliver faster, more advanced, and more efficient networks. In our recent webinar, we shared how operators can use Ookla Cell Analytics™ to identify areas with high dependency on 3G networks, where consumers use older devices, and locations in need of improved 4G coverage. In 2024, operators in Europe and APAC, in particular, will continue to migrate customers away from 3G as they witness a decline in network traffic over 3G and seek to achieve efficiency gains and Capex reduction. 

Private networks steadily carry on

Private mobile networks have become increasingly important for organizations with growing data and security needs as they cater to their specific Industry 4.0 goals. As enterprises of all shapes and sizes increasingly rely on data-intensive applications and IoT devices, legacy networks may struggle to keep up with the growing demand. WiFi and 5G technologies complement each other in modern enterprise networks, with 5G adding a new dynamic to replace legacy network functions where greater flexibility is required. GSA has recognised 1,279 customers deploying private mobile networks in Q3 2023, of which 45% using 5G. .3GPP Release 16 of 5G New Radio (NR) supports a wider set of industrial IoT use cases which should come to the fore in 2024 as more industrial 5G-ready devices that use chipsets based on the Release 16 standards enter the market. Moreover, the industry is already discussing NR Reduced Capability (RedCap), which is specifically designed for devices that do not require the full capabilities of 5G to further enhance cost efficiency and offer precise positioning. Those enterprises that base their networking strategy on problem-solving are well-positioned to meet their objectives no matter the technology they choose. 

Telco Evolution

5G SA is still at the Proof of Technology stage

Although 5G Standalone represents the true potential of 5G, its rollout has been slow due to the extensive investments required and a challenging macroeconomic environment. As of October 2023, only 7% of global mobile network operators (43 operators) in 29 counties have launched 5G SA networks. On the public network side, early network performance data from RootMetrics® indicates that 5G SA outperforms its NSA 5G counterpart across various metrics, including latency and time to start playing video and start the file download. However, speeds remain similar due to identical NR bandwidth. In 2023, the focus was on demonstrating the power of 5G SA, including network slicing, through demos and proof-of-concepts. The crucial task for operators now is to translate these promising developments from controlled environments like laboratories and testing into real-world commercialization. 

Open RAN faces a challenging year ahead

Beyond continued questions on its performance and limited traction beyond greenfield networks, there is growing concern over how open Open RAN will really become. Industry skeptics point to solving interoperability challenges across hardware and software stacks, slowing down its progress and adding to implementation timelines. AT&T has recently outlined a plan where 70% of its wireless network traffic will flow across open-capable platforms by 2026. The company plans to start fully integrated Open RAN sites in collaboration with Ericsson and Fujitsu starting in 2024. AT&T also plans to ramp up its Open RAN deployments from 2025 using technology from multiple suppliers, signifying a move away from closed proprietary systems. This move highlights the fact that, indeed, the industry’s direction of travel continues to be virtualizing network functions as they allow for greater flexibility, scalability, and cost-efficiency in network operations.  

GenAI capturing attention

GenAI, short for Generative AI, like ChatGPT, has seen recently increased acceptance, particularly during 2023. Telecom operators can benefit from using GenAI in various ways, such as optimizing and managing their network without human intervention (zero-touch network management). When implementing GenAI, telecom operators usually follow a phased approach. They start by experimenting with GenAI for internal processes, such as marketing tasks like creating promotional content or analyzing market trends. After successfully implementing and experimenting with internal processes, telecom operators can gradually introduce GenAI into customer-facing functions. For instance, GenAI could automate customer support, offer personalized service recommendations, or manage network aspects based on customer usage patterns. 2024, however, will bring a degree of scrutiny. As the capabilities of Generative AI continue to expand, there will likely be an increase in calls for tighter regulation due to concerns about accuracy and potential harm. Industries, including telecom, must navigate these regulatory challenges and use GenAI responsibly. 

Customer Impact

Cloud gaming market bounces back after a brief hitch

Mobile cloud gaming provides an accessible alternative for casual gamers who cannot afford or do not have access to a dedicated game console. By eliminating the cost barrier, it considerably expands the addressable market for gaming services. It allows for direct monetization and presents opportunities to generate revenue through advertising. Recognizing this potential, Samsung could launch its cloud gaming service in Q1 2024 to reach over 1 billion handset and tablet users worldwide. Netflix also started testing its cloud gaming service in 2023, targeting casual gamers on larger screens with nearly 250 million paying subscribers to its video streaming services in Q3 2023. The adoption of cloud gaming services will stimulate the demand for high-speed and low-latency connectivity at home and on the go. Operators can also leverage their edge computing capabilities and connectivity infrastructure to deliver an immersive and lag-free gaming experience.

Connectivity for All

Satellite technology coming of age

Globally, satellite already plays an important role in providing network backhaul for 2G, 3G, and 4G technologies in rural and remote areas while also connecting a range of enterprise verticals such as logistics. Starlink, which uses Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, has proven that it performs better than GEO satellites and offers a viable alternative in locations where terrestrial networks aren’t present. Despite Qualcomm and Iridium terminating their partnership, the excitement around satellite will continue in 2024 and we anticipate greater terrestrial and non-terrestrial network (NTN) integration. We also expect more partnerships between satellite providers and telecom operators to build a seamless and robust communication infrastructure that can address connectivity challenges in underserved regions. 

Monetizing 5G through FWA

Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) continues to be a poster child for 5G, as it is one of the only ways carriers have found to monetize 5G separately, leading many operators to pursue FWA actively as part of their 5G strategies. According to Ericsson, there are 121 service providers offering FWA services over 5G, representing 50% of all FWA service providers. FWA provides an opportunity for telecom operators to serve rural locations better and offer an alternative for customers dissatisfied with cable or other incumbent broadband providers. Operators leverage FWA as a part of their 5G monetization strategy, and as Verizon put it “It’s simple. It’s plug-in and go. And that resonates with customers”.

Navigating fair share and regulatory horizons 

With the threat landscape and communication networks evolving, governments and regulatory bodies need to keep up with the rapid advancements in telecommunications. The ongoing “fair share” debate centers around how networks are funded and the contributions of different entities toward telecom network costs. The European Union is discussing the contributions of Big Tech companies to the costs of the telecom networks they benefit from, while in the United States, a similar debate centers around net neutrality, financial contributions for network infrastructure, and how to ensure a level playing field for various stakeholders in the telecom space. In 2023, Ookla was actively involved in discussing best practices for ensuring digital transformation and connectivity for all in the APAC region, Central Asia, and Europe. Our data and analysis have shown that regulatory support has been fundamental in promoting the growth of 4G in Africa and informing policy decisions across the Middle East and North Africa. Looking ahead, we will continue to lend a hand in shaping the digital future, offering insights and expertise to foster connectivity, navigate policy decisions, and propel global telecommunications into new and exciting territories. 

Ookla will be at MWC Barcelona 2024 – visit us at our Stand 2I28 in Hall 2 to talk with us about telco trends. In the meantime, if you’re interested to find out more about Ookla Speedtest Intelligence and its wealth of fixed and mobile consumer-initiated data and insights, please get in touch.

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

Global Speeds
5G
Tech Insights

About the Author

Sylwia Kechiche

Ookla Research™ Articles
| December 13, 2022

Ookla's Take on Telco Trends in 2023

Global Speeds

2023 is shaping up to be a challenging year. The ongoing war, energy crisis, rising interest rates, and rampant inflation have created a perfect storm for the telco industry. That said, there are plenty of exciting developments and changes on the horizon. As we approach 2023, we took stock of what happened during 2022 to predict what might be in store for next year.

5G roll outs continue but speed gives way to QoE 

According to the Ookla® 5G Map™, there were 127,509 5G deployments in 128 countries as of November 30, 2022, compared to 85,602 in 112 countries the year prior. 5G download speeds stabilized as more consumers adopted 5G, with a median global 5G download speed of 168.27 Mbps in Q3 2022 compared to 166.13 Mbps in Q3 2021. However, some operators believe they may have over-invested in their early emphasis on speed; they now need to monetize their investments through differentiation. One of our clients has famously said: “We are aiming for 1st world speeds and using 3rd world ARPU.” Indeed, in 2023 we will see a big focus on the Quality of Experience (QoE) and initiatives to increase ARPU (average revenue per user) and consumer stickiness by adding entertainment services such as television and music streaming or cloud gaming platforms. 

FWA will continue to be a poster child for 5G

Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) solutions received renewed interest in 2022 as a key use case for 5G networks and as a way to connect rural and underserved areas. In fact, one-third of service providers are offering 5G FWA, according to Ericsson Mobility Report. Fixed Wireless Service solutions have been a success story in the U.S., where T-Mobile has added 1.6 million new subscribers so far this year. T-Mobile now has 2.1 million total FWA customers, with Verizon totaling 620,000 consumer FWA clients and 440,000 business customers. Moreover, emerging markets such as Mexico, South Africa, Nigeria, and the Philippines are seeing an uptick in FWA adoption, and there is a growing interest in India too. Jio announced that it will launch Jio AirFibre, a plug-and-play device connected to Jio’s 5G network that will act as a hotspot. While the exact launch date is still unknown, the operator revealed that it targets 100 million households with its 5G FWA offering. With the demand for fast networks growing, FWA offers an excellent opportunity to cover areas that are too costly to lay fiber and is an alternative to fixed networks. We expect further adoption of FWA on the back of CPE devices getting cheaper, as well as more schemes aimed at connecting the unconnected. 

Satellite coming to your home and phone 

Globally, satellite already plays an important role in providing network backhaul for 2G, 3G, and 4G technologies in rural and remote areas while also connecting a range of enterprise verticals such as logistics. Thanks to the emergence of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology can provide access to areas outside 5G coverage. As our recent analysis shows, LEO satellites benefit from lower latency than Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). Therefore, they will be well-suited to offer backhaul and provide direct connectivity. As the 5G standard is adopted, new markets will open up for satellite operators, including IoT, private 5G, and cellular backhaul for densification to enable more cell sites and edge devices. At the same time, start-ups such as Lynk were the first to demonstrate the power of the direct-to-satellite communication market. The recent Starlink/T-Mobile and Globalstar/Apple partnerships point to this market seeing further growth. We will see more players entering the market in 2023 as providers attempt to bring connectivity to all.

The quest for Net Zero becomes more urgent 

Focus on energy efficiency isn’t new; we have already seen this as a major trend for 2022. Across the broader tech industry, vendors look at the option of dialing down performance to help save energy costs – Microsoft’s survey of X-Box users asks how they feel about features that would reduce frame rates and resolution, thus reducing power consumption and saving money. Unsurprisingly, cost-cutting and optimizing operations are top-of-mind for telcos in 2023 as energy prices and broader inflation remains high. We are already seeing operators look to sustainable solutions, such as wind and solar farmers, to supply sites with green energy instead of commercial electricity, partially to reduce costs. Network planning and optimization teams also play a critical role. Using the right site locations, configuration, and optimum coverage/quality service for consumers reduces interference, resulting in less waste of power resources and fewer emissions. Some other ways telcos will reduce energy usage will be through hybrid power implementations instead of relying on petrol/diesel for off-grid sites. They will also implement the latest software features that include smart sleep mode at times of no/low traffic demand. Energy efficiency will be a key focus area in 2023, with vendors lending a hand to telcos to help them reduce energy consumption. 

Convergence helps to capture shrinking consumers’ wallets

Raising interest rates, inflation, and the contraction of disposable income will force many consumers to re-evaluate their telecom spending. Operators will be forced to reprice tariffs further, and consumers will shop around for better deals, which in turn will lead to churn. We have already seen an increase in the adoption of fixed-mobile bundles across Europe during the economic downturn in 2008 when several European operators introduced convergent bundles, offering discounts on the discrete underlying services. History could repeat itself in 2023. In the U.S. we already see moves by operators to offer converged services as we have stipulated in our recent article but also elsewhere as consumers look for discounts across fixed and mobile. 

Metaverse work will continue behind the scenes

Metaverse will not become mainstream next year, but investments will continue despite continued financial woes for the tech industry. The year ahead will primarily focus on standardization. Ookla plays an active role in defining the network requirements as part of the Metaverse Standards Forum (MSF). We expect new devices to launch in 2023 and beyond at a lower cost than Meta’s Quest Pro, priced at $1,499. Apple is not participating in the MSF as it follows its usual walled-garden approach. There is talk of an Apple device that will give the metaverse device ecosystem a boost too. But for the metaverse to become real, it will have to be more than just about devices. Metaverse is about creating a virtual world, with Meta, Microsoft, and Nvidia all working on creating them. 2023 will see more telco players jumping on the metaverse bandwagon and including it as part of their strategic roadmap.

Operators’ M&A activities will heat up

In Asia and Europe, companies facing challenging economic times will try to merge, with regulators having the last word on whether they can. M&A activity heated up across the Asia Pacific region recently, with deals on the table across several countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Indonesia but potentially also in Japan and Hong Kong. Mergers and acquisitions should continue 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, Iliad’s recent bid for Vodafone Italy, and Vodafone and Three UK talks to merge. In Asia, Telenor and Axiata were allowed to merge their Malaysian operations, while Thailand still awaits regulatory approval. European operators will closely follow whether Orange and MasMovil will consolidate in Spain. If they succeed, others in Europe will follow in 2023. 

5G SA will power enterprises 

The majority of 5G networks thus far are 5G Non-Standalone (NSA), which still uses 4G core to support enhanced mobile broadband and FWA use cases, while also providing significant capacity increases. Evolving to 5G Standalone (SA) brings additional service differentiation possibilities such as URLLC, network slicing, and edge computing. In the future, 5G SA will also deliver time-sensitive networking for high-precision devices.  When RootMetrics® measured the performance of T-Mobile’s 5G SA vs NSA in Las Vegas, it found that T-Mobile’s 5G SA network delivered speeds over twice as fast as its speed on NSA 5G. According to GSMA Intelligence as of Q3 2022, 31 operators had launched 5G SA networks, with a further 11 expected by the end of 2022. In total, 123 operators from 55 countries have launched or demonstrated intent to launch 5G SA networks. Recently, Singapore covered 95% of the country with 5G SA, with operators focusing on developing innovative services for enterprises supported by encouraging regulation from the government and the regulator. 

Private networks growth will continue

Private mobile networks play an important role in broader digital transformation and will only continue to gain traction. As enterprise digitization continues to gain momentum, countries are looking to private networks to address Industry 4.0 objectives. Dedicated spectrum for private mobile networks has already been allocated to industry players in France, the U.S., Germany, Japan, and the UK. We have commented on how the private networks landscape is developing in Europe and made a case for private networks in India. According to GSA, at the end of June 2022, 889 customers were deploying private mobile networks across 70 countries. Increasingly, these networks are using 5G and 5G SA. However, the 5G device ecosystem has yet to mature, so most of these networks are still 4.9G. The availability of industrial-grade devices depends on the standardization of 3GPP Releases. The industrial chipsets, based on Release 16, are scheduled to come to market in 2023. As a result, mainstream adoption of 5G solutions will likely happen later in the year.

Furthermore, once available, Release 16 5G industrial features (reliability, low latency, etc.) will need to be tested in partnership with industrial OEMs to help to convince them of the enhanced scope of capabilities of 5G for industrial use cases. As such, it will be some time beyond 2023 when 5G private networks will start to scale. 

Ookla will be at MWC Barcelona 2023 – visit us at our Stand 2I28 in Hall 2, to talk with us about telco trends. In the meantime, if you’re interested to find out more about Ookla Speedtest Intelligence and its wealth of fixed and mobile consumer-initiated data and insights, please get in touch.

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

Global Speeds
Tech Insights

About the Author

Sylwia Kechiche

Ookla Research™ Articles
| February 7, 2023

Discover Hidden Network Problems Using Real-World QoS and QoE Measurements [Webinar]

Global Speeds

Consumers care less about speed than they do about the actual connected experiences they’re having, and throughput alone doesn’t provide a full picture into those connected experiences. At Ookla, we’ve been defining network performance standards for nearly two decades. Over the last few years, we’ve adjusted our test collection methods to meet consumers where demand is, which is why our SDK collects user experience metrics for video streaming, video conferencing, gaming, and web browsing. 

Through combining RF and user experience data, operators can get unparalleled insight into a network’s quality of experience (QoE) and quality of service (QoS), at the times and locations consumers care about most. Register for our February 14 webinar to learn more about combining crowdsourced QoS and QoE metrics to get a comprehensive picture of your customers’ network experience. 

Why do user experience metrics matter? 

QoS, often defined by RF measurements like RSRQ and RSRP, is about providing the baseline network performance that customers expect. QoE measures the quality that customers are experiencing in the applications they are using; these metrics focus on end user experiences with a network and connected services, and can help push networks to meet the use cases of tomorrow. Many operators are still defining QoE as they are working to get a better understanding of their customers’ experience making video calls, playing games, streaming entertainment, and accessing their favorite content from mobile devices. 

With Net Promoter Score™ (NPS) tied closely to customer network experience, providing great QoE is a huge opportunity for operators to improve customer satisfaction and reduce customer churn. 

Good signal quality doesn’t equal good user experience 

What do you do when probes, network counters, walk tests, and drive tests show good results, but customers are still experiencing problems? A network can look great internally but otherwise hidden factors can create a poor user experience. 

In the example below, we compare RF KPIs with video streaming KPIs for two operators in Indonesia. 

Operator 1 has much better RSRQ and about equal RSRP compared to Operator 2. However, Operator 1 has a significantly slower video start time, resulting in a worse user experience for video streaming. Operator 1 appears to have a hidden problem, such as capacity or provision problems, causing the poor video streaming experience on their network.

Tune into the webinar at 8 a.m. PST / 11 a.m. EST / 4 p.m. GMT on Tuesday, February 14 to see more real-world examples of how QoS and QoE data can be used to discover hidden network problems. A recording will be provided for registrants who can’t join the live presentation. Register now. 

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

Global Speeds
Tech Insights

About the Author

Tibor Rathonyi