5G use drains your smartphone battery faster than 4G-LTE. Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® data shows that smartphone users accessing 5G networks experience higher battery drain than for those using 4G-LTE, of between 6% and 11%, depending on the System on Chip (SoC) in their device.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon is the most efficient Android SoC. Qualcomm’s latest flagship SoC, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, recorded the lowest battery drain of all SoCs in our analysis, recording 31% for users on 5G, and 25% on 4G-LTE.
Newer flagship SoCs demonstrate clear improvements in battery performance. While the gap in battery drain between 4G-LTE and 5G use does not appear to be closing over time, newer generations of SoC from Qualcomm, MediaTek, Samsung and Google all demonstrate battery efficiency gains over previous iterations. MediaTek’s latest flagship SoC, the Dimensity 9200 for example, recorded 34% battery drain when using 5G, compared to 45% for its previous generation, the Dimensity 9000.
Smartphone users concerned about 5G’s impact on battery life should consider upgrading. For users with 5G-capable devices camping on 4G-LTE networks due to battery life concerns, an upgrade to the latest flagship smartphone (and SoC) and enabling 5G service will in some cases deliver comparable battery performance. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for example recorded battery drain of 31% when using 5G, compared to 32% for the previous generation Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 on 4G-LTE.
Methodology
Analysis based on Speedtest Intelligence data, for Android, split by SoC, for a selection of major markets globally. To measure battery drain, we identified all devices recording 100% battery level during morning hours (6am-12pm), and compared to their minimum battery level in the afternoon (12pm-6pm).
When Qatar was selected to host one of the world’s largest sporting events, preparations began to ensure that the country was ready to provide reliable connectivity to the millions of incoming fans and visitors from around the world. Recognizing this event as an opportunity to invest in Qatar’s digital economy, Vodafone Qatar delivered effectively on its intent to provide seamless connectivity for their customers, developing strategic plans to rapidly scale their networks and deliver fast service throughout the country, in alignment with the support and efforts of the government of Qatar. As a result of their significant network improvements and unrivaled network performance, Vodafone Qatar was awarded the Speedtest Award for the World’s Fastest Mobile Network in 2022.
Situation
As the major sporting event brought all eyes on Qatar, Vodafone Qatar was determined to showcase their capabilities and advancements to a global audience. Along with improving their customers’ experience, the operator wanted to contribute towards Qatar’s national initiatives for digital transformation and economic development. Throughout the various stages of this rollout, Vodafone Qatar monitored progress with Ookla’s solutions for network intelligence.
At popular sports matches, concerts, and cultural events, thousands or millions of attendees will attempt to use their mobile devices to send texts, upload photos, and stream videos. This high concentration of users can quickly overwhelm a mobile network’s capacity and cause dropped calls, slow data speeds, and other service disruptions — presenting a challenge for mobile network operators trying to provide a high-quality connection at these events.
To prepare for massive cultural events, tier-one operators must plan for localized capacity expansion and performance improvement. By using crowdsourced data to identify problem areas beforehand, they can save hundreds of hours and the associated testing costs — and then more precisely apply controlled drive and walk testing to optimize on-site before the event. During the event, live network monitoring and competitive benchmarking is critical to ensure high upload speeds and an excellent fan experience.
Register for our June 20 webinar to learn how you can use crowdsourced and controlled testing to optimize the venue before and during massive live events. In this article, we share a preview of data for tier-one operators who managed two of the world’s largest sporting events.
Identifying problem areas with crowdsourced data
Crowdsourced RF and QoE data can help operators identify problem areas before the event occurs. As an example, we’ll look at crowdsourced QoS and QoE data for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
In the image below, you can see LTE RSRP (signal strength) for the top two operators in Qatar at the Khalifa International Stadium. On Operator B’s network, there are more significant problem areas where signal strength is poor, represented by orange and red tiles.
It’s also crucial to understand QoE metrics from measured real-world consumer experiences, including video streaming and web browsing tests at the stadium or event venue. Looking at data crowdsourced from thousands of mobile network QoE samples on consumer devices, we can see that Operator A has a faster median video start time than Operator B.
On the other hand, median web page load time shows that Operator A has a slower page load time than Operator B. Thus, Operator A is providing a better user experience for video streaming, while Operator B is providing a better user experience for web browsing at the Khalifa International Stadium.
Based on this analysis, Operator A should focus on improving QoE for web browsing experience, while Operator B should focus on improving signal strength and video streaming experience throughout the stadium in order to provide their customers with the best experience during the World Cup.
Optimizing on-site with controlled testing
Operators can also use Ookla Wind® walk and drive test solutions to perform real-time monitoring of their network and competitor networks. In this example we look at tier-one operator network performance at the largest high-profile football game in the United States.
At the Big Game in Glendale, Arizona at State Farm Stadium, Ookla conducted more than 350 miles of drive testing and more than 300 miles of walk testing to gather real-time network performance data for the top three operators in the United States. During the walk and drive test, over 2,300 Speedtest results were captured with Ookla Wind, which revealed that Operator A had the fastest download speed overall with an average speed of 897 Mbps.
In the image below, you can see LTE RSRP (signal strength) and RSRQ (signal quality) for the operators throughout State Farm Stadium; Operator C had the best signal level and quality during the game.
To understand performance after the event, operators should analyze their network performance within a custom-defined area, such as geofencing around the stadium or event venue.
Is your network ready for the next high-profile live event?
Ookla solutions help you identify problem areas, monitor performance and network experience during major events with live-streaming reporting, and identify corrective action to maximize customer experience.
If you’d like to learn more about how the world’s top operators are managing massive events, please join our upcoming webinar at 8 a.m. PDT / 11 a.m. EDT / 3 p.m. GMT on Tuesday, June 20. A recording will be provided for registrants who can’t join the live presentation. Register Now.
Ookla® recently participated in the M360 Eurasia event held in Baku, Azerbaijan, on May 16-17. The conference brought together various players in the telecom industry to discuss important topics such as digital resilience, building stronger customer relationships, and the future of infrastructure, including 5G, IoT, AI, machine learning, fintech, and cybersecurity. The event also emphasized the importance of partnerships, and as such, Ookla shared its perspective on the progress of regional networks and customer experience.
Key takeaways
Digital transformation imperative. Addressing the digital divide, fostering digital resilience, and improving the quality of connectivity are critical priorities in Central Asia’s digital transformation journey.
Partnerships are key. Collaboration among stakeholders, including mobile operators, is crucial to overcome challenges and ensure inclusive and reliable digital access for all.
AI in customer experience. Leveraging technologies like AI, cloud computing, and biometrics to enhance digital services, improve customer experiences, and promote innovation will be vital to building stronger customer connections.
Early days for 5G. Although 5G is still in its early stages in the region, there is a need for both the government and private sector to collaborate and prioritize the deployment of 5G technology.
The digital transformation is no longer just an option
As Central Asian countries continue to embrace digital transformation, it’s becoming clear that partnerships are critical to closing the digital divide. Despite network coverage expansion, mobile internet adoption has yet to keep up, resulting in almost 50 million unconnected people in the region, per the latest GSMA Intelligence report.
Deputy Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Tomas Lamanauskas highlighted the importance of digital resilience: “The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has changed the way people live, increasing their access to online resources. After the pandemic, the use of computers by people has increased by 60%.” To ensure digital resistance building a robust and flexible digital infrastructure, implementing adequate security measures, and developing a culture of adaptability and innovation are paramount.
During her opening keynote, Azercell CEO Zarina Zeynalova stressed the importance of mobile operators’ role in enabling digital resilience. She also emphasized the need for investing in new security systems and upskilling efforts. Ms. Zeynalova highlighted, “As the providers of mobile connectivity and communication services, we are at the forefront of the complex digital ecosystem and have a unique perspective on opportunities as well as first-hand insight into the challenges of the rapidly evolving landscape.”
The quality of connectivity also matters. Across Central Asia, where close to half of the population lives in rural areas, it is crucial to make sure that those communities are not left behind when it comes to fast and reliable internet. The latest data from Speedtest Global Index™ shows that there is still room for improvement in the rankings of the “stans.” However, it is encouraging to see that their mobile rankings are on the rise. In Central Asia, where fixed-line broadband and mobile access are limited, access to reliable and high-quality mobile networks is critical; mobile technology is a key factor in digital inclusion and supports economic growth through mobile banking and remote education, among other things.
Partnerships are crucial to spurring the digital transformation
During the panel discussion titled, “Building Stronger Customer Connections: Partnerships in a Mobile-First World,” participants highlighted how digital has become the new normal. One of the speakers, Polina Chernikova, Head of Android Partnerships, The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Google, explained how Google has always been a pioneer in digital innovation by developing platforms such as Android, Play, and Chrome, while providing cloud services to help businesses build better solutions. Additionally, Google supports telco partners in their digital transformation journey by assisting them in getting more smartphones on their networks. One notable example is the development and launch of a Device Locking Solution by Android, which has enabled operators to offer attractive installment plans.
With the rapid growth and changes in the digital world, many businesses and organizations are adopting cloud-based solutions to enhance their digital projects and streamline their operations. The Chairman of the Board of Directors at Azintelecom, Elkhan Azizov, highlighted the significance of dependable and secure cloud services in supporting digital transformation efforts.
AI will shape the future of customer experience
Leveraging technologies like AI, cloud computing, and biometrics to enhance digital services, improve customer experiences, and promote innovation will be vital to building stronger customer connections.
During his keynote speech, George Held, the AdTech CEO of VEON, discussed the company’s Digital Operator (DO1440) strategy that aims to reduce customer churn and increase loyalty by offering digital products and bundles. Mr. Held emphasized that “As telcos, we have more direct access to our customers than global tech. We can target customers with what they need when they need it and on the right device.”
VEON’s strategy is focused on creating locally relevant digital products and services, such as Beeline Kazakhstan’s AI linguistic model called Kaz-RoBERTA-conversational, or BeeBERT for short, which enhances the customer experience and promotes the development of AI-based solutions in the Kazakh language.
Google has been utilizing AI for over seven years to improve its products and make them more helpful to users. With its deep understanding of information and Generative AI capabilities, Google is transforming Search and all its products. Ms. Chernikova emphasized the importance of the developer community to unlock the vast opportunities ahead: “No one company can do this alone. Our developer community will be key to unlocking the enormous opportunities ahead”.
According to Mr. Azizov of Azintelecom, the company’s digital platform SIMA utilizes AI, cloud, and face recognition technologies through partnerships. SIMA has successfully digitalized processes in the country with its biometric-based mobile application for digital signature, which has been downloaded 400,000 times. Additionally, operators can now provide their customers with eSIM online and faster than ever due to the biometrical authentication possible with SIMA.
Still early days for 5G
Although 5G is still in its early stages in the region, there is a need for both the government and private sector to collaborate and prioritize the deployment of 5G technology. Mobile operators started to deploy and test 5G networks in 2020, although with limited geographic reach across Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Companies across the region are working towards expanding 5G coverage, making devices more affordable, and optimizing network capabilities to make 5G more accessible and beneficial.
At the end of 2022, Kcell, which operates under two brands, Kcell and Activ, acquired 5G frequencies in the C-band. Aibek Nurkadyr, Strategic Development Director at Kcell, revealed that over 11% of devices using the mass-market Activ brand and 30% across the premium Kcell brand are connected to the 5G network. This shows that Kcell is making progress in expanding its 5G service, but the operator must continue to increase its 5G user base and deliver 5G use cases.
Google is also working to make affordable 5G devices a reality by collaborating with OEMs and SOCs. Additionally, Google is partnering with operators to enable traffic differentiation and improve network utilization through 5G slicing.
Overall, the event emphasized the importance of digital transformation, partnerships, and AI in shaping the future of the telecom ecosystem. The focus is on improving customer experience, digital resilience, and bridging the digital divide, all of which rely on reliable mobile networks. We will keep a close eye on 5G and network development across Central Asia going forward. In the meantime, if you want to learn more, subscribe to Ookla Insights™ to be the first to read our analyses.
The summer travel season is about to officially begin across the northern hemisphere and we’re back with fresh data for our series on airport Wi-Fi performance. This year we examined mobile Wi-Fi on free Wi-Fi provided by the individual airports as well as mobile speeds at some of the busiest airports in the world during Q1 2023. While airports in the United States top the list of fastest free airport Wi-Fi, the fastest mobile speeds we saw were in China. Read on for a specific look at internet performance including: download speed, upload speed, and latency.
U.S. airports have fastest airport Wi-Fi
Speedtest Intelligence® showed two U.S. airports at the top of the list for free airport Wi-Fi with Fort Lauderdale’s Hollywood International Airport Terminal 3 and San Francisco International Airport showing median download speeds of 157.60 Mbps and 156.66 Mbps, respectively, during Q1 2023. This represented a small drop for SFO since our November analysis but an increase for FLL. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (143.42 Mbps), John F. Kennedy International Airport (136.06 Mbps), and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (136.02 Mbps) rounded out the top five with three additional SSIDs from FLL following closely behind with median download speeds from 122.07 Mbps to 134.62 Mbps.
As we’ve seen in most recent analyses, the airports with the fastest Wi-Fi are international hubs that passengers from around the world pass through on their way to all kinds of destinations. If you are connecting through any of these airports, you should have no trouble with internet speeds this fast. In case of video calls, upload speeds are even faster than downloads at almost all of these airports, and SFO had the fastest uploads on the list.
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and SEA had the lowest median multi-server latency on Wi-Fi of any of the airports surveyed during Q1 2023. This means your device should see very little delay when relaying information across the web.
Shanghai tops Wi-Fi performance at global airports
Shanghai Pudong International Airport was the fastest non-U.S. airport on our list with a fastest median download speed of 118.67 Mbps. Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris (98.82 Mbps), Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (82.83 Mbps), Dubai International Airport (67.21 Mbps), and Frankfurt Airport (59.10 Mbps) followed for median download speeds at non-U.S. airports. All of these airports have internet speeds that qualify as at least good, which means you should be okay unless you want to try multi-player gaming (which is probably not your first choice on an airport layover anyway). Both Mexican airports on our list showed speeds in the slow range, so log off early and enjoy your vacation if you’re at the airport in Cancún or Mexico City.
Chinese airports have fastest mobile speeds
Get ready to connect to local mobile service or tether your phone to your laptop if you’re traveling through airports in Shanghai and Beijing and have access to 5G. Not only did Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, and Beijing Daxing International Airport have the fastest median downloads over mobile on our list at 308.51 Mbps, 304.87 Mbps, and 300.70 Mbps, respectively, during Q1 2023 — the mobile speeds at these airports were dramatically faster than the airport Wi-Fi. Salt Lake City International Airport (282.21 Mbps) and Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (259.86 Mbps) rounded out the top five.
While latency on mobile was generally higher than that on Wi-Fi, these same three Chinese airports (PEK, PKX, and PVG) also showed the lowest median multi-server latency on mobile during Q1 2023, indicating that your internet experience at these airports will have the least lag. Airports outside the U.S. performed better for latency overall with the top 16 airports for latency all located outside North America. CUN had the highest latency on mobile.
We were able to include more airports in the mobile analysis because there were more mobile samples to analyze at those airports than there were samples over Wi-Fi.
Airport Wi-Fi or mobile? Connecting on your next trip
Save yourself time by using this checklist to decide whether to try out the Wi-Fi or simply use the local mobile network. We compared internet performance on free airport Wi-Fi with median download speeds over mobile for the 38 airports we have both Wi-Fi and mobile data for during Q1 2023. Twenty-one airports had faster mobile internet than airport Wi-Fi. Twelve airports had faster Wi-Fi than mobile, and four airports showed only a slight distinction between Wi-Fi and mobile so we gave both the green check marks.
Airport Wi-Fi has come a long way since we started this series in 2017. We hope your connections are smooth and if you’re traveling this summer, take a Speedtest® at the airport to see how your experience compares.
Taking advantage of remote work in another country is the dream for many. Who hasn’t imagined themselves sipping fresh squeezed juice on a gorgeous tropical beach during a team call, cozying up next to a crackling fire in a European castle while pouring over a spreadsheet, or even just working anywhere that isn’t the office or our home couch? COVID-19 made working remotely more readily an option for some, and 51 countries have even gone so far as to create remote work or “digital nomad” visas. Today, Ookla® brings you fresh data on how these countries’ internet compares so you can start planning a long-term escape from your current reality.
Using Speedtest Intelligence®, we looked for remote work countries with the fastest internet, tropical countries with remote work visas and fast internet, fastest European countries for remote work, countries where you won’t lose your connection, and seven affordable remote work countries with good internet. Read on to start planning your next life adventure.
Digital nomad countries with seriously fast internet
Getting the fast download speeds you need to do your daily tasks should be the least of your worries when you work abroad. Thailand had the fastest fixed broadband speeds among countries that have remote work visas with a median download speed of 196.20 Mbps and a median upload speed of 164.85 Mbps during Q1 2023. With speeds like those, you’ll be able to eat your Guay Teow while gaming, streaming multiple 4K videos, and uploading videos of your adventures with no issues (and you should be able to work, too).
Spain (172.04 Mbps) and Romania (171.15 Mbps) were next on our list of fastest remote work destinations, followed by Hungary (134.43 Mbps), Portugal (128.50 Mbps), Taiwan (127.85 Mbps), Norway (111.44 Mbps), Panama (108.84 Mbps), and Brazil (100.38 Mbps), which all had median download speeds over 100 Mbps during Q1 2023. Rounding out our list of fastest remote work countries are Malta (97.55 Mbps) and Bermuda (97.20 Mbps). If speed is of the utmost importance to you while you work and live in another country, rest assured that these countries can handle the bandwidth you need.
Soak up the sun with fast internet in these beachy countries with remote work visas
If you dream of a remote work escape and prefer tropical, sunny beaches where you can sip piña coladas, we’ve got you covered (though don’t forget your sunblock when you venture outside!) Twenty-seven countries have digital nomad visas, average temperatures above 65° F (roughly 18° C), and beach access. Unsurprisingly, Thailand, again takes the top spot with a median download speed of 196.20 Mbps, followed by Taiwan (127.85 Mbps), Panama (108.84 Mbps), Brazil (100.38 Mbps), Malta (97.55 Mbps), Bermuda (97.20 Mbps), Malaysia (92.53 Mbps), Dominica (80.00 Mbps), Barbados (74.21 Mbps), and St. Lucia (71.40 Mbps). Grenada (65.25 Mbps), Costa Rica (65.07 Mbps), and Montserrat (63.22 Mbps) followed closely behind the top 10.
If you choose to work remotely from one of these countries, we’ll be jealously awaiting you sharing your Speedtest® results on Twitter as you work from the beach, take a dip in the ocean during your break, and relax with a cool ocean breeze as your biggest worry in the world.
These European countries with remote work visas had the fastest internet speeds
Maybe you’ve been watching all the Eurovision or have been dreaming of jetting off to European locations every weekend. Luckily for you, 16 European countries offer some version of a remote work visa. Speedtest Intelligence data reveals that Spain had the fastest median download speed at 172.04 Mbps during Q1 2023. Romania, Hungary, Portugal, and Norway followed with median download speeds above 100 Mbps. Malta (97.55 Mbps), Germany (82.05 Mbps), Latvia (77.76 Mbps), Estonia (64.80 Mbps), and Czechia (55.97 Mbps) rounded out the top 10, with Cyprus (53.71 Mbps) coming up just behind. Regardless of which European country you choose, you’ll be a few hours away from multiple countries with plenty to do and eat!
10 remote work countries where you won’t lose your connection
You shouldn’t have to stress about your internet connection while you’re working abroad — especially if you have to video chat often. So we used Speedtest Intelligence data to examine the Consistency — calculated by the percentage of results showing at least a 25 Mbps download speed and 3 Mbps upload speed over fixed broadband — in countries with remote work visas during Q1 2023. While there was no statistically highest Consistency, Thailand had a Consistency of 89.8%, Romania 89.7%, and Taiwan 89.5%. Norway followed at 87.3%, then Malaysia, Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, Spain, and Bermuda rounding out the top 10. Rest assured if you choose one of these countries, you should be able to stream and video chat while you work. Just remember to mute that movie during your team call.
Seven affordable places with good internet for digital nomads on a budget
Internet speed and consistency are important for remote work — but they’re not everything when you’re deciding where you want to spend your next adventure. If you’re looking for an affordable location to spend your time, save some money, and get good internet, we’ve got you covered.
We used thresholds of 50 Mbps download, 10 Mbps upload, and under 100 ms latency to designate a country of having “good” internet — these speed thresholds are minimums to what should allow you to stream in 4K, video chat, and do most work-related tasks. The latency threshold number is high, but cheap, fast internet with super low latency is not common enough. We compared that list against World Bank data for GDP per capita (PPP) from 2021 which adjusts for cost of living, and narrowed down countries that have less than the world average of $18,607. Seven countries qualified for inclusion on our list based on those criteria: Barbados, Brazil, Dominica, Ecuador, Grenada, Montserrat, and St. Lucia.
Brazil had the fastest download speed at 100.38 Mbps on our affordable countries for remote work list, followed by Dominica (80.00 Mbps), Barbados (74.21 Mbps), St. Lucia (71.40 Mbps), Grenada (65.25 Mbps), Montserrat (63.22 Mbps), and Ecuador, which eked out a place on this list at 50.55 Mbps. Every country on this list had a median upload speed above 20 Mbps. All of the countries had a Consistency higher than 70%, except St. Lucia, which was just under at 68.3%. If latency, which causes the kind of lag that can make video calls frustrating, is a major concern, only Ecuador (14 ms) and Brazil (18 ms) had latencies under 20 ms.
Regardless of where you choose to work remotely among these seven countries, you should have access to internet that can keep you on top of what you need to do at work, while you save some cash, live well, and hit the beach, since all of these countries have average temperatures above 70° F (21°C). You might just have to brush up on your Spanish, Creole, Patois, or Portuguese to really get an immersive experience, but you should sleep easy knowing that you can live well and continue to work online.
What do you need to know before applying for a remote work visa?
Currently, there are 51 countries that offer some form of a remote work visa. The requirements for these visas vary widely across each country, but generally there are a few key things you’ll need to know before you choose a country to apply to.
First, you need to decide where you are going! Besides checking internet performance, you’ll want to research how long a remote visa can last, how much money you are going to have to earn to qualify, what costs you’ll be looking at, options to renew the visa, and what kind of fees you’ll need to pay along the way. At a minimum, you’ll need a passport.
You often can’t just show up and start working remotely; for a long-term stay, you’ll need to apply for a visa (along with any family members you might want to bring along). Approval isn’t straightforward — you may need to prove your income, translate documents, get documents notarized, and even make a minimum amount of money each month. Once approved, you’ll typically pay a fee for each family member you are bringing, and you should make certain if you have any additional fees or taxes you’ll be liable to pay throughout your stay.
Once you have your visa in order, you’ll need to figure out your living situation — whether that is something longer term, or moving around a country, you’ll want to keep any requirements of your visa up to date. Do your due diligence while you apply so you don’t find yourself in an unpredictable situation you could have avoided.
Ookla has the resources you need to plan your remote work trip
We hope this short guide will help you choose the right remote work experience to help you feel fulfilled. If you want to learn more about the internet experience in any of the countries we mentioned, or even find city data or internet provider data for your remote work journey, check out the Speedtest Performance Directory™. If you’re struggling to find a decent internet provider in your area, check out our satellite internet series to see if there is a fast satellite internet connection available. And don’t forget to download the Speedtest app for Mac, Windows, or Linux to make sure you’re getting the speeds you need to continue working remotely!
When we have commented on 5G performance across Europe, we noted that across most of Europe, median 5G speeds have actually decreased, while 5G Availability has increased. The story is very much the same in Switzerland, with additional pressures brought about by having to adhere to strict Electromagnetic Field (EMF) regulations.
Key takeways
5G Availability is up. Driven by regulatory obligations, 5G coverage is on the rise in Switzerland, improving 5G Availability and the country’s ranking amongst its peers, such as the Netherlands, France, and Spain. In Q1 2023, Switzerland’s 5G Availability was 54.9%, up from 33% in Q1 2022.
5G speeds decline. In terms of median 5G download speeds, Switzerland saw the most significant decrease amongst its neighbors, with the country’s median 5G download speed falling by around 40 Mbps, from 172.69 Mbps in Q1 2022 to 132.10 Mbps in Q1 2023. Sunrise’s 5G speeds dropped the most across all Swiss operators.
5G positively impacts QoE and NPS. Our QoE data shows that 5G delivers better results for video streaming and web browsing than 4G and Wi-Fi. Additionally, Net Promoter Scores (NPS) have been higher for users on 5G than those on 4G.
Switzerland leads its peers on 5G Availability
According to Speedtest Intelligence®, Switzerland has shown significant progress in expanding its 5G availability, with the percentage of users on 5G-capable devices accessing 5G networks most of the time increasing from 33% in Q1 2022 to 54.9% in Q1 2023. Despite operating with strict Electromagnetic Field (EMF) regulations, Switzerland has managed to implement 5G while still adhering to safety standards that protect the public from EMF exposure. The majority of European Union countries follow the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) recommendations, which are set at a level 50 times lower than the threshold where health damage has been proven. However, Switzerland’s regulations are even more stringent than those of the EU.
Swiss 5G performance trailing that of its neighbors
In our recent article, we analyzed Speedtest Intelligence® data to categorize 5G performance into four major groups: 5G Leaders ( > 300 Mbps), High Performers (200 – 300 Mbps), Improvers (< 200 Mbps), and 5G Outliers. Except for France, all countries on the chart above had median 5G download speeds below 200 Mbps, placing them in the “5G Improvers” category. While 5G speeds in Austria and Italy improved slightly, most countries we looked at experienced year-on-year decreases in median 5G download speeds. Switzerland had the most significant decline, dropping from 172.69 Mbps in Q1 2022 to 132.10 Mbps in Q1 2023. There are several reasons for the decline in 5G performance, including increased adoption leading to higher network congestion, economic pressure on operators, higher energy costs, and reduced spending power for consumers.
Sunrise 5G speeds dropped the most as operators focus on extending coverage
Switzerland was the first European country to commercially launch 5G, doing so in April 2019. The country’s telecom regulator, ComCom, conducted a spectrum auction for bands including 700 MHz, 1400 MHz, and 3500 MHz. By the end of 2024, those with 700 MHz spectrum must make 5G available to at least 50% of the population, while those with the 1.4 and 3.5 GHz bands must make 5G accessible to at least 25% of the population by the same deadline.
In addition to acquiring new spectrum, operators can also refarm spectrum from existing legacy 2G/3G networks for 4G/5G. Swisscom switched off 2G in April 2021 and plans to shutter its 3G network by the end of 2025. This strategy allows Swisscom to refarm its legacy spectrum for 4G and 5G networks as “only 1.1% of mobile data traffic still runs on the 3G network, yet the technology occupies around 10% of the antenna capacity (ONIR)”.
Due to ONIR legal conditions, cell site transmit power is limited, and operators look to use it as efficiently as possible. They had previously complained that the Ordinance on Protection from Non-ionising Radiation (ONIR) is ten times as strict as European Union regulations. Despite these challenges, Swisscom achieved 61.7% 5G Availability in Q1 2023. Swisscom’s Q1 2023 results note that the operator covers 99% of the Swiss population with a basic version of 5G (using Dynamic Spectrum Sharing, which borrows capacity from its 4G LTE spectrum) and 75% with 5G + (delivered using mid-band spectrum). The operator aims for nationwide 5G+ coverage by 2025.
Salt, which shuttered its 2G service in early 2023, announced that it is covering 99.9% of the territory of Switzerland with 3G, 4G, and 5G.
Sunrise also discontinued 2G in early 2023 and plans to decommission its 3G networks to free up spectrum and improve network efficiency. According to the latest data from Sunrise, the company provides high-speed 5G to over 1,048 cities/towns and basic 5G to over 96.7% of the population. Our data shows that Sunrise prioritized 5G coverage over performance. Sunrise’s 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) network promotes ENDC (E-UTRAN New Radio – Dual Connectivity). In situations where a 5G NR layer is not present, 5G coverage is reported on user devices, but those users saw decreased performance as their devices were actually still on 4G.
Beyond bandwidth – all eyes on latency
Bandwidth alone isn’t everything when it comes to a good consumer experience. Latency is just as important, especially for services like gaming, AR/VR, the Metaverse, and other apps that require quick responses. Ookla has introduced a new measure called loaded latency, which helps identify the origin of latency problems. Loaded latency is measured during data-heavy download and upload portions of Speedtest, which can reveal issues when multiple applications are running on the same connection. For example, high download latency may occur when someone in the household is installing a large game, while high upload latency can happen when someone is uploading a video to the cloud.
Smooth gameplay without interruptions or buffering is crucial for gamers, which is why low latency is important. Indeed, high latency can cause gameplay to stop altogether. According to a study by Deloitte, 45% of people in Switzerland played video games at least once in the last six months, which is lower than the European average of 55%. Swiss gamers spend an average of 8 hours per week playing video games, compared to Europe’s average of 15 hours per week. While Swiss users may not game as much as their European counterparts, the door is wide open for operators to promote gaming and other immersive experiences such as AR/VR and the broader metaverse market. In early 2023, the Swiss Metaverse Association (Metassociation) was established as a private-public partnership to bring major industry players together, encourage innovation, and position Switzerland as a leading metaverse location. Sunrise and Swisscom are both founding members of the Metasssociation as they look for new avenues to generate revenue.
5G delivers better Quality of Experience (QoE) compared to 4G
The Ookla Consumer QoE™ platform provides valuable insights into the quality of the user experience across various services like web browsing, video streaming, gaming, and video conferencing. With digital services in Switzerland (e-banking, streaming, etc) seeing high usage, we looked at performance differences between 4G, 5G, and Wi-Fi technologies for a few services to see which generation of technology offered the best QoE
A survey by Moneyland.ch showed that 89% of Swiss people use at least one video streaming service, with Netflix being the most popular, watched by 58% of Swiss viewers in 2022. For those who stream videos, the time it takes for videos to start and/or buffer is a critical factor to consider. Ookla’s Consumer QoE data for March 2023 indicates a nearly 20% decrease in video start time when comparing 4G and 5G networks, with 5G users seeing much quicker video start times than those on 4G.
5G delivers comparable browsing results to Wi-Fi, making it a great option for web browsing (and quicker than 4G).
Video conferencing continues to be an integral part of everyday life. According to IGEM Digimonitor 2022 study, 4.0 million people (61% of the population) use a video conferencing tool at least occasionally, with 1.1 million (18%) continuing to video conference daily. Based on Ookla’s Consumer QoE data for March 2023, fixed networks deliver the best video conferencing experience – in terms of both latency and jitter – but 5G wasn’t far behind in either measure.
5G positively impacts NPS
Net Promoter Score (NPS) from Speedtest Intelligence paints a largely positive picture of current 5G networks in Switzerland. NPS is a key performance indicator of customer experience, categorizing users into Detractors (those that score 0-6), Passives (scores between 7 and 8), and Promoters (score of 9-10), with the NPS representing the percentage of Promoters minus the percent of Detractors, displayed in the range from -100 to 100.
In our recent article, we found that 5G users, on average, rated their network operator with NPS scores that were universally higher than those for 4G LTE users. The story is similar in Switzerland, where 5G NPS scores were almost ten times higher for 5G than 4G. What’s more, just over half of Swisscom 5G users are promoters (54%) compared to 33% for Salt and 32% for Sunrise.
We will continue to measure 5G performance in Switzerland. If you have access to 5G in Switzerland, take a Speedtest® on Android or iOS to report how your operator is performing.
If you want to learn more about network performance, subscribe to Ookla Insights™ to be the first to read our analyses.
Onjais a social enterprise that trains underprivileged youth to prepare them to become world-class software developers and places them into European and US-based tech companies. A reliable internet connection is essential for Onja’s mission: it plays a crucial role from the start of the training program right through to employment. By partnering with Ookla for Good™, Onja was able to compare connectivity across the country to select the location that would provide the best coverage and performance to support both training and employment opportunities.
During training, students rely on good internet access to take online courses in addition to their classroom study, work on exciting open-source projects, engage in volunteering and online internships, and interact with experts and mentors from around the world for upskilling activities such as mock interviews and coding challenges.
Once our students land great opportunities as developers, they work remotely from our site in Madagascar. Here too, reliable internet is essential to fulfill every aspect of their role. In addition to their work, which requires high-quality internet, developers have regular stand-ups and meetings with their remote team. These exchanges are important because they create strong bonds between the developers and their team members.
Onja’s developers are not just remote workers and partner companies are not just clients. They are intrinsically linked, contributing greatly to the sustainability of the model and a better future for Madagascar’s young people.
When it came to finding a location for Onja’s base, understanding how internet speed varied was a cornerstone of the decision-making process. By providing Speedtest® performance measurements for each region and almost every city in Madagascar through our Ookla for Good initiative, Onja gained the ability to make an informed decision about an important part of its mission. Thanks to the insights provided by Ookla for Good data, the entire Onja team now operates from Mahanoro, a beach town on the east coast of Madagascar. In addition to being a peaceful learning and working environment, Mahanoro’s internet speed is more than sufficient for the mission.
We are grateful to Onja for their assistance in composing this article. Visit Onja to learn more about its mission and current projects.
In our recent analysis of 5G performance across Europe, we noted that challenger mobile operators often outperform incumbents — strong results from Three across its footprint are proof of that. This article examines the secret sauce behind Three’s performance across three European countries — the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Austria.
Key takeaways
Dedicated 5G spectrum matters. Three’s approach to spectrum is similar across the board — it uses dedicated 5G spectral resources, and it has access to at least 100 MHz contiguous spectrum in C-band, which is the ITU’s minimum technical requirement to meet 5G performance requirements.
Network investment pays off. Three continues to focus on 5G network investment, which in turn helped to drive 5G performance.
Sustainability futureproofs networks. Three looks at several energy efficiency initiatives, including smart network “sleeping mode” and retiring legacy technologies to create a network that’s ready for tomorrow’s demands.
Three leads on speeds
Austria, Ireland, and the U.K. belong to the 5G High Performers cluster, which means that they share many of the characteristics of 5G leaders — markets with median 5G download speeds typically greater than 300 Mbps — having made an adequate spectrum allocation for 5G use and fostered competition between operators, which has helped spur network investment. However, they lag behind 5G Leaders based on their level of network densification. Using Speedtest Intelligence® data, we analyzed 5G performance in Q1 2023 across Austria, Ireland, and the U.K. Three was a leading operator in each of these countries for median 5G download speed.
3UK was 2.2 times faster than the median 5G speed for the U.K., 3 Austria surpassed the country-level performance by 1.36 times, while Three Ireland was 64% faster than the median country-level 5G download speed. Three was a late entrant into the telecom scene — having launched 20 years ago in March 2003 — often skipping 2G network rollout and being the first company to introduce “All you Can Eat” plans.
Three’s approach to spectrum pays off
As our previous analysis shows, access to a dedicated 5G C-band spectrum enabled faster download speeds, especially if such spectrum is contiguous. The ITU minimum technical requirements to meet 5G performance requirements identify at least 100 MHz channels per operator. All Austrian operators have access to just that: 3 Austria 100 MHz spectrum and Magenta 110MHz, nationally. A1 has access to a block of 100-140 MHz in C-band, depending on the region.
Three Ireland was the only operator to receive a continuous block of 100 MHz spectrum nationally, both in urban and rural areas. Vodafone and eir have different spectrum holdings: Vodafone has 105 MHz in urban areas and 85 MHz in rural areas, eir 85 MHz (urban) and 80 MHz (rural). Imagine — a wireless broadband provider — holds 60 MHz spectrum in rural areas, Dense Air, 60 MHz in urban and 25 MHz in rural. Furthermore, Three uses a dedicated 5G spectrum instead of Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS), which explains its superior performance compared to other operators.
In the U.K., Three also holds an advantageous position regarding spectrum ownership — it has a block of 140MHz frequency across several 5G spectrum bands, including a 100 MHz block of continuous spectrum in the C-band. In addition, the operator has been working on adding 10 Gbps backhaul to its sites everywhere to boost the 5G experience.
5G Availability on the rise
Our research shows that access to low band spectrum in part impacts the operator’s 5G Availability but affordability and availability of 5G-capable smartphones are essential too. Ireland had top 5G Availability in Q1 2023 at 21.6%, increasing by 8.1 ppts year-on-year.
The number of 5G subscriptions has been on the rise in Ireland; ComReg reported a total of 988,164 5G mobile subscriptions in Q4 2022 — a 152% year-on-year increase — accounting for 11.1% of all subscriptions in Ireland. Three Ireland’s 5G network covers 85% of the Irish population. To expand the pool of 5G users, in January 2023, Three Ireland, as the first Irish mobile operator, offered 5G to all customers as standard at no additional fee, initially to new customers. Customers need a 5G-enabled device to access the 5G network and be within 5G network reach. Elaine Carey, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) for 3 Ireland and 3 UK, said offering free 5G across all its mobile plans would provide customers with a “better-connected life.” Currently, Vodafone and Eir only offer 5G to customers with 5G-enabled plans. Our data shows that during Q1 2023, Three’s 5G Availability increased by 5.5 ppt while the country average increased only by 1.9 ppt, proving that the strategy paid off.
In the U.K., 5G Availability increased by 6.7 ppt, driven by the growing adoption of 5G smartphones and coverage. According to the Ofcom Connected Nations 2022 report, the pool of 5G capable devices increased from around 10% in 2021 to 20% in 2022, while data traffic carried over 5G tripled — from 3% of all traffic in 2021 to over 9% in 2022. In April 2023, as part of the new Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, the government set out its ambitions for all populated areas to be covered by “standalone” 5G by 2030, increasing from 77% of the population already having access to 5G from one provider using 5G NSA.
In Austria, 5G Availability passed the 15% mark in Q1 2023, up from 10% a year prior. Despite coverage obligations related to network deployment set out by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs (BMDW) in November 2019 as part of the operators’ 5G license, the 5G adoption is lackluster compared to other countries. For example, Drei Austria had to provide 5G coverage to at least 15% of the population in all provincial cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants by the end of 2020 and 40% by the end of 2023. Furthermore, Drei wants to increase its 5G coverage to three-quarters of all households and companies by the end of 2023 and provide 222 previously underserved communities with mobile broadband internet by using additional frequencies in the 700 and 1500 MHz bands for 5G. In September 2022, Drei Austria announced the launch of 5G SA, dubbed 5G+, making it available to 1.3 million homes and businesses. The company also offers mobile internet with a residential bandwidth guarantee, which it claims is the world’s first.
Network investment continues
In Ireland, Three worked on an ongoing network transformation program investing over €2 billion, including an €820 million investment in upgrading and expanding the network into Three’s digital transformation.
In March 2023, Drei announced a total investment program for 5G in Austria of €1.2 billion beyond 2025.”Our largest network offensive in the company’s history, which we announced last year, has got underway. We are investing 1.2 billion Euros in the nationwide expansion of our new 5G network beyond 2025,” said Drei CTO Matthias Baldermann during the 2022 results announcement. In Austria, Drei utilized new spectrum to the full extent, leading-edge equipment, and installed powerful massive MIMO antennas on each site — a new range with the new antenna. As a result, improvement in terms of performance and capacity for customers can be measured in improved consumer satisfaction.
Three UK has invested over £2 billion to transform its network and IT infrastructure as part of a five-year program. Over the past five years, Three has undergone an immense transformation — it was the first operator to deploy cloud core. There are 19 data centers across the U.K. — compared to the previous three core data centers. With 19 data centers, there is a good balance between what goes in each and what needs to serve the customer more quickly. The edge data center, collocated with other providers, deals with straight internet access and peering to get traffic from the networks to the source. It also comes with additional efficiency in terms of Capex and Opex — the cost of 19 data centers is the same as the three legacy ones.
From tower owners to tenants
Following the path of a general industry direction, Three has outsourced the management of its network assets. In November 2022, Spanish mobile tower operator – Cellnex Telecom – completed the acquisition of the U.K. telecoms tower assets of Three UK. This was the last one of the multi-country deals signed by CK Hutchinson and Cellnex in November 2020, whereby Cellnex acquired a total of 24,600 towers across the U.K., Italy, Ireland, Austria, Sweden, and Denmark for approximately €10 billion ($10.35 billion).
Not only performance but energy efficiency is also top of mind
In Ookla’s Take on Telco Trends in 2023, we have predicted that the quest for Net Zero becomes more urgent as cost-cutting and optimizing operations are top-of-mind for telcos in 2023 as energy prices and broader inflation remain 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. CK Hutchison Group Telecom 2022 Annual Results showcased a wider range of energy efficiency initiatives deployed across its European footprint.
Robert Finnegan, Chief Executive of Three Ireland and Three UK, said the company was satisfied with its 2022 financial performance despite the additional impacts of inflation and soaring energy costs. “As part of our sustainability strategy, we continued to invest in energy-saving initiatives across the network infrastructure in 2022, which helped mitigate against energy inflation.” Furthermore, across its footprint, Three has deployed various strategies such as smart network “sleeping mode” and energy efficiency equipment, the retirement of legacy technology, and the reduction of redundant assets through consolidation and active sharing, and thermal management. Three Ireland implemented “proof of concept” for on-site solar generation on mast sites as solar panels are more energy efficient and greener.
During the Connectivity Insights session at MWC 2023, Iain Milligan, Chief Network Officer of Three UK, shared that the operator is currently undergoing some trials with network vendors to address energy efficiency via a mix of features. From a hardware perspective — they deploy the most recent hardware, which brings efficiency; feature rollout in the radio also brings gains in multiple aspects. Lastly, analytics play an essential role, too, helping to identify peak usage times compared to quieter periods. All of these can bring 60% improvements.
We will continue to monitor 5G performance progress closely using Speedtest Intelligence. If you want to learn more about how Speedtest Intelligence can help you benchmark your 5G performance against competitors, please inquire here.
Wi-Fi woes continue. Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® data shows Wi-Fi performance continues to lag behind ethernet performance within home networks in many advanced fixed broadband markets, with Wi-Fi speeds typically ranging from between 30-40% of ethernet speeds during Q1 2023.
Developed Asian and North American markets lead the charge to Wi-Fi 6/6E. Wi-Fi 4 and 5 remain the dominant Wi-Fi access technologies globally, accounting for a combined 89% of Speedtest® samples during Q1 2023. However, a number of advanced fixed broadband markets are rapidly migrating to Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, with China, Hong Kong (SAR), Singapore, Canada, and the U.S. leading the charge.
Growing Wi-Fi 6/6E adoption helps narrow the gap in Wi-Fi performance. In markets such as Canada, France, Germany, Singapore, Sweden, and the U.S., where the transition to fiber is more advanced, and where ISPs are actively driving adoption of Wi-Fi 6/6E routers, we see Wi-Fi performance closing the gap to ethernet. However, more needs to be done in other markets, where migration to more advanced fixed access networks is exposing the limitations of the installed base of Wi-Fi routers.
Router vendors pushing the envelope with Wi-Fi 7 capable launches. ASUS leads the market for Wi-Fi 6/6E routers among Speedtest samples, and both ASUS and other leading router vendors have been quick to launch Wi-Fi 7 capable routers. Despite this, Wi-Fi 6 and 6E remain the growing component of their installed bases. ASUS leads the market according to Speedtest Intelligence with 39% of its routers we sampled supporting Wi-Fi 6/6E during Q1 2023, well ahead of second placed NETGEAR with 26%.
Smartphone device support indicates Wi-Fi 6/6E should remain the immediate focus for ISPs. With the two largest smartphone vendors globally, Samsung and Apple, currently shunning Wi-Fi 7, ISPs waiting to see if they can leapfrog Wi-Fi 6E to Wi-Fi 7 should stay their hands. The fact that China still needs to allocate the 6 GHz spectrum band — key for Wi-Fi 6E and 7 — for unlicensed use is also significant, and appears to have weighed on the Wi-Fi 6E adoption among China’s leading Android smartphone manufacturers.
Wi-Fi performance continues to lag ethernet within the home
ISPs in advanced fixed broadband markets are increasingly looking to offer more advanced Wi-Fi routers and solutions such as mesh networks, which are designed to improve Wi-Fi coverage and performance. However, Speedtest Intelligence data shows that more needs to be done to improve Wi-Fi performance, which typically ranged from between 30-40% of ethernet speeds. Median Wi-Fi performance as measured by Speedtest will tend to lag behind median ethernet performance, depending on distance of the end-user device from the router, including any obstacles and signal interference the Wi-Fi signal needs to traverse to reach the device.
Our analysis of Speedtest Intelligence data reveals that driving greater adoption of more advanced Wi-Fi routers can help ISPs narrow the gap between Wi-Fi and ethernet performance, with ISPs in Canada, France, Germany, Singapore, Sweden, and the U.S. already successfully doing so over the past year.
Despite this, the results are not always positive, with the gap between Wi-Fi and ethernet performance widening, in particular in the U.K. and Taiwan. Where markets are rapidly migrating from more legacy fixed broadband technology to advanced cable and fiber connections, Wi-Fi performance can lag relative to ethernet, indicating a need to accelerate the adoption of more advanced Wi-Fi technologies.
Older generations of Wi-Fi 4 and Wi-Fi 5 remain dominant globally
While much of the focus of the device ecosystem is on spurring adoption of the latest Wi-Fi standards, there is a long way to go before even Wi-Fi 6 becomes a dominant standard globally. Based on Speedtest Intelligence data, the proportion of Wi-Fi tests by generation (a good proxy for adoption) shows that Wi-Fi 4 and Wi-Fi 5 remain the dominant router technology, with Wi-Fi 6 representing just under 10% as of February 2023, and Wi-Fi 7 showing very few samples. The share of samples from Wi-Fi 4 routers has fallen by 6 ppts year-over-year, while Wi-Fi 5’s share of samples has marginally increased.
Asian and North American ISPs lead the charge to Wi-Fi 6 and beyond
ISPs are the main driver behind the adoption of new Wi-Fi standards, as highlighted by a 2022 study by Parks Associates, which found that 52% of U.S. consumers acquired their router from their ISP. Rolling out more advanced routers to their customer bases enables them to take advantage of the increased performance of newer generations of Wi-Fi technology, and helps to ensure ISPs deliver faster speeds, particularly over fiber access networks.
Adoption of Wi-Fi 6 varies by market, even among the most developed fixed broadband markets globally. ISPs in a number of advanced fixed markets have already begun offering Wi-Fi 6E routers to their customer bases, with ISPs in North America in particular moving in this direction, including Bell Canada, Rogers, Telus, Verizon, XFINITY, Charter, and Frontier, as well as leading ISPs in advanced Asian and European markets.
Markets in Asia led the way on Wi-Fi 6 adoption, with China and Hong Kong both recording 42% adoption, followed by Singapore with 37%. Outside of Asia, North America showed the next highest level of adoption, with the U.S. and Canada recording 32% and 30%, respectively. European fixed markets lagged behind, with adoption ranging from 13% in the U.K., to 24% in Sweden. For markets such as Chile, which placed towards the top of the Ookla Speedtest Global Index™ for median fixed broadband speeds, a relatively low-level of Wi-Fi 6 adoption (8% in Q4 2022) signals further opportunity for ISPs in the market to boost performance.
The fastest growing markets, in terms of increasing share of Wi-Fi 6 of Speedtest samples year-over-year in Q1 2023, were Canada and Malaysia (+15 ppts), Singapore (+14 ppts), and Hong Kong (+12 ppts). While there was considerable variance between ISPs within each market, leading ISPs such as SmarTone (Hong Kong), DiGi (Malaysia), and ViewQwest (Singapore), are prompting a competitive response so that even ISPs with lower levels of Wi-Fi 6 adoption are prioritizing the technology and seeing adoption grow steadily.
Country
ISP
Wi-Fi 6 %, Q1 2023
Hong Kong (SAR)
SmarTone
62.4%
Canada
Bell pure fibre
57.3%
Singapore
ViewQwest
53.7%
Singapore
MyRepublic
50.3%
Malaysia
Digi
50.2%
Malaysia
Maxis
49.0%
Hong Kong (SAR)
NETVIGATOR
44.2%
Canada
Rogers
43.4%
Singapore
M1
41.7%
Singapore
SingTel
41.4%
Canada
Telus PureFibre
41.0%
Hong Kong (SAR)
HKBN
41.0%
Canada
Shaw
39.0%
Singapore
StarHub
35.6%
Hong Kong (SAR)
HGC
30.0%
Malaysia
TIME
28.8%
Malaysia
TM
21.5%
In addition to providing newer routers, ISPs are increasingly positioned to help consumers solve Wi-Fi performance issues in the home, such as offering mesh Wi-Fi solutions. For some ISPs, this has even taken precedence over offering newer Wi-Fi 6E routers, as they look to improved coverage within the home as a faster route to improving Wi-Fi performance.
In the U.K., BT has prioritized whole-home coverage over Wi-Fi 6E with its BT Complete Wi-Fi (mesh) offer, despite the U.K. regulator Ofcom having released the lower portion of the 6 GHz band for unlicensed use in 2020. In Canada, Telus, while having recently released a Wi-Fi 6E router for its broadband users, also offers its WiFi Plus package, which includes professional installation and “wall-to-wall coverage” throughout the home. Rogers also offers guaranteed Wi-Fi coverage throughout the home, as well as Wi-Fi 6E routers. Plume offers a subscription-based service, HomePass, across a number of markets, which allows users to add additional access points to help eradicate not-spots or poor Wi-Fi signal within the home and also offers solutions for ISPs looking to improve their Wi-Fi offerings. In Hong Kong, China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK) was the first ISP in the market to offer a fiber-to-the-room service, while it and other ISPs such as NETVIGATOR offer consumers the option to subscribe to multiple channels over fiber with separate IP addresses, allowing them to divide their activities across channels and thereby help avoid congestion.
To capture the full performance benefits of Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7, countries must allocate 6 GHz spectrum for unlicensed use, therefore allowing Wi-Fi devices to access this higher frequency, higher capacity spectrum, and utilize wider channels. At present, according to the Wi-Fi Alliance, allocation of the lower portion of the 6 GHz spectrum band (5,925 MHz to 6,425 MHz) is common among developed economies, with some notable exceptions in some developed markets in Asia and Asia Pacific, in particular China, while allocation of the full 6 GHz band is more limited, available across North America and some Latin American markets, as well as Saudi Arabia and South Korea.
Wi-Fi 7 on the horizon as router vendors continue to push the envelope on performance
Wi-Fi performance continues to scale, and with Wi-Fi 7 routers and smartphones having launched in the second half of 2022, that trend is set to continue. In addition to higher throughput, successive Wi-Fi generations also support lower latency, helping to better support higher quality video streaming, cloud gaming, and future use cases linked to concepts such as the Metaverse and other uses of extended reality (XR).
The major silicon vendors, Broadcom, Qualcomm, and Mediatek, were quick to update their solutions to support the emerging Wi-Fi 7 standard, and hardware vendors have followed suit. Chinese vendor H3C was the first to launch with its H3C Magic BE18000 Wi-Fi 7 router in July 2022, and it has since been followed by other major vendors including tp-link, ASUS, and more recently NETGEAR. However, the prices of early Wi-Fi 7 routers that take advantage of Wi-Fi 7’s range of enhanced performance capabilities will be a barrier to entry for many, with tp-link’s flagship Archer BE900 currently retailing at a cost of $699.99.
Speedtest Intelligence data shows minimal Wi-Fi 7 adoption as of March 2023, however we are likely to see the same vendors drive Wi-Fi 7 adoption that are currently leading on Wi-Fi 6. Based on global Speedtest Intelligence samples, we see ASUS leading the market in Wi-Fi 6 penetration, with 39% of samples recorded using Wi-Fi 6 compatible routers. NETGEAR and Belkin followed, but for the remaining major router vendors, Wi-Fi 6 penetration currently stands at close to 10% or below. Wi-Fi 6E remains a small but growing subset of Wi-Fi 6 certified devices, currently standing at 7.7% of products based on the latest Wi-Fi Alliance data. Of these, a majority are either routers or smartphones, with an almost even split between the two.
Smartphone support indicates ISPs should focus on Wi-Fi 6E for now
With Samsung releasing its Galaxy S23 range in February 2023 without Wi-Fi 7 support, and Apple’s latest iPhone 14 smartphones limited to Wi-Fi 6, it’s clear that, for now, ISPs should prioritize the rollout of Wi-Fi 6/6E among their customer bases rather than consider leapfrogging to Wi-Fi 7. The Xiaomi Mi13 Pro was the first Wi-Fi 7 capable smartphone to hit the market, launching in December 2022, although it was limited to Wi-Fi 6E initially, requiring a software update to enable Wi-Fi 7. The availability of Wi-Fi 7 supporting Android smartphones will grow through 2023, enabled by SoCs from leading vendor Qualcomm with its flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and MediaTek with its Dimensity 9200. Apple, on the other hand, lags on the latest Wi-Fi standard support, with the iPhone 14 series featuring Wi-Fi 6, and with its fall 2023 models rumored to be adding Wi-Fi 6E to their feature list.
Samsung, as the leading Android smartphone vendor globally, has the largest installed base of smartphones supporting Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, and has stolen a march on its main rivals Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo. While the major Chinese smartphone vendors have launched Wi-Fi 7 compatible devices, the lack of assignment of 6 GHz spectrum for unlicensed use in China does appear to have held them back relative to brands such as Samsung and ASUS.
The outlook for Wi-Fi in the home
It’s clear from the gap between Wi-Fi and ethernet performance that ISPs need to do more to improve the customer experience for Wi-Fi users within the home. Part of the solution lies in rolling out more advanced generations of Wi-Fi technology, given Wi-Fi 4 and 5 remain the dominant technologies deployed globally. However, evidence linking increased adoption of Wi-Fi 6 to overall Wi-Fi closing the gap to ethernet performance is mixed, and validates the approach of ISPs looking to also offer mesh networking Wi-Fi solutions. Contact us to find out more about how Ookla insights can help you monitor the performance of your networks, and stay ahead of the competition.
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