Opensignal has evaluated the mobile experience of users in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets, comparing it to neighboring regional markets in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).
Key Findings:
- 5G Download Speed:
- Saudi Arabia ranks third for 5G download speed among comparable markets in the EMEA region.
- Qatar leads with the fastest average 5G download speeds in its group, followed by Kuwait and Bahrain in third and fourth place, respectively.
- All GCC markets, except Oman (195.8Mbps), have average 5G download speeds above 200Mbps.
- Download Speed Experience:
- In Group I, Saudi Arabia and Oman perform well, placing seventh (43.2Mbps) and eighth (41.9Mbps), respectively.
- In Group II, Kuwait ranks sixth (67.3Mbps) and Bahrain ninth (58.2Mbps).
- Year-on-Year Improvements:
- Users in Kuwait, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have seen overall average download speeds increase by 5-44%, with Kuwaiti users experiencing the largest improvement and Emirati users the smallest. This rise is largely due to increased 5G adoption across the GCC.
- Progress in 5G download speed scores has been mixed, with notable increases in Bahrain (16%), Qatar (15%), and Oman (4%).
- GCC Capitals:
- Users in Kuwait City enjoy the fastest overall download speeds.
- Doha, the capital of Qatar, boasts the fastest 5G download speeds.
A total of 57 markets were analyzed in this comparison, with 35 included in 5G market comparisons. For meaningful comparisons, EMEA markets were categorized by land area: Group I (greater than 200,000km²) and Group II (below 200,000km²).
Opensignal also explored year-on-year changes in average 5G and overall download speeds observed by users in GCC markets and examined download speeds in GCC capitals.
