[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, [/box]
Wireless coverage mapping company OpenSignal has released a new analysis of 5G download speeds in different countries. The market for the new technology is still immature but despite that, the research found that users are enjoying an active connection in four countries more than one fifth of the time. The comparison with 4G networks is striking with 5G noticeably faster in all countries analyzed.
OpenSignal collected the data between May 16 and August 14. It found that Saudi Arabia has the fastest average download speeds of any country at 414.2 Mbps, more than 14 times faster than its 4G network. South Korea is well known for its exceptionally fast broadband and mobile networks. Its 5G rollout certainly upholds its reputation with average download speeds of 312.7 Mbps, five times faster than its 4G network.
The United States lags behind other countries in download speed but it makes up for it with network availability. OpenSignal elaborated on why that is, stating that “the low-band spectrum is ideally suited to enable great 5G reach and allow users to spend more time connected than in countries with higher frequency 5G spectrum. In the U.S. the low-band 5G services of T-Mobile and AT&T have helped drive a high 5G Availability result”. It also stated that “T-Mobile U.S.’s very recent launch of standalone access 5G — where a phone no longer needs to connect to 4G in order for 5G to work — should help 5G services in future”. Smaller geographies like Hong Kong and Kuwait tend to have higher availability rates for 5G and the analysis gives network operators Australia and the U.S. immense credit for having availability rates higher than the UK and Switzerland.
[ads1]
