Opensignal Report: STC Leads in Speed, Mobily Excels in 5G Video Experience

4 مارس، 2025

كتب: دارة نيوز

Opensignal is the independent global standard for analyzing consumers’ connectivity experiences. Our reports provide insights into how people experience mobile and broadband networks in their daily lives.

Main Results

stc Wins Three Speed Awards but Loses 5G Upload Speed to Mobily

stc provides the fastest overall download and upload speeds in Saudi Arabia, with an average download speed of 55.2 Mbpsand upload speed of 13 Mbps. While stc now wins the 5G Download Speed award outright with 252.4 Mbps, Mobily surpasses stc in 5G Upload Speed, taking the lead with 27.6 Mbps.

Mobily Wins 5G Video Experience

Mobily now solely holds the 5G Video Experience award, scoring 73.5 points out of 100, breaking its previous tie with stc. Users across Saudi Arabia enjoy a Very Good (68-78) quality when streaming videos via 5G, ensuring smooth high-definition playback with minimal loading times.

Mobily Leads in Consistent Quality

Mobily retains the Consistent Quality award with 61.7%, ahead of stc by three percentage points. This metric evaluates how well networks support daily mobile activities with stable performance.

stc Dominates in Coverage Experience and 5G Coverage Experience

stc leads in Coverage Experience, scoring 8.7 out of 10, three points ahead of Mobily. It also wins 5G Coverage Experience, scoring 2.8 points, maintaining the widest network reach.

stc and Mobily Compete Closely in City-Level Awards

Mobily leads in city awards, winning 33 outright and sharing 34, mainly in the 5G Experience category. Meanwhile, stcsecures 31 outright wins and 33 shared awards, excelling in Overall Experience. Zain earned eight shared awards, primarily in 5G Experience.

STC

Market Overview

Mobily leads the overall awards, winning seven outright and one shared. stc claims five outright wins, plus a shared Reliability Experience award with Mobily. Mobily dominates video, gaming, and quality metrics, while stc excels in speed and coverage.

In November 2024, the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) auctioned new spectrum bands, increasing Saudi Arabia’s licensed mobile frequencies by 27% (from 1110MHz to 1400MHz).

● stc acquired 600MHz and 3.8GHz bands.

● Mobily secured 700MHz and 3.8GHz bands.

● Zain obtained the 600MHz band only.

Saudi Arabia became the first EMEA market to license 600MHz for mobile networks, a key frequency for future expansions.

Telecom operators are also investing in infrastructure:

● stc launched “SuperLink” with Huawei, enabling 5G access in remote areas.

● Zain partnered with Nokia to introduce 4G/5G femtocell solutions, enhancing indoor network coverage.

National Performance Analysis

This report evaluates the network experience of stc, Mobily, and Zain between November 1, 2024, and January 29, 2025, at both national and city levels.

Regional Analysis

The report examines six key categories across major Saudi cities:

● Video Experience

● Games Experience

● Download Speed Experience

● Upload Speed Experience

● Coverage

● Consistency

City-Level Insights:

● Video Experience: Mobily leads in Riyadh, Jeddah, Madina, Dammam, Al Hofuf, Abha, Hail, and Khamis Mushayt, while stc lags.

● Games Experience: Mobily dominates in multiple cities, whereas stc performs weaker.

● Download Speed Experience: stc leads except in Abha, Hail, Khamis Mushayt, and Madina, where Mobily is ahead.

● Upload Speed Experience: stc leads in most cities, while Mobily dominates in Abha, Khamis Mushayt, and Mecca.

● Zain excels in Games Experience in Hail.

Saudi Arabia’s Global Ranking

Opensignal’s Global Network Excellence Index ranks Saudi Arabia 3rd globally among large countries for 5G speeds, thanks to stc’s performance. However, further improvements are needed in overall network quality.

Source: https://www.opensignal.com/reports/2025/02/saudiarabiamobile-network-experience

4 مارس، 2025