Maximum 5G download speeds available in some parts of the world have reached nearly 1 Gigabit per second, according to Cellsmart, the cellular intelligence division of SmartCIC.
Test results showed Norway (994 Mbps) and Spain (993.60 Mbps) topping the rankings for maximum 5G download speeds for indoors and outdoors. The USA and Austria followed closely behind with outdoor tests delivering 966.00 Mbps and 921.10 Mbps respectively.
Ireland is not included in the Cellsmart research.
The survey collected data from 21,460 network speed tests conducted in 67 countries and 1,350 unique locations between 25 March 2022 and 31 October 2022.
Peak 5G upload speeds have increased by 35%, from 109 Mbps (Netherlands) in the 2022 survey to 146.75 Mbps (US) in outdoor tests.
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Cellsmart says that 5G is still providing hyper-asymmetrical test results with an average outdoor download speed of 210.05 Mbps versus 26.78 Mbps outdoor upload speed.
MAXIMUM DOWNLOAD SPEEDS OUTDOOR
1. Spain – 993.00
2. USA – 966.00
3. Austria – 921.10
4. France – 803.96
5. Norway – 789.00
MAXIMUM DOWNLOAD SPEEDS – INDOOR
1. Norway – 994.00
2. France – 898.00
3. Spain – 753.00
4. USA – 735.00
5. Germany – 619.00
5G download speeds show a significant improvement over 4G with an increase of 490% (outdoor) and 69% (indoor).
Average upload speeds continue to lag behind download speeds with almost no improvement from 4G to 5G in indoor tests, says Cellsmart.
Both 4G and 5G upload speeds remain significantly lower than download speeds. 5G upload speeds as a percentage of download speeds is 17%, compared to 74% on 4G.
“Download and upload speeds remain hyper-asymmetrical in 5G, which needs to improve to support enterprise use cases,” said Toby Forman, CEO at SmartCIC.
“On some 5G networks, consumers can download an entire high-definition TV episode in eight seconds while businesses can benefit from lightning-fast application performance.
“Maximum upload speeds have also increased since our last survey and they are showing that cellular networks are ready to deliver fixed wireless access solutions. Service providers and enterprises just need to know what is available on-the-ground where they operate.”
Forman added: “We will see consistent 1 Gbps download speeds and upload speeds of 100 Mbps in 2023. That will be a milestone for both 5G and the entire mobile industry.
“As download speeds continue to increase, we anticipate upload speeds to rise, especially as fixed wireless access becomes increasingly recognised as a revenue driver and margin opportunity.
“Over time, there will be greater emphasis on the B2B opportunity in 5G and in turn upload speeds will become a greater priority.”
