The Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) has released a report titled “Measure” that examines indicators of internet speed and digital content access in the Kingdom during the first quarter of 2023, this report aims to enhance competitiveness in the local market, improve the quality of services provided to users, and promote transparency in the sector.
Indicators and Comparisons
The report compares the indicators of the first quarter of 2023 for download speed, upload speed, and response time of service providers with the same period of the previous year, it also includes information on the deployment and performance of 5G networks and the access time to the most used social communication and video conferencing applications in the Kingdom.
Mobile Internet Download Speed
The report revealed that the average mobile internet download speed in the Kingdom reached 186.34 megabits per second, representing a 4.1% improvement compared to the previous year.
Fixed Internet Download Speed
As for fixed internet, the average download speed recorded was 115.16 megabits per second, showing an increase of 7.6% from the previous year, with an average upload speed of 50 megabits per second.
Telecommunications Service Providers
The report indicated that Saudi Telecom Company (STC) topped the list of telecommunications service providers in mobile internet download speed, with an average speed of 200.41 megabits per second, registering a 4.1% improvement compared to the previous year, on the other hand, Mobily led the list of service providers in fixed internet download speed with an average of 129.75 megabits per second, the report also included information about the performance of telecommunications service providers in mobile internet download speed across different regions of the Kingdom, with Saudi Telecom Company (STC) leading in nine regions.
5G Networks
Regarding 5G networks, their services reached 97 governorates in the Kingdom, with an average speed of 327.49 megabits per second.
Access Speed to Social Communication and Video Calling Applications
The report highlighted an improvement in the access speed to social communication and video calling applications in the Kingdom, with an increase of up to 58% compared to the previous year, Saudi Telecom Company (STC) topped the list in the access speed to Zoom video calls, while both Saudi Telecom Company (STC) and Zain shared the lead in the access speed to Instagram and Facebook applications.
Access Speed to Content Hosting Areas
In terms of access speed to content hosting areas, Zain led in accessing content hosted in Germany, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and the Netherlands, while Saudi Telecom Company (STC) topped the access speed to France and East and West America.
It is worth noting that the “Measure” report issued by the CITC serves as an important tool to improve service quality and empower users to choose service providers based on performance, it also provides an opportunity for investors and stakeholders to monitor the performance of the telecommunications market in the Kingdom.
