Press Release
Saudi Arabia became the first market in the EMEA region to license the 600MHz frequency band for mobile telecommunications, enhancing network efficiency and connectivity
Opensignal, a leading global authority on mobile network experience insights, has unveiled its latest report analyzing the performance of Saudi Arabia’s three primary mobile network operators—STC, Mobily, and Zain. The study, based on data collected between November 1, 2024, and January 29, 2025, offers a comprehensive evaluation of network speed, quality, and coverage across the Kingdom.
STC Leads in Speed, Mobily Dominates 5G Video Experience
The report reaffirms stc’s position as the fastest mobile network in Saudi Arabia, recording an average download speed of 55.2 Mbps and an upload speed of 13 Mbps. The company also secured the 5G Download Speed award with an impressive 252.4 Mbps. Meanwhile, Mobily outperformed its competitors in 5G Upload Speed, achieving an average of 27.6 Mbps.
When it comes to video streaming quality, Mobily emerged as the clear leader in the 5G Video Experience category, earning a score of 73.5 out of 100. This improvement solidifies Mobily’s ability to deliver high-quality video streaming with minimal buffering, ensuring a seamless viewing experience for users across the Kingdom.
Mobily Leads in Reliability, stc Excels in Coverage
Mobily continued its strong performance in Consistent Quality, winning the category outright with a score of 61.7%, three percentage points ahead of stc. This metric measures a network’s ability to support common mobile applications without interruptions, highlighting Mobily’s reliability.
STC, on the other hand, maintained its dominance in network coverage, securing both the overall Coverage Experience and 5G Coverage Experience awards. With a score of 8.7 out of 10, STC demonstrated its ability to provide widespread network availability across urban and remote areas.
Its positioned Saudi Arabia among the top three global markets for 5G speeds in large countries, according to Opensignal’s Global Network Excellence Index, reinforcing the Kingdom’s commitment to digital transformation and innovation
STC and Mobily Compete for City-Level Leadership
At the regional level, Mobily secured 33 outright awards and shared 34, primarily in the 5G Experience category. stc won 31 outright awards and shared 33, excelling in the Overall Experience category. Zain ranked third with eight shared awards, half of which were in the 5G category.
Mobily led in Video Experience in major cities, including Riyadh, Jeddah, Madinah, and Dammam, while Zain showed improved performance in Hail. In download speeds, stc outperformed competitors in most cities except Abha, Hail, Khamis Mushayt, and Madinah, where Mobily took the lead. Similarly, Mobily excelled in upload speeds in Abha, Mecca, and Khamis Mushayt, while Riyadh recorded the highest Consistent Quality for Mobily users at 72.8%.
Saudi Arabia’s Network Expansion Strengthens 5G Leadership
Saudi Arabia’s telecommunications sector has undergone significant advancements, particularly following the Communications, Space & Technology Commission’s (CST) completion of the spectrum auction in November 2024. This auction expanded the licensed mobile frequencies by 27%, bringing the total to 1,400 MHz. stc secured spectrum in the 600MHz and 3.8GHz bands, Mobily acquired licenses in the 700MHz and 3.8GHz bands, while Zain obtained spectrum in the 600MHz band.
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