The second half of 2022 presented significant challenges for European economies. The energy crisis, soaring inflation, and political tensions led to budget cuts and restrictions on investments in telecommunications networks. This is evidenced by a report from the international organization GSMA. It estimated that by the end of June 2022, only 108 operators in 34 markets in Europe had launched 5G services, with consumer usage of 5G technology accounting for just 6% of the total customer base. How has this impacted the quality and speed of mobile Internet? Our latest report provides some insight.

We closely analyzed the measurements taken by users of the RFBENCHMARK application in European Economic Area countries between 1 July and 31 December 2022. Based on this, we have prepared a brief overview of the current state of the mobile Internet services market in selected European countries.

Read also: Quality and speed of mobile Internet in Europe – (H1 2022)

Average data download speed: Belgium (91.45 Mbps)

Belgium and Lithuania shine with their high average data download speeds. Both countries offer excellent Internet connectivity, enabling fast access to online information and files. Belgium boasts an average speed of 91.45 Mbps, which is a remarkable result. Lithuania is not far behind, with an average data download speed of 87.9 Mbps. 

Hungary and Romania, on the other hand, lag behind in terms of average data download speed in the European Economic Area. These countries have average data download speeds of less than 33 Mbps, significantly lower than the average results in other EEA countries.

Hungary has an average data download speed of 30.37 Mbps, while Romania offers 32.2 Mbps. The lower results in these countries may result in delays and negatively impact the quality of wireless Internet services.

Average data upload speed: Slovenia (30.83 Mbps)

The Adriatic countries dominate the average data upload speed category. Slovenia boasts an impressive average speed of 30.83 Mbps, outpacing other countries in the region. Their neighbor, Croatia, is also a strong performer, with an average data upload speed of 26.61 Mbps.

At the other end of the spectrum, Ireland and Germany lag behind. Ireland’s average data upload speed is just 6.29 Mbps, significantly lower than the regional average. Germany also falls short, with an average data upload speed of 9.09 Mbps.

Ping: Estonia (23 ms)

Where in the EEA can we find efficient file transmissions with minimal delays? Look no further than the Baltic countries. 

Estonia and Latvia are a paradise for tech-savvy individuals who value seamless data transmission. If you’re passionate about new technologies and can’t tolerate even a millisecond of latency, you should definitely consider these countries. Estonia boasts a ping value of just 23 ms, while Latvia offers a ping value of 23.75 ms.

On the other hand, Norway and France struggle in this area. Norway’s average ping value is as high as 54.84 ms, much higher than in many other countries in the region. The situation is similar in France, with an average ping value of 50.63 ms. These results are significantly higher than the average across the European Economic Area.

Read also: Mobile Internet in Poland 5G/LTE/3G (January 2023)

How did we collect data for the ranking?

The measurements are collected from the users of our mobile app. It allows us to measure basic mobile network parameters – including signal level and quality depending on the technology used by the mobile device, information about the mobile network operator, or the country where the smartphone is located. In addition, on-demand measurements of data download and upload speeds, as well as a latency test, are performed. When the app notices a low-quality voice call, lack of mobile Internet service, or other services, it has the ability to report the user’s current position where the problem occurred.