Ookla: Telenor had the world’s fastest mobile network throughout 2018
Fornebu
5 minute read
(Fornebu, 17 January 2019) In August last year, Ookla announced that Telenor had the world’s fastest mobile network, based on measurements from the second quarter of 2018. According to new results, Telenor had the world’s fastest mobile network on average throughout the whole of 2018.
If you have ever tried to check the speed of either your broadband or mobile Internet connection you have most probably used Speedtest® by Ookla®. Recent measurements carried out by consumers using the Speedtest app show that Telenor had the world’s fastest mobile network throughout 2018.
"For more than a century, Telenor has been building a solid foundation in order to deliver the very best services possible. However, our country continues to challenge us with its vast mountains and deep fjords. That is why we’re especially proud of these results. We have ambitious expansion plans moving forward and these will continue throughout 2019," says Bjørn Ivar Moen, Acting CEO of Telenor Norway.
Telenor’s ability to build the world’s fastest mobile network is not a given. Norway is an elongated country with a demanding topography. Mountains, fjords and challenging weather conditions make the expansion of mobile coverage particularly difficult. Nevertheless, it is evident that Telenor’s mobile customers are benefitting from a mobile network which is best in class worldwide.
"Norwegian customers have high demands when it comes to network quality. They expect high quality mobile coverage whether they are at work, at home or in their cabins. It is vital that we meet their expectations and deliver as promised. It is thanks to our demanding customers and the talented technologists in our organisation that we have been able to build such a superior network," says Moen.
Ookla reports that over 500,000 customer-initiated tests were carried out with Speedtest in Norway during 2018. These measurements form the basis of the results. The fact that mobile customers themselves have tested the speed under conditions they normally use their mobile phones, makes these tests extra valuable and reliable. The average speed from all of these measurements were then compared with corresponding numbers from other mobile operators around the world.
Doug Suttles, CEO of Ookla, says, "It’s an absolute pleasure to once again congratulate Telenor Norway for having the world’s fastest mobile network - this time for the entirety of 2018. It’s a challenging task to sustain a stable and high performing network, and we are very impressed by the good work being done by Telenor Norway. We at Ookla look forward to seeing more innovative and exciting solutions from Telenor Norway this coming year for the benefit of both their customers and the telecommunications industry as a whole."
Norwegian mobile customers are using more data than ever and have high expectations to network speed. According to figures from Telenor, data traffic is growing at a rate of 30-40 per cent every year. In order to meet this high demand, Telenor has set clear goals for 2019. This includes the gradual phasing out of 3G on a county-by-county basis by 2020 in order to increase the capacity of the 4G network.
"People are using more and more data and we acknowledge that there are great opportunities which will require more investments. A step in this direction is to make space for more 4G, but several other innovative projects are also on its way. One of them is the launch of several 5G pilots in the time to come," says Moen.
"For more than a century, Telenor has been building a solid foundation in order to deliver the very best services possible. However, our country continues to challenge us with its vast mountains and deep fjords. That is why we’re especially proud of these results. We have ambitious expansion plans moving forward and these will continue throughout 2019," says Bjørn Ivar Moen, Acting CEO of Telenor Norway.
Fastest in the world, against all odds
Telenor’s ability to build the world’s fastest mobile network is not a given. Norway is an elongated country with a demanding topography. Mountains, fjords and challenging weather conditions make the expansion of mobile coverage particularly difficult. Nevertheless, it is evident that Telenor’s mobile customers are benefitting from a mobile network which is best in class worldwide.
"Norwegian customers have high demands when it comes to network quality. They expect high quality mobile coverage whether they are at work, at home or in their cabins. It is vital that we meet their expectations and deliver as promised. It is thanks to our demanding customers and the talented technologists in our organisation that we have been able to build such a superior network," says Moen.
Setting the standard
Ookla reports that over 500,000 customer-initiated tests were carried out with Speedtest in Norway during 2018. These measurements form the basis of the results. The fact that mobile customers themselves have tested the speed under conditions they normally use their mobile phones, makes these tests extra valuable and reliable. The average speed from all of these measurements were then compared with corresponding numbers from other mobile operators around the world.
Doug Suttles, CEO of Ookla, says, "It’s an absolute pleasure to once again congratulate Telenor Norway for having the world’s fastest mobile network - this time for the entirety of 2018. It’s a challenging task to sustain a stable and high performing network, and we are very impressed by the good work being done by Telenor Norway. We at Ookla look forward to seeing more innovative and exciting solutions from Telenor Norway this coming year for the benefit of both their customers and the telecommunications industry as a whole."
Getting equipped for the future
Norwegian mobile customers are using more data than ever and have high expectations to network speed. According to figures from Telenor, data traffic is growing at a rate of 30-40 per cent every year. In order to meet this high demand, Telenor has set clear goals for 2019. This includes the gradual phasing out of 3G on a county-by-county basis by 2020 in order to increase the capacity of the 4G network.
"People are using more and more data and we acknowledge that there are great opportunities which will require more investments. A step in this direction is to make space for more 4G, but several other innovative projects are also on its way. One of them is the launch of several 5G pilots in the time to come," says Moen.