Introduction
In our first 5G Experience Report on Austria, we saw a strong competition between operators, with only one outright victory — as 3 wins the 5G Download Speed award with a staggering lead over its competitors. In other categories, there were three two-way and two three-way statistical ties. In the case of 5G Video Experience and 5G Availability, there were no statistically significant differences between any of the Austrian operators.
On top of its outright win for 5G Download speed, 3 shared a victory in three additional categories. Magenta secured five joint wins — one more than A1. Noteworthy, Magenta was the only Austrian operator that we recognized as a 5G Global Leader in our latest 5G Global Mobile Network Experience Awards 2021 — for 5G Upload Speed and 5G Games Experience. Opensignal also acknowledged Magenta for 5G Global Impact for Upload Speed — meaning, our users on this network saw one of the most remarkable improvements in their average upload speeds with 5G compared to 4G, at a global level.
Regulatory Authority for Broadcasting & Telecoms (RTR) has allocated 5G-capable spectrum in two spectrum auctions — in the 3.4-3.8 GHz band in March 2019 and in 700, 1500 and 2100 MHz bands in September 2020. Assigned spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band allowed Austrian mobile operators to roll-out their 5G networks relatively early compared to other European markets. Magenta was the first operator in Austria to launch 5G commercial services in March 2019, shortly after the 3.5 GHz auction — followed by 3’s 5G network introduced in June 2019 and A1’s in January 2020.
Many months after these initial launches, mobile operators carry on with the ongoing expansion of their 5G infrastructure and coverage. In May 2021, Magenta announced that it had started deployingthe 700 MHz band for 5G services in rural areas and claimed to have covered more than a third of the population with 5G. Meanwhile, in July 2021 A1 claimed to have covered nearly 50% of the country’s population, including 80% of Vienna’s inhabitants with 5G network infrastructure using 2,000 5G transmitters. Also in July 2021, 3 deployed a trial 5G Standalone (SA) network in Vienna and intends to roll-out its commercial 5G SA network early next year, using the 700 and 1500 MHz spectrum bands.
However, the three incumbent Austrian mobile operators may face a new challenger next year. Austrian MVNO Spusu plans to roll-out its 5G SA network in the first half of 2022. The operator has already commenced the deployments of its base stations and intends to invest EUR 10 million in its operations over the next three years. Alongside its 5G deployments, Spusu will continue to operate as an MVNO, using 3’s infrastructure.
In this report, we analysed the 5G experience of our users on the three main mobile network operators in Austria: A1, Magenta and 3; over the period of 90 days between August 1, 2021 and October 29, 2021, to see how they fared. In October 2021, we also published Austria Mobile Network Experience report — which analyzes the overall experience of all our mobile users in Austria.