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Oman

Mobile Network Experience Report
July 2022

Opensignal is the independent global standard for analyzing consumers' connectivity experiences. Our industry reports are the definitive guide to understanding what happens when people use their mobile and broadband connections in their daily life.

Author: Sam Fenwick, Senior Analyst Data Collection Period: Mar 01 - May 29, 2022

Oman

Mobile Network Experience Report
July 2022

Opensignal is the independent global standard for analyzing consumers' connectivity experiences. Our industry reports are the definitive guide to understanding what happens when people use their mobile and broadband connections in their daily life.

Author: Sam Fenwick, Senior Analyst

Data Collection Period: Mar 01 - May 29, 2022

Key Findings

Ooredoo comes top for Consistency

Our users had their best Excellent Consistent Quality and Core Consistent Quality experience on Ooredoo’s network, making the operator the outright winner of both awards. Ooredoo wins Excellent Consistent Quality with a score of 64.7% and a lead of 27 percentage points over Omantel. It wins Core Consistent Quality with 82.3% and a similarly impressive lead of 24.3 percentage points over Omantel. Excellent Consistent Quality is the percentage of users’ tests that met the minimum recommended performance thresholds to watch HD video, complete group video conference calls and play games; Core Consistent Quality uses thresholds for less demanding applications such as web browsing.

Ooredoo wins Upload Speed Experience

Our Ooredoo users saw the fastest available upload speeds in Oman. They reported the fastest average overall upload speeds in the country — 9 Mbps. Ooredoo’s score was 1.8 Mbps (24.6%) faster than Omantel’s 7.2 Mbps.

Omani users spent over 97% of time connected to 3G or better

Omantel and Ooredoo are joint winners of the Availability award, with statistically tied scores of 97.8-98%. This means that our Omani users spent more than 97% of their time connected to either 3G, 4G or 5G.

Ooredoo hits the 30 Mbps mark for Download Speed Experience

Our Omani users saw no statistically significant difference in their average overall download speeds regardless of their choice of national operator. However, Ooredoo has broken past the 30 Mbps mark joining Omantel users with average download speeds in that category.

Mobile Experience Awards

July 2022, Oman Report
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Market Overview

The contest for the best mobile network experience in Oman continues to be closely fought. Ooredoo has the lion’s share of awards and is the only operator in Oman to win any awards outright with three clear wins: Upload Speed Experience, Excellent Consistent Quality and Core Consistent Quality. It shares the remaining five awards with Omantel. Our users did not observe any statistically significant difference in their experience between the two operators across all three experiential metrics — Video Experience, Games Experience and Voice App Experience.

Vodafone Oman became the Sultanate’s third mobile operator in January this year. The new operator said that it has 5G coverage across Muscat in addition to coverage across the country. Vodafone Oman is owned by Oman Future Telecommunications (OFT), which has a strategic partnership agreement with Vodafone Group. While it is too early for Vodafone to be included in our results this time, look out for its inclusion in future mobile network experience reports.

In this report, we've analyzed our data gathered in the 90 day period beginning on March 1 and ending on May 29, 2022, to see how Oman’s two established national operators — Omantel and Ooredoo — measure up. 5G measurements contribute to the overall scores in all categories.

Overall Experience
Coverage
Consistency
Video Experience
Games Experience
Voice App Experience
Download Speed Experience
Upload Speed Experience
Video Experience
in 0-100 points
Omantel
49.9
Ooredoo
54.1
015304560
The brackets represent confidence intervals.
Read why confidence intervals are important.
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Games Experience
in 0-100 points
Omantel
54.6
Ooredoo
59.5
016.53349.566
The brackets represent confidence intervals.
Read why confidence intervals are important.
Download Image
Voice App Experience
in 0-100 points
Omantel
75.8
Ooredoo
76.3
020406080
The brackets represent confidence intervals.
Read why confidence intervals are important.
Download Image
Download Speed Experience
in Mbps
Omantel
35.3
Ooredoo
32.8
010203040
The brackets represent confidence intervals.
Read why confidence intervals are important.
Download Image
Upload Speed Experience
in Mbps
Omantel
7.2
Ooredoo
9.0
02.557.510
The brackets represent confidence intervals.
Read why confidence intervals are important.
Download Image

National Analysis

When it comes to the quality of our Omani users’ experience when streaming video on smartphones over mobile connections, there was no statistically significant difference between that on Omantel and Ooredoo’s networks. As a result, the two operators share the Video Experience award with scores of 49.9-54.1 points on a 100 point scale.

Definitions

Opensignal’s Video Experience quantifies the quality of video streamed to mobile devices by measuring real-world video streams over an operator's networks. The metric is based on an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach, built upon detailed studies which have derived a relationship between technical parameters, including picture quality, video loading time and stall rate, with the perceived video experience as reported by real people. To calculate video experience, we are directly measuring video streams from end-user devices and using this ITU approach to quantify the overall video experience for each operator on a scale from 0 to 100. The videos tested include a mixture of resolutions — including Full HD (FHD) and 4K / Ultra HD (UHD) — and are streamed directly from the world’s largest video content providers.

In addition to Video Experience, we report on the following metrics related to video experience:

  • 5G Video Experience: The average Video Experience of Opensignal users when they were connected to an operator’s 5G network.
  • Video Experience – 5G Users: The average Video Experience of Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator's networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G video experience along with the availability of each technology.
  • 4G Video Experience: The average Video Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 4G network.
  • 3G Video Experience: The average Video Experience of Opensignal users on an operator’s 3G network.

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National Analysis

Omantel and Ooredoo are joint winners of the Games Experience award with statistically tied scores in the 54.6-59.5 point range on a 100 point scale.

Our Omani users had a Poor (40-65) experience when playing multiplayer mobile games over cellular connections regardless of their choice of operator. This indicates that most users found this level of experience unacceptable. The majority of users reported seeing a delay in the gameplay experience and they did not receive immediate feedback on their actions. Many users felt a lack of controllability.

Definitions

Opensignal’s Games Experience measures how mobile users experience real-time multiplayer mobile gaming on an operator’s network. Measured on a scale of 0-100, it analyzes how our users’ multiplayer mobile gaming experience is affected by mobile network conditions including latency, packet loss and jitter.

Games Experience quantifies the experience when playing real-time multiplayer mobile games on mobile devices connected to servers located around the world. The approach is built on several years of research quantifying the relationship between technical network parameters and the gaming experience as reported by real mobile users. These parameters include latency (round trip time), jitter (variability of latency) and packet loss (the proportion of data packets that never reach their destination). Additionally, it considers multiple genres of multiplayer mobile games to measure the average sensitivity to network conditions. The games tested include some of the most popular real-time multiplayer mobile games (such as Fortnite, Pro Evolution Soccer and Arena of Valor) played around the world.

Calculating Games Experience starts with measuring the end-to-end experience from users’ devices to internet end-points that host real games. The score is then measured on a scale from 0 to 100.

In addition to Games Experience, we report on the following metrics related to games experience:

  • 5G Games Experience: The average Games Experience of Opensignal users when they were connected to an operator’s 5G network.
  • Games Experience – 5G Users: The average Games Experience of Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator's networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G games experience along with the availability of each technology.
  • 4G Games Experience: The average Games Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 4G network.
  • 3G Games Experience: The average Games Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 3G (e.g. UMTS/HSPA or CDMA 1X EV-DO) network.

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National Analysis

As is the case with the other two experiential categories, our Omani users did not observe a statistically significant difference in their experience when using over-the-top voice applications over cellular networks. As a result, Omantel and Ooredoo are joint winners of the Voice App Experience award with scores in the 75.8-76.3 point range.

Both operators placed in the Acceptable (74-80) category, which means that some users were satisfied and listeners were generally able to comprehend without repetition.

Definitions

Opensignal's Voice App Experience measures the quality of experience for over-the-top (OTT) voice services — mobile voice apps such as WhatsApp, Skype and Facebook Messenger — using a model derived from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach for quantifying overall voice call quality and a series of calibrated technical parameters. This model characterizes the exact relationship between the technical measurements and perceived call quality. Voice App Experience for each operator is calculated on a scale from 0 to 100.

In addition to Voice App Experience, we report on the following metrics related to voice app experience:

  • 5G Voice App Experience: The average Voice App Experience of Opensignal users when they were connected to an operator’s 5G network.
  • Voice App Experience – 5G Users: The average Voice App Experience of Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator's networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G voice app experience along with the availability of each technology.
  • 4G Voice App Experience: The average Voice App Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 4G network.
  • 3G Voice App Experience: The average Voice App Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 3G (e.g. UMTS/HSPA or CDMA 1X EV-DO) network.

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National Analysis

Both of the Sultanate’s established operators’ users clocked up average download speeds that were well above the 30 Mbps mark (32.8-35.3 Mbps). However, as there was no statistically significant difference between the two operators’ scores, both Omantel and Ooredoo are joint winners of the Download Speed Experience award.

Definitions

Measured in Mbps, Download Speed Experience represents the typical everyday speeds a user experiences across an operator’s mobile data networks.

In addition to Download Speed Experience, we report on the following metrics related to download speeds:

  • 5G Download Speed: The average download speed observed by Opensignal users with active 5G connections.
  • Download Speed Experience – 5G Users: The average download speeds experienced by Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator’s networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G download speeds along with the availability of each technology.
  • 4G Download Speed: The average downlink speed observed by Opensignal users when they were connected to 4G.
  • 3G Download Speed: The average downlink speed observed by Opensignal users when they were connected to 3G (e.g. UMTS/HSPA or CDMA 1X EV-DO).

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National Analysis

Ooredoo wins the Upload Speed Experience award outright with a score of 9 Mbps — 1.8 Mbps (24.6%) faster than the 7.2 Mbps our Omantel users saw. Upload speeds are becoming increasingly important to users as social media encourages them to create and share more content, instead of simply consuming it.

Definitions

Upload Speed Experience measures the average upload speeds for each operator observed by our users across their mobile data networks. Typically upload speeds are slower than download speeds, as current mobile broadband technologies focus resources on providing the best possible download speed for users consuming content on their devices. As mobile internet trends move away from downloading content to creating content and supporting real-time communications services, upload speeds are becoming more vital and new technologies are emerging that boost upstream capacity.

In addition to Upload Speed Experience, we report on five supporting metrics related to upload speeds:

  • 5G Upload Speed: The average upload speed observed by Opensignal users with active 5G connections.
  • Upload Speed Experience – 5G Users: The average upload speeds experienced by Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator’s networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G upload speeds along with the availability of each technology.
  • 4G Upload Speed: The average uplink speed observed by Opensignal users when they were connected to 4G.
  • 3G Upload Speed: The average uplink speed observed by Opensignal users when they were connected to 3G (e.g. UMTS/HSPA or CDMA 1X EV-DO).

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Omantel

Ooredoo

Availability
Availability
% of time
Omantel
97.8
Ooredoo
98.0
0255075100
The brackets represent confidence intervals.
Read why confidence intervals are important.
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National Analysis

When it comes to the proportion of time that our Omani users spent connected to either 3G, 4G or 5G, there was no statistically significant difference in that seen between users on Omantel and Ooredoo’s networks and as a result, the two operators share the Availability award with scores in the 97.8-98% range.

Definitions

Our availability metrics are not a measure of a network’s geographical extent. They won’t tell you whether you are likely to get a signal if you plan to visit a remote rural or nearly uninhabited region. Instead, they measure what proportion of time people have a network connection, in the places they most commonly frequent — something often missed by traditional coverage metrics. Looking at when users have a connection rather than where, provides us with a more precise reflection of the true user experience.

We also keep track of the instances that leave mobile users most frustrated: when there is no signal to connect to at all. The most common dead zones users struggle with occur indoors. As most of our availability data is collected indoors (as that’s where users spend most of their time), we’re particularly astute at detecting areas of zero signal.

Our availability metrics take a user-centric, time-based approach that complements the user-centric and geographical-based methodology used by our reach metrics.

Availability shows the proportion of time all Opensignal users on an operator’s network had either a 3G, 4G or 5G connection.

Map Definition

The coverage maps show the locations where we received measurements from users connecting with 3G or better mobile service. Each map provides an indication of the areas in which it is possible to obtain mobile service from that mobile operator.

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Excellent Consistent Quality
Core Consistent Quality
Excellent Consistent Quality
% of tests
Omantel
37.7
Ooredoo
64.7
016.53349.566
The brackets represent confidence intervals.
Read why confidence intervals are important.
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Core Consistent Quality
% of tests
Omantel
58.1
Ooredoo
82.3
021.54364.586
The brackets represent confidence intervals.
Read why confidence intervals are important.
Download Image

National Analysis

In contrast to many other categories, Ooredoo wins the Excellent Consistent Quality award by a huge margin — an impressive 27 percentage points. Its score of 64.7% is nearly double Omantel’s 37.7%. This means that 64.7% of our Ooredoo users’ tests met the minimum recommended performance thresholds to watch HD video, complete group video conference calls and play games.

Definitions

Consistent Quality measures how often users’ experience on a network was sufficient to support common applications’ requirements. It measures download speed, upload speed, latency, jitter, packet loss, time to first byte and the percentage of tests attempted which did not succeed due to a connectivity issue on either the download or server response component.

Full details on how the Consistent Quality metrics — Excellent Consistent Quality and Core Consistent Quality — are calculated can be found here.

Excellent Consistent Quality is the percentage of users’ tests that met the minimum recommended performance thresholds to watch HD video, complete group video conference calls and play games.

Learn more

National Analysis

Ooredoo wins the second award in the Consistency category with a score of 82.3%, giving it an impressive lead of 24.3 percentage points over Omantel’s score of 58.1%. As Ooredoo also wins the Excellent Consistent Quality award, this means that our Ooredoo users saw the largest proportion of their tests meet the minimum recommended performance thresholds both for demanding applications (Excellent Consistent Quality) and lower performance applications (Core Consistent Quality).

Definitions

Consistent Quality measures how often users’ experience on a network was sufficient to support common applications’ requirements. It measures download speed, upload speed, latency, jitter, packet loss, time to first byte and the percentage of tests attempted which did not succeed due to a connectivity issue on either the download or server response component.

Full details on how the Consistent Quality metrics — Excellent Consistent Quality and Core Consistent Quality — are calculated can be found here.

Core Consistent Quality is the percentage of users’ tests that met the minimum recommended performance thresholds for lower performance applications including SD video, voice calls and web browsing.

Learn more

Related Analysis

Our Methodology

Collecting billions of individual measurements daily from over 100 million devices globally, Opensignal independently analyzes mobile and broadband user experience on every major network operator around the globe.

About Opensignal

Opensignal is the leading global provider of independent insights into consumers' connectivity experiences and choice of carrier. Our proprietary insights into mobile and broadband networks give operators the solutions they need to profitably compete and win, from executive level scorecards and public validation to pin-point level engineering analytics and consumer decision dynamics.

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