Qatar
Opensignal is the independent global standard for analyzing consumer mobile experience. Our industry reports are the definitive guide to understanding the true experience consumers receive on wireless networks.
Qatar
Opensignal is the independent global standard for analyzing consumer mobile experience. Our industry reports are the definitive guide to understanding the true experience consumers receive on wireless networks.
Key Findings
Ooredoo users have the most consistent experience in Qatar
Ooredoo wins both Excellent Consistent Quality and Core Consistent Quality awards. Ooredoo users registered 73.6% of tests that met the minimum recommended performance thresholds for common demanding applications such as watching HD video, and met the criteria for lower demanding usage cases in 83.2% of the conducted tests. In these metrics, Ooredoo led Vodafone by 16.1 percentage points and 10.3 percentage points respectively.
Ooredoo users enjoy the fastest download speeds in Qatar
Ooredoo wins both Download Speed Experience and 5G Download Speed. Our Ooredoo users registered download speeds of 50.9 Mbps across the overall network (56.4% ahead of Vodafone), and 368.4 Mbps across the 5G network (63.6% ahead of Vodafone).
Vodafone and Ooredoo jointly win Games Experience and 5G Games Experience
Vodafone and Ooredoo share the two awards for multiplayer gaming experience – Games Experience and 5G Games Experience. Opensignal quantifies the multiplayer gaming experience across by analyzing multiple mobile network conditions including latency, packet loss, and jitter. Joint wins signify that there was no statistically significant difference between the recorded user experience on these operators’ networks.
The fastest Upload Speed Experience is with Ooredoo
With the fastest Upload Speed Experience, our Ooredoo users found it quicker and easier to share photos and videos on social media sites, or to send documents by email or upload them into cloud services. Ooredoo users registered average uplink speeds of 13.8 Mbps across the operator’s entire network. Alongside Ooredoo’s two outright wins for download speed, it means Ooredoo has the best overall speed experience in Qatar.
Vodafone and Ooredoo share all the coverage awards
Vodafone and Ooredoo together take joint wins for all of our metrics in the coverage category. With each metric, there was no statistical difference in the two operators’ scores. The three awards are: Availability, which measures the proportion of the time users were connected to either 3G/4G/5G networks (97.9-98.0%); 5G Availability, the proportion of the time 5G users had an active 5G connection (15-17.8%); and 5G Reach, which analyzes the average proportion of locations where users were connected to a 5G network out of all the locations those users have visited (5.6-5.7 points on a 10 point scale).
Mobile Experience Awards
Market Overview
In Opensignal's latest Mobile Network Experience report for Qatar, we analyze data from our users relating to both the overall experience and the experience on 5G networks.
Ooredoo leads the market in Qatar, winning all of the available award categories either outright, or jointly together with Vodafone. Ooredoo position in the awards table is further improved compared to the last Opensignal report. In this report both operators jointly win 5G Voice App Experience — previously it was won by Vodafone outright. Now, Ooredoo solely wins seven awards and wins another eight jointly with Vodafone.
In preparation for the 2022 football World Cup starting on 20th November, the country’s Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) in August stated that following audits conducted to measure mobile network capacity, the country’s mobile operators should be capable of meeting the surge in demand anticipated with the arrival of visitors. CRA also noted that in 2021 the country’s mobile capacity was extended with additional 5G spectrum, that included mmWave, although not all of this new spectrum has been deployed yet.
Ericsson and Ooredoo have partnered to optimize 5G across eight stadiums in the country. Subsequently, in March 2022 claimed the successful implementation of a ‘world first’ 5G indoor shareable solution using Ericsson’s equipment aimed at enhancing immersive experiences at stadiums and venues. This follows Ooredoo Group’s five-year strategic agreement with Ericsson signed in January 2021 for the supply of 5G equipment and services, part of which included Ericsson installing midband 5G massive multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) radios.
In December 2021 Vodafone said it had expanded its 5G network to cover Al Rayyan Stadium, the third stadium at the time to have been covered by the operator with 5G. In the same month, Vodafone stated it trialed mmWave 5G services with the aim of unlocking new functionality for consumers and businesses. This type of spectrum offers tremendous capacity and very high speeds but with shorter range. To date, U.S. operators have been the main users of mmWave for 5G.
In this report we examine the mobile network experience of the two main mobile network operators in Qatar — Ooredoo and Vodafone — over a period of 90 days starting on July 1, 2022 and ending on September 28, 2022, to see how they fared.
Overall Experience
National Analysis
Ooredoo is the outright winner of the Video Experience award with a score of 57.0 points on a 100 point scale. It wins by a convincing margin — 11.6 points (25.7%) ahead of second placed Vodafone which scored 45.4 points.
Looking at Video Experience among 5G Users — our users registered impressive differences. Ooredoo scored 8.8 higher in Video Experience for 5G Users, when compared to the all user scores. Ooredoo thus earned a Very Good rating (65-75) in Video Experience – 5G Users.
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.
National Analysis
Our users on Vodafone’s and Ooredoo’s networks both had similar multiplayer gaming experience on mobile connections in Qatar. Both operators share joint wins for the Games Experience and 5G Games Experience awards. This is progress for Ooredoo, as in the previous Mobile Network Experience report, Vodafone was the sole winner in this category.
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.
National Analysis
Ooredoo and Vodafone share the Voice App Experience award, as they had statistically tied scores in the 78.2-78.6 point range on a 100 point scale. Both operators placed in the Acceptable category (74-80) meaning that perceptible call quality impairments were experienced by some users but 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.
National Analysis
Our users observed the fastest average overall download speeds on Ooredoo’s network of 50.9 Mbps. This speed was 18.4 Mbps (56.4%) faster than second placed Vodafone’s score of 32.5 Mbps. As a result, Ooredoo is the outright winner of the Download Speed Experience award.
Turning to the overall average download speed seen by 5G users only, across all network generations, our 5G users observed an even greater lead with Ooredoo. They registered average download speeds of 131.5 Mbps, which was 58.3 Mbps faster (79.6%) than the speed our 5G users experienced on Vodafone’s network at 73.2 Mbps.
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).
National Analysis
As our Ooredoo users observed the fastest average overall upload speeds — 13.8 Mbps — Ooredoo is the sole winner of the Upload Speed Experience award. It wins with a lead of 4.3 Mbps (44.6%) over Vodafone, given the latter’s score of 9.6 Mbps.
Looking at Upload Speed Experience – 5G Users, we saw Ooredoo once again leading at 18.4 Mbps, while Vodafone scored 13.0 Mbps.
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).
5G Experience
National Analysis
Ooredoo wins 5G Video Experience award, with a score of 70.6 point range, on a 100 point scale – 6.6 points ahead of Vodafone’s score of 64.0. Ooredoo earned a Very Good rating (65-75) in 5G Video Experience, and Vodafone earned a Good rating (55-65) in 5G Video Experience.
Compared to the overall Video Experience scores, Ooredoo and Vodafone scored 13.6 and 18.7 in 5G Video Experience, speaking to the benefits of the latest generation network for user experience.
Definitions
5G Video Experience quantifies the quality of mobile video experienced by Opensignal users on real-world video streams when they were connected to 5G. 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 5G Video Experience, we are directly measuring video streams from end-user devices and using this ITU approach to quantify the video experience observed by our users on each operator’s 5G network 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.
National Analysis
Our users’ multiplayer mobile gaming experience when connected to 5G was statistically similar on Qatar’s two national operators. In fact, Ooredoo and Vodafone’s scores were statistically tied with scores of 63.6-64.0 points.
Definitions
5G Games Experience measures how mobile users experience real-time multiplayer mobile gaming on an operator's 5G network. It analyzes how our users’ multiplayer mobile gaming experience was affected by mobile network conditions including latency, packet loss and jitter. 5G Games Experience for each operator is calculated on a scale from 0 to 100.
5G 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 5G Games Experience starts with measuring the end-to-end experience from users’ devices to internet end-points that host real games.
National Analysis
Our users’ 5G Voice App Experience was statistically similar on Qatar’s two national networks. In fact, Ooredoo and Vodafone’s scores were statistically tied with scores of 78.3-79.4 points. This placed the experience for users on both networks in the Acceptable category (74-80). This is progress for Ooredoo, as in the previous Mobile Network Experience report, Vodafone was the sole winner in this category.
Definitions
5G Voice App Experience quantifies the experience of Opensignal users when using over-the-top voice apps — such as WhatsApp, Skype and Facebook Messenger — on an operator’s 5G network. It uses 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. 5G Voice App Experience for each operator is calculated on a scale from 0 to 100.
National Analysis
Our Ooredoo users saw the fastest average 5G download speeds — 368.4 Mbps, making Ooredoo the sole winner of the 5G Download Speed award. These speeds reflect only tests when users were connected to 5G. Ooredoo’s score was 143.3 Mbps higher than Vodafone’s as the latter operator scored 225.2 Mbps.
Operators’ 5G Download Speed scores were 6.9-7.2 times faster than their overall Download Speed Experience scores, highlighting the extent to which overall download speeds improve when users benefit from 5G.
Definitions
5G Download Speed shows the average download speed experienced by Opensignal users across an operator’s 5G network. 5G Download Speed for each operator is calculated in Mbps (Megabits per second).
National Analysis
Ooredoo and Vodafone share the 5G Upload Speed award. Our users on the two operators observed statistically the same recorded 5G upload speeds of 27.4-31.6 Mbps.
Definitions
5G Upload Speed measures the average upload speeds experienced by Opensignal users across an operator’s 5G network. 5G Upload Speed for each operator is calculated in Mbps (Megabits per second).
Coverage
Ooredoo
Vodafone
National Analysis
Ooredoo and Vodafone share the Availability award, with scores in the 97.9-98.0% range. This means that our users on the two operators spent the same proportion of time connected to either 3G, 4G, or 5G network with no statistical difference between the scores.
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.
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.
National Analysis
Ooredoo and Vodafone share the 5G Availability award, with scores in the 15.0-17.8% range. This means that our users who are actively using the 5G network on the two operators, spent statistically the same proportion of their time with an active 5G connection. This an improvement for Vodafone from the last Mobile Network Experience report, when Ooredoo was the sole leader in this award category.
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.
5G Availability shows the proportion of time Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription had an active 5G connection.
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.
National Analysis
Ooredoo and Vodafone share the 5G Reach award, with scores in the 5.6-5.7 range. This means that our users who are actively using the 5G network on the two operators, had 5G signal available to them across statistically the same proportion of locations, out of all the locations they visited.
Definitions
5G Reach measures how users experience the geographical extent of an operator’s 5G network. It analyzes the average proportion of locations where users were connected to a 5G network out of all the locations those users have visited. In simple terms, 5G Reach measures the 5G mobile experience in all the locations that matter most to everyday users – i.e. all the places where they live, work and travel. 5G Reach for each operator is measured on a scale from 0 to 10.
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.
Consistency
National Analysis
Ooredoo was the operator that met the minimum recommended performance thresholds in the greatest proportion of users' tests – where the performance measured HD video, group video conference calls, and gaming. Therefore Ooredoo is the sole winner of the Excellent Consistent Quality award as its score of 73.6% is 16.1 percentage points higher than that of second-placed Vodafone’s 57.5%.
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.
National Analysis
As is the case with Excellent Consistent Quality, Ooredoo is the outright winner of the Core Consistent Quality award — based on our measurements it met the minimum recommended performance thresholds for lower performance applications including SD video, voice calls and web browsing for the highest proportion of users' tests (83.2%). However, Ooredoo’s lead on Vodafone was smaller than in the case of Excellent Consistent Quality — 10.3 percentage points — as Vodafone scored 73.0%.
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.
Related Analysis
Our Methodology
Collecting billions of individual measurements daily from over 100 million devices globally, Opensignal independently analyzes mobile user experience on every major network operator around the globe.
About Opensignal
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Confidence Intervals
For every metric we calculate statistical confidence intervals indicated on our graphs. When confidence intervals overlap, our measured results are too close to declare a winner. In those cases, we show a statistical draw. For this reason, some metrics have multiple operator winners.
In our bar graphs we represent confidence intervals as boundaries on either sides of graph bars.
In our supporting-metric charts we show confidence intervals as +/- numerical values.
Why confidence intervals are vital in analyzing mobile network experience