Research: Europe's 5G acceleration driven by Austria, Spain, UK, France

Global Ookla Study Reveals UK Progress on 5G Standalone Mobile Broadband

A new study into the global progress of 5G Standalone mobile broadband networks, which was conducted by Ookla, has revealed that global 5G SA availability – based on Speedtest.net sample share – reached 17.6% in Q4 2025 (i.e. one in six 5G speed tests were conducted on SA networks). The UK was also identified as an accelerator and saw its share rise from 1.7% to 7% in the last year. Just for some context. Earlier deployments of 5G were largely N…

A Global Reality Check on 5G SA and 5G Advanced in 2026

A year on from our inaugural report, the global 5G SA narrative in 2026 has shifted from a coverage race to a capability contest. The GCC now delivers median download speeds five times those in Europe, while the U.S. has completed its Tier-1 SA launches. Europe is accelerating, but from a low base, and the […] Read the full article A Global Reality Check on 5G SA and 5G Advanced in 2026 on Ookla®.

Research: Europe's 5G acceleration driven by Austria, Spain, UK, France

The second edition of Ookla and Omdia’s report on the global state of 5G Standalone confirms that the technology has moved beyond launch announcements into an execution-driven phase. By the close of 2025, the ‘coverage gap’ between major economic blocs had narrowed, but a more consequential ‘capability gap’ has emerged, reflecting divergent spectrum strategies, investment […]