Kuwait City, Nov 14: Raising the bar yet again with an impressive achievement that reaffirms its leadership position in the local telecom & ICT industry, Zain announces that it has become the first and only operator in Kuwait to win three major awards in the same year from Ookla Speedtest, the renowned global leader in connectivity intelligence, for Q2-Q3 2023.

The three prestigious accolades, ‘Fastest 5G Network’, ‘Best 5G Video Experience’, and ‘Fastest Internet’, came after Zain’s network successfully topped the extensive analysis carried out by Ookla on hundreds of thousands of user-initiated tests made by consumers in Kuwait. The tests were carried on all of Kuwait’s major networks throughout the previous months, and Zain deservedly scored the highest results in the above three categories.

Commenting on the occasion, Zain Kuwait Chief Executive Officer Eaman Al Roudhan said: “We’re proud to announce this unmatched achievement, which affirms the fact that Zain is Kuwait’s number one network. Once again, we have proven that we are the market leader, and have further solidified our position in the telecom and ICT industry.”

Al Roudhan continued: “Our ongoing investment in upskilling our employees and cultivating our human resources is key to realizing Zain’s vision and continuing its leadership journey. In addition, we will always strive to elevate our customers’ experience because it is the real guarantee for growing our powerful brand and it drives us to invest more in 5G networks and innovative digital tools.”

The CEO added: “As a responsible organization that takes its social and economic commitments seriously, we continue to work eagerly and passionately to empower Kuwait’s vision to build a digital infrastructure, increase digital maturity in our community, and achieve our sustainable goals. Looking forward, we strive to continue our leadership with the rollout of 5.5G technology, opening up entire new horizons for our customers and community.”

Stephen Bye, President and CEO of Ookla, a division of Ziff Davis, commented: “After conducting an in-depth analysis of consumer-initiated tests taken with Speedtest®, Zain has been named the Fastest 5G Network, Fastest Internet, and Best 5G Video Experience in Kuwait by Ooklaʼs Speedtest® Awards.”

“This award is given to network operators that demonstrate exceptional speed and performance in comparison to other major networks in the market for Q2-Q3 2023. We are thrilled to acknowledge Zain for this achievement, which is the result of their unwavering focus on delivering a superior network experience to their customers." Bye continued.

Ookla® is the global leader in network intelligence and connectivity insights. For almost two decades, Ookla has set the industry standard for both fixed and mobile network testing and analysis. From its world-renowned Speedtest® and Downdetector® platforms to an accompanying and growing suite of end-to-end enterprise solutions, Ookla's mission is to make the internet better, faster, and more accessible for everyone.

Ookla's enterprise solutions combine first-party crowdsourced data and scientifically controlled testing with tools that provide actionable insights across a network's lifecycle and customer experience. Ookla’s insights empower operators, businesses, government agencies, nonprofits, and more to analyze, optimize, and publicize networks around the world.

Ookla is part of Ziff Davis (NASDAQ: ZD), a vertically focused digital media and internet company whose portfolio includes leading brands in technology, entertainment, shopping, health, cybersecurity and martech. Ookla's headquarters is located in Seattle, WA, USA with additional offices around the world.

To learn more about Ookla’s methodology, visit speedtest.net/awards.

‘Fastest 5G Network’ Speedtest Award™

Ookla compared over 200,000 user-initiated 5G tests taken on the Speedtest® iOS and Android mobile apps from all the major mobile carriers in Kuwait during the award period to determine who showed the fastest mobile network speeds.

Zain’s network topped the results with a Speed Score™ of 332.81, with a download median speed of 405.32 Mbps, and an upload median speed of 31.99 Mbps. The final score is based on several factors, with emphasis on the download speeds and median speeds as those represent what most customers will experience on a day-to-day basis.

This award directly reflects Zain’s unwavering efforts to bring the biggest and most powerful 5G network in the nation to its customer base. In 2019, Zain led the market by being the first operator to commercially launch 5G services, setting a new precedent in the local and regional telecom industries. Since then, more successes have followed in adapting 5G technologies to overhaul customers’ digital journeys.

Zain continues to heavily invest in its 5G infrastructure with world-class technologies, achieving the highest speeds and best operational efficiency levels. The company seeks to meet the increasing demand on data, while exploring new ecosystems only possible by this revolutionary technology, with the ultimate goal of serving all needs of consumers, businesses, and government agencies.

‘Best 5G Video Experience’ Speedtest Award™

Ookla compared over 6,000 tests taken on the Speedtest® iOS and Android mobile apps and while connected to a 5G mobile network. Zain’s network topped the results by scoring 80.32 on the Video Score™, with the results being based on five components, each measuring a different aspect of consumer video experience.

Zain offers its customers the biggest library of entertainment content through its expansive ecosystem of strategic partnerships with MENA and the world’s largest content providers. The company brings tens of thousands of hours of entertainment and sports content on its biggest 5G network, ensuring customers have the best video experience to watch whatever they like, anytime and anywhere they are. 

‘Fastest Internet’ Speedtest Award™

Ookla compared over 1,000,000 user-initiated tests that were taken on various Speedtest applications connected to a fixed network, including tests taken on mobile phones over a Wi-Fi connection.

Zain’s network topped the results with a Speed Score™ of 162.81, with a top download speed of 473.23 Mbps, and a top upload speed of 83.58 Mbps. The final score is based on several factors, with emphasis on the download speeds and median speeds as those represent what most customers will experience on a day-to-day basis.

Fixed networks offer superfast speeds with low latency times, making them ideal for gaming enthusiasts. With its powerful, nationwide network, Zain offers a variety of plans for gamers to serve their unique needs and give them the best online experience. The company also offers a wide range of gaming products, like the latest gaming PCs and consoles, original accessories, and much more.