Zain: 'Fastest 5G', 'Best 5G Network', and 'Best Coverage'

Zain Kuwait retained the Golden Triple of Ookla® Speedtest® awards for “Fastest 5G Network,” “Best 5G Network,” and “Best Mobile Network Coverage” for the first and second quarters of 2026, marking the second consecutive year it has achieved this feat, according to data from Ookla, one of the world’s leading platforms specializing in network intelligence, testing, and analytics. This achievement follows Zain’s win of the same three awards during the second half of 2025, reflecting sustained performance and network strength across consecutive testing periods. It underscores a commitment that goes beyond individual accolades, focusing on consistently delivering fast, reliable, and high-quality connectivity that aligns with evolving customer needs, lifestyles, and digital service usage.

Commenting on the achievement, Nawaf Al-Gharbali, CEO of Zain Kuwait, said: “For us, network leadership is not measured by achieving outstanding performance for a limited period, but by the ability to maintain and build upon that performance consistently. These achievements reflect our capacity to deliver a reliable, high-quality experience to our customers across their daily digital activities, and they drive us to continue raising the bar to provide the best through Kuwait’s most awarded network.” He added: “Our customers’ needs and expectations are constantly evolving, so we continue to develop our network to keep pace with this change and anticipate future requirements. Our goal is not only to reach advanced performance levels but to enhance them, turning every investment and technological advancement into a better customer experience. This approach is at the core of our network strategy and supports Zain’s journey under the ‘4WARD – Advancing with Purpose’ strategy to transform into a customer-centric, integrated technology company ready for the future, guided by a clear purpose on the path to leadership.”

For his part, Chip String, CEO of Ookla, said: “We are pleased to present Zain with the Speedtest awards for ‘Fastest 5G Network,’ ‘Best 5G Network,’ and ‘Best Coverage’ in Kuwait for the second consecutive year. This prestigious achievement reflects Zain’s commitment to delivering world-class connectivity and setting industry-leading standards for speed and reliability. We congratulate Zain on this outstanding accomplishment and look forward to its future contributions to the digital landscape in the region.”

This achievement comes as Zain continues to develop its network to meet changing customer needs and the rapid growth of digital services. Following the launch of its 5G-Advanced network across Kuwait in 2025, the company continues to enhance its infrastructure, capabilities, and network intelligence, with a clear focus on translating technological advancements into a stronger and smoother experience for customers. By consistently achieving advanced performance in 5G speed and overall network performance, as well as excelling in network coverage, Zain continues to place continuity at the heart of its network strategy, ensuring that innovation and technological progress translate into tangible value for customers across Kuwait.

**Fastest 5G Network in Kuwait**

According to Ookla’s analysis of the Kuwaiti market for the first and second quarters of 2026, Zain earned the title of Kuwait’s fastest 5G network by recording a Speed Score™ of 72.77. The results also showed Zain achieving an average download speed of 514.59 Mbps and an average upload speed of 34.74 Mbps, reflecting the network’s strong performance in meeting daily usage requirements. The Fastest 5G Network award is based on the Speed Score™ methodology, which measures network performance in terms of data transfer speed and responsiveness. This methodology includes download and upload speeds alongside latency, with weights of 70% for download speed, 20% for upload speed, and 10% for latency, providing a more comprehensive performance assessment compared to relying solely on download speed.

**Best Mobile Network Coverage in Kuwait**

Zain also retained the title of Best Mobile Network Coverage in Kuwait, achieving a Coverage Score™ of 45.40 during the first and second quarters of 2026. Ookla’s analytics documented Zain’s coverage area at 7,844 square kilometers, based on data from 37,480 devices and over 43.6 million scan points, reflecting the extensive network experience available to customers across Kuwait. This methodology measures the actual geographic range of a service provider’s mobile coverage using real-world measurements collected from device-based coverage scans. It applies data quality verification standards before dividing results into geographic areas and evaluates users’ success in connecting to the cellular network, providing a data-driven view of actual service availability.

**Best 5G Network in Kuwait**

Zain also earned the title of Best 5G Network in Kuwait, recording a Speedtest Connectivity Score™ of 82.24, the highest in the market during the first and second quarters of 2026. The results demonstrated strong performance across various elements that shape the overall customer experience on the 5G network, including a Speed Score™ of 72.77, a Web Browsing Score™ of 96.25, and a Video Streaming Score™ of 87.17. The Best 5G Network title is based on Ookla’s Speedtest Connectivity Score™ methodology, which offers a more comprehensive measure of connectivity experience by integrating real-world indicators including speed, latency, web browsing, and video streaming. The index is calculated with a weight of 50% for Speed Score, 25% for Web Browsing Score, and 25% for Video Streaming Score, reflecting the customer experience across a variety of daily digital use cases.