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

Zain Kuwait retained the Golden Triple Crown 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, according to data from Ookla, one of the world’s leading platforms specializing in network intelligence, testing, and analytics.

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 sustain that performance and continuously build upon it. 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 in our ambition 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 limited to reaching advanced performance levels, but to further enhance them by transforming every investment and technological advancement into a better customer experience. This approach forms the core of our network strategy and supports Zain’s journey under the 4WARD strategy—Progress with Purpose—toward becoming a future-ready, integrated technology company that is customer-centric and guided by a clear purpose in its path to leadership.”

For his part, Chip String, CEO of Ookla, said: “We are pleased to present Zain with the Speedtest awards for the 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.”

According to Ookla’s analysis of the Kuwaiti market during the first and second quarters of 2026, Zain earned the title of Kuwait’s fastest 5G network after recording a Speed Score™ result of 72.77. The results also showed that Zain achieved an average download speed of 514.59 megabits per second and an average upload speed of 34.74 megabits per second, reflecting the network’s strong performance in meeting everyday 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.

Zain also retained the title of best mobile network coverage in Kuwait, achieving a Coverage Score™ result of 45.40 during the first and second quarters. Ookla’s analytics documented a coverage area of 7,844 square kilometers for Zain’s network, based on data from 37,480 devices and more than 43.6 million scan points, reflecting the extensive reach of the 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 evaluating users’ success in connecting to the cellular network, thereby providing a data-driven view of actual service availability.

Zain also earned the title of Best 5G Network in Kuwait, recording a score of 82.24 on the Speedtest Connectivity Score™ methodology, 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.