Kuwait the Only Gulf Country Where Wireless Internet Outperforms Wired

- Kuwait led the region in average download and upload speeds and latency under load.

- Performance remained stable or improved between May and September 2026.

- 1.2 million subscribers on 5G-A, with coverage targeting 80 percent by 2029.

Kuwait led Gulf countries in Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) internet service performance, achieving the region’s best results in download and upload speeds and network responsiveness. Thanks to the maturity of 5G-Advanced (5G-A) networks, FWA outperformed wired fiber-optic internet speeds within the country.

A recent report by the US-based company Ookla, specializing in network and internet connectivity performance measurement, revealed that Kuwait led the region in average download and upload speeds and latency under load, with performance remaining stable or improving between May and September 2026.

The report explained that Kuwait’s market has historically relied on fixed wireless technology due to the monopoly on fixed networks and the slow rollout of fiber optics. However, the landscape is currently changing following the establishment of Kuwait Digital Networks in 2026 as an alliance led by Bahrain’s Bineon Group to operate the national fiber network, targeting coverage of 90 percent of residential and commercial units.

According to the Public Authority for Information Technology (STC), there were more than 1.2 million active subscribers to 5G-A services (both mobile and fixed wireless) by mid-2026, out of a total of 4.12 million on 5G networks in Kuwait. The government aims to increase this number to over 2 million subscribers by 2027, achieving 80 percent coverage for 5G-A networks indoors and outdoors by 2029.

On its part, FWA in Kuwait recorded an average download speed of 321 megabits per second (Mbps) and a latency under load of 152 milliseconds, outperforming wired broadband, which recorded average download speeds between 218 and 241 Mbps and a latency of 180 milliseconds.

Thus, Kuwait became the only country in the Gulf region where fixed wireless technology outperforms wired networks in response time, thanks to the active use of 5G-A networks alongside the currently limited rollout of fiber optics. The two technologies are closer in terms of average upload speeds and at the 90th percentile.

The report detailed the performance of other Gulf countries in fixed wireless technology, noting that most markets in the region cluster at download speeds not exceeding 112 Mbps.

In this context, the United Arab Emirates ranked second in the Gulf in average download speed, recording peak speeds of 576 Mbps, alongside its intensive shift toward fiber-optic networks that cover 99.5 percent of homes and provide speeds up to double that of fixed wireless.

Meanwhile, Bahrain ranked third in download speed and second in upload speed. Despite fiber optics dominating 98.7 percent of total fixed lines, fixed wireless technology demonstrated high efficiency in upper-tier categories, matching fiber speeds at 400 Mbps.

Qatar recorded performance similar to Saudi Arabia at 94 Mbps for downloads, while outperforming in upload speed, achieving peak speeds of 668 Mbps under ideal conditions, despite the shrinking share of fixed wireless due to comprehensive fiber coverage exceeding 85.5 percent.

In Saudi Arabia, the average download speed reached 93 megabits per second, influenced by the country’s vast geography and the rapid shift toward fiber-optic networks, which currently cover 5.8 million homes and aim to add 3.8 million new households as part of Vision 2030 initiatives.

Oman recorded an average download speed of 72 megabits per second, while achieving the region’s fastest improvement rate at 11 percent, relying primarily on fixed wireless access to bridge connectivity gaps in remote, underserved areas not yet served by fiber networks.