Annual Norwegian mobile broadband report

The report presents results from over 100 stationary measurement points across Norway, of which 40 are 5G-capable. In addition, it includes assessments from three 5G-capable mobile nodes located on intercity trains in the Oslo area. This year's report also examined two satellite technologies - the geostationary connection from Brdy and the low-earth orbit service from Starlink.

Continued positive development

Throughout 2023, the Norwegian mobile networks maintained their stability and high performance, with operators continuing to expand their 5G networks at different paces. Enhanced stability in the data plane and increased upload and download speeds were recorded. Two-thirds of connections experience an availability of over 99.99 percent, equivalent to a downtime of less than 9 seconds per day. Speed for 5G and 4G is evaluated separately, as the 5G-capable measurement nodes achieve significantly higher speeds.

However, the deployment of 5G led to improved speeds even for 4G users. This is due to the new and improved antenna technology, and improvements in the access network as a result of the 5G upgrade.

The positive picture seen in recent years continues: Norwegian mobile networks still experience few disruptions and low packet loss.

Satellite-based broadband

The inclusion of satellite measurements aims to enhance our understanding of the stability and performance of satellite-based broadband over time. It also provides a comparison between these services and other offerings, such as mobile and wireless broadband. 

Starlink, operating in a low-earth orbit approximately 550 km above the Earth's surface, delivers the expected low latency in its connection. With a round-trip time of 75–80 ms, roughly 9 times shorter than traditional geostationary satellites. The average download speed has been measured at 180 Mbps, comparable with mobile networks. This opens up for several potential applications that previously could not be based on satellite broadband. However, Starlink shows high packet loss in the connection, with several long periods where the connection is interrupted, ranging from a few seconds to several minutes. 

References

For more detailed insights into the stability and performance of the Norwegian mobile broadband networks, you can access the full report here (in Norwegian).  

For the previous annual reports, from 2014 to 2023, have a look at our overview page.

Associated contacts

Tarik Cicic

Senior Research ScientistHead of Department

Email Tarik