In Latin America, the 5G landscape is rapidly advancing, with Brazil and Guatemala emerging as regional leaders in terms of speed and overall experiential metrics.
According to Opensignal’s first benchmarking report on 5G experience in the region, both countries showcase impressive results, while Puerto Rico stands out for its unparalleled 5G availability.
Brazil, the Frontrunner for 5G Download Speed:
Brazil has established itself as the frontrunner for 5G download speed in Latin America, boasting an astounding score of 346.4Mbps. This places the country 45.2 percent faster than the runner-up, Guatemala, and a staggering 83.8 percent faster than Mexico, which takes the third spot in the download speed rankings. Notably, Brazil also secured the third position globally in the 5G Global Benchmark report, trailing only behind South Korea and Singapore.
Excels in 5G Peak Download Speed:
In addition to its impressive download speed, Brazil excels in 5G peak download speed, reaching over 750Mbps. This score is more than 50 percent faster than Puerto Rico and 33 percent faster than Guatemala, as both markets cross the 500Mbps mark. Brazil’s success in this category is attributed to the early deployment of 5G Standalone (SA) networks in the 3.5GHz band, starting from July 2022.
Challenges in Argentina and Peru:
While Brazil and Guatemala thrive in the 5G experience, Argentina and Peru face challenges in achieving higher speeds due to their delay in assigning the 3.5GHz band. Users in Argentina experience an average 5G download speed of 59.9Mbps, while those in Peru observe 48.2Mbps, both falling below the 100Mbps milestone.
Guatemala Reigns Supreme for 5G Upload Speed:
Guatemala leads the region for 5G upload speed, scoring an impressive 42Mbps. This places the country 34.5 percent ahead of Brazil, the second-placed country, while Mexico takes the bronze medal with a score of 30.3Mbps. Guatemala’s upload speed also places it among global leaders, jointly securing first place in the world for 5G Upload Speed in the 5G Global Benchmark report, alongside South Korea and Malaysia.
Guatemala Triumphs in Experiential Metrics:
Aside from its top position in upload speed, Guatemala also excels in experiential metrics. The country takes the lead for both 5G Video Experience and 5G Voice App Experience. With a score of 77.2, Guatemala’s 5G Video Experience is only 0.8 points away from an “Excellent” rating, beating out Brazil and Chile. Similarly, its 5G Voice App Experience score of 82.6 puts it 0.8 points ahead of Chile, securing the top spot.
Brazil Dominates 5G Games Experience:
In the realm of 5G Games Experience, Brazil shines with a score of 83.1 points, establishing a substantial lead of approximately 7.1 points over Argentina and Guatemala. All three markets, along with Mexico, fall into the “Good” category, meaning most users find the gaming experience acceptable with minimal delays. Brazil’s success can be attributed to its extensive 5G SA roll-outs, which have significantly improved network latency.
Puerto Rico Boasts Highest 5G Availability:
Among the observed countries in Latin America, Puerto Rico stands out with the highest 5G availability, with users connecting to 5G services for an impressive 48.4 percent of their time. This achievement places Puerto Rico at the top of the 5G Availability rank globally in the 5G Global Benchmark report. However, despite Brazil and Guatemala’s dominance in speed and experience metrics, 5G users in these markets still have limited access to 5G benefits, connecting to 5G services for less than 10 percent of their time.
As 5G roll-outs and adoption continue to progress across Latin America, these benchmarking insights provide valuable data on the region’s 5G experience, emphasizing the strengths and challenges faced by different markets.
