Mobile networks across the Gulf remain among the world’s strongest, supported by extensive 5G deployment and continued investment in network capacity.
Ookla’s 2026 analysis on mobile network performance of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE shows, however, that even high-performing networks experience some degradation during periods of heavy demand.
The differences in congestion performance across the Gulf need to be viewed against operators’ investment in 5G, 5G Standalone, 5G-Advanced, spectrum, fiber, indoor coverage and additional radio capacity. Recent projects show that Gulf operators are increasingly directing investment toward capacity and network consistency rather than simply expanding 5G coverage.
This investment shift mirrors the broader global telecom network investment trend, where operators are prioritizing network capacity, automation, fiber backhaul and efficiency as the initial 5G coverage cycle matures.
UAE: e& and du Push 5G-Advanced and 6 GHz Capacity
e& UAE is moving aggressively into the next phase of mobile infrastructure. In June 2026, the operator awarded a contract to deploy what it described as the world’s first commercial mobile network using Upper 6 GHz 256TRX Giga-MIMO technology, with commercial launch planned for the second half of 2026. The investment is designed to add network capacity while providing a migration path from 5G-Advanced toward 6G.
At group level, e& reported AED 3.6 billion of capex in Q2 2026, including spectrum and licence expenditure. Excluding these items, capex was AED 2.9 billion.
du is also targeting additional spectrum capacity. In collaboration with Nokia and MediaTek, du completed a live 6 GHz 5G field test in 2026. The trial indicated that Upper 6 GHz could provide as much as twice the network capacity of 3.5 GHz, making it potentially important for dense, high-traffic locations.
These investments help explain why the UAE performs exceptionally well during periods of high traffic, with Ookla finding that peak-period performance can match or even exceed off-peak performance.
The strategy also demonstrates why 5G-Advanced network investment is becoming increasingly important as Gulf operators look beyond basic 5G coverage toward higher capacity, lower latency and more consistent performance.
Qatar: Ooredoo and Vodafone Strengthen Capacity
Ooredoo continues to invest heavily in network infrastructure. Ooredoo Group deployed QAR 1.6 billion in capex during H1 2026, up 6.8 percent year-on-year, with network expansion and capacity upgrades among its investment priorities.
Ooredoo is also developing the Fibre in the Gulf (FIG) subsea system. Designed for capacity of up to 720 Tbps across 24 fibre pairs, FIG will connect Qatar with the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq and Oman, strengthening the international backbone supporting cloud, AI and data center traffic.
Vodafone Qatar, meanwhile, is progressing with a nationwide network modernization program with Nokia. The project includes core modernization, expanded 5G capability and higher network capacity while preparing the network for next-generation services.
The continuing investment by Qatar’s operators is consistent with the country recording the Gulf’s lowest congestion rating of around 5 in Q1 2026.
Saudi Arabia: stc, Mobily and Zain Target Capacity
Saudi Arabia’s much larger geography, population and mobile subscriber base create a substantially different network challenge.
stc signed a new multi-year 5G expansion agreement with Ericsson in September 2026 covering new network sites, additional capacity at existing sites and further expansion of 5G Standalone. stc will also use its newly acquired 600 MHz spectrum to extend 5G into rural and remote locations and strengthen indoor coverage.
The agreement is part of a wider wave of major mobile network deals in 2026, as Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei and Samsung compete for operator spending on 5G SA, 5G-Advanced, cloud-native core networks and network automation.
Mobily has also been expanding aggressively. During 2025 it completed 3,628 new 5G expansions, increased core data-network capacity by 1,250 Gbps and added 500 Gbps of international capacity. Its international fiber expansion added more than 9,000 km of fiber routes.
Zain KSA has commercially introduced 5G-Advanced, or 5G+, initially in Riyadh and Jeddah. The deployment follows Zain’s earlier introduction of 5G Standalone and is designed to provide higher capacity, lower latency, stronger indoor coverage and better performance in high-density locations.
These investments are particularly important because Ookla found Saudi median download speeds declining 31-52 percent between off-peak and peak periods, suggesting that capacity in high-demand locations remains an important area for improvement.
Kuwait: Zain and stc Move Deeper Into 5G-Advanced
Kuwait’s operators are increasingly concentrating investment on 5G-Advanced rather than basic 5G coverage.
Zain Kuwait completed a six-carrier 5G-Advanced aggregation test in September 2026, reaching peak downlink speeds of 3 Gbps. The configuration aggregated six FDD and TDD spectrum carriers and is designed to increase network capacity, improve indoor coverage and make more efficient use of existing spectrum.
More than 70 percent of traffic on Zain’s network already runs over 5G, highlighting how rapidly mobile traffic has migrated to the new network generation.
stc Kuwait has similarly moved into 5G-Advanced. Its Q1 2026 investor disclosure showed capex intensity at 11 percent, following elevated investment associated with 5G infrastructure and the introduction of 5G-Advanced services.
These investments help support Kuwait’s strong overall performance, although Ookla’s finding of a 70 percent peak-period speed decline among the bottom 10 percent of users in Q4 2025 indicates that localized coverage and capacity gaps remain.
Bahrain: Batelco, stc and Zain Focus on Network Resilience
Batelco by Beyon is modernizing its IP backbone with Cisco, deploying advanced routing, automation, intelligent assurance and monitoring technologies. The upgrade is intended to improve mobile, fixed and enterprise network performance while establishing infrastructure for AI-driven network operations.
Batelco is also strengthening regional fiber resilience through its Bahrain Gulf Network, connecting Bahrain with other Gulf markets and international submarine cable systems.
stc Bahrain is developing 5G-Advanced, AI-enabled network operations and enterprise private 5G. The operator says it has invested more than $2 billion in Bahrain’s digital infrastructure since entering the market.
Zain Bahrain is continuing to invest in resilient digital infrastructure and network quality.
The investments coincide with a significant improvement in Bahrain’s congestion performance, with its Ookla congestion rating improving by nearly 12 points year-on-year.
Oman: Omantel and Ooredoo Expand 5G Infrastructure
Omantel invested OMR 19.3 million in capex during Q1 2026, primarily for 5G deployment and expansion of digital infrastructure. Further investment is being directed toward 5G rollout, ICT capacity and digital transformation.
Ooredoo Oman is also addressing one of the Gulf’s important network challenges: indoor 5G coverage. In July 2026, Ooredoo and Huawei deployed an advanced indoor 5G network at Salalah Hospital, designed to deliver high-performance indoor connectivity while supporting telemedicine and connected healthcare applications.
Indoor coverage will become increasingly important as operators try to improve the experience of customers at the lower end of network-performance measurements. The trend complements broader investment in 5G Fixed Wireless Access and 5G SA networks, where operators are using new spectrum and network architectures to increase capacity and improve broadband performance.
Such investments are particularly relevant to Ookla’s findings for Oman, where overall network resilience has improved but increased jitter indicates that operators still need to address issues including overloaded cells, interference, handovers and backhaul.
Gulf Network Investment Shifts From Coverage to Capacity
The operator strategies reveal an important change in Gulf telecom investment.
The first phase of 5G investment was largely about coverage and headline download speeds. The current phase is increasingly about 5G-Advanced, Standalone 5G, carrier aggregation, additional spectrum, indoor systems, fiber backhaul, network densification and intelligent traffic management.
The UAE and Qatar demonstrate what extensive capacity investment can deliver: extremely high speeds combined with strong peak-hour resilience. Kuwait and Bahrain are also performing strongly while investing to close localized coverage gaps.
Saudi Arabia presents perhaps the biggest opportunity. stc, Mobily and Zain are adding capacity, spectrum and advanced 5G capabilities, but Ookla’s data suggests demand is growing sufficiently quickly that peak-hour network capacity remains under pressure.
For Gulf operators, therefore, the competitive benchmark is changing. Winning the mobile network performance race in 2026 is no longer simply about achieving the fastest download speed. It is about maintaining high throughput, low latency and consistent service when networks are carrying their heaviest traffic.
BABURAJAN KIZHAKEDATH
