In a recent analysis by Opensignal, which examined the mobile network experiences of smartphone users across the six most populated countries in South Asia, Sri Lanka's performance was found to be lacking compared to its regional counterparts.
The study, which included Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, revealed significant disparities across the region. While India led the pack with an average download speed of 41.7 Mbps, Sri Lanka lagged behind with an average download speed of just 11.4 Mbps.
In terms of upload speeds, Bangladesh and India shared the top position with average upload speeds of 5.8-5.9 Mbps. Sri Lanka was further down the list with an average upload speed of 4.0 Mbps.
Consistent Quality scores, which reflect the percentage of tests in which users’ experience on a network is sufficient to support the requirements of more common demanding applications, placed India at the top with a score of 57.9%. Sri Lanka trailed behind significantly with a lower score.
The report also highlighted that for on-demand video streaming, Sri Lanka received a Poor rating (under 48), indicating that users usually face substantial loading delays or frequent interruptions.
In the realm of live video streaming, India leads with a Very Good (53-58) rating, scoring 53.6 points on a 100-point scale. Sri Lanka, however, manages only a Fair (33-43) rating. This implies that users in Sri Lanka often face challenges while streaming live videos, experiencing longer loading times, frequent stalling, and a larger live offset.
When it comes to multiplayer mobile gaming, all countries in South Asia, including Sri Lanka, have room for improvement.
Despite India leading the pack with a score of 63.1 out of 100, it still falls into the Poor (40-65) Games Experience rating category. This suggests that a significant number of users found the gaming quality subpar, often encountering delays in gameplay, lag in feedback, and an overall sense of impaired control.
The reliance on different network generations significantly impacts these experiences. Countries like Afghanistan and Nepal lean heavily on older 2G and 3G networks, which offer limited capabilities compared to 4G and 5G. In contrast, countries like India primarily connect through more efficient 4G and 5G networks. In Sri Lanka, users spend only 5.8% of their time connected to 3G networks.
These insights highlight the need for significant improvements in Sri Lanka’s mobile network infrastructure to enhance user experiences and bring them on par with other South Asian countries.
Opensignal is an independent analytics company specializing in "quantifying the mobile-network experience". In August 2014, Opensignal raised a $4 million Series A investment from Qualcomm Ventures, OATV, and Passion Capital.