MedUX, a specialist in international fixed and mobile network testing and benchmarking, has released exclusive data on 5G performance in Brussels. Its report reveals that Proximus shares the first overall position along with Orange, as both operators are recorded providing the best Quality of Experience (QoE) in Brussels, with scores of 4.168 and 4.166 out of 5 respectively.
The analysis, based on a methodology involving 10,000 tests and 300,000 radio samples conducted in Q4 2024, evaluated the performance of Orange, Proximus and Telenet across various elements essential to 5G service quality and how they cover the Belgian capital. The 5G QoE report for Brussels takes a detailed look at the overall QoE score, measuring a combination of availability, accessibility, reliability, speed, streaming, and other data and OTT experience results.
Measuring Quality of 5G Experience in Brussels
According to the findings, Proximus emerged as the leader with a minimum difference from Orange, excelling in streaming performance with the highest percentage of time in full resolution (4K), both in blended (84.8 per cent) and 5G modes. It secured the highest score in all 5G categories; network availability (46 per cent registration rate), download speed (shared with Orange) and upload speeds, and it achieved the lowest latency in 5G gaming experience for both blended and 5G.
Orange demonstrates strong consistency in download and upload speeds averaging notable download speeds of 236 Mbps, along with solid scores for Data and OTT applications such as social media, web browsing, file transferring and cloud services. Telenet stands out for its highest reliability (99.59 per cent) and best consistency in network responsiveness (average jitter of 15ms), demonstrating excellent consistency in gaming as well with 85 per cent of sessions below 20ms.
Brussels averaged 36 per cent of 5G registration across tested operators, Proximus and Orange achieved results above the average with 46.24 per cent and 43.91 per cent respectively, as Telenet lagged significantly behind at 18.17 per cent.
Brussels 5G in a European context
While the results showcase strong performance in certain areas, MedUX has compiled a broader report at a European level which will be available in the second half of February, which shows Brussels as having one of the worst overall experience when compared to its European counterparts. The overall scores indicate there is room for improvement in the Brussels 5G landscape. Few states in Europe are likely to achieve a true uninterrupted 5G coverage in urban areas by 2025. Brussels, for example, is the laggard ahead of Digital Decade Strategy targets, recording a 5G Availability of only 36 per cent on average.
Looking at high-quality 5G coverage in urban areas in Europe, Brussels records a 5G availability of only 25 per cent. When defining high-quality 5G deployment using the pioneer mid-band spectrum (3.4-3.8 GHz) as a proxy, even though such deployments are currently a reference rather than a formal target for the EU, connectivity goals for urban areas appear even further out of reach. Stand-Alone (SA) deployments lag even more significantly behind.
Europe is also experiencing a two-speed divergence. While the median download speed in top cities such as Porto, Lisbon, Stockholm and Copenhagen are close to or above 500 Mbps, cities like Brussels lag significantly behind, with typical speeds five times lower (below 100 Mbps). For the 10 per cent of worst internet sessions, speeds in Brussels drop below 18 Mbps.
“The EU’s Gigabit Society has set a target for operators to achieve uninterrupted 5G coverage across all urban areas and major transport pathways by 2025. This analysis shows how far the European Union’s capital is far from achieving the Digital Decade 5G targets,” commented Rafael González, SVP EMEA at MedUX.
“Our report offers insights into the state of 5G in Brussels – the heart of the European Union. It is a critical indicator for the rest of Belgium, and as we head into 2025 – the findings will be important for operators wanting to ensure their customers benefit from the transformative power of 5G. We are excited to see how they use our report to develop and implement strategies to continue to improve service quality and connectivity experience. To unlock the high-quality experiences that remote workers, business travelers and gamers depend on and demand, 5G networks must evolve and become more advanced. In general, we must move beyond coverage and focus on quality and reliability,” concluded González.
