Opensignal explained research which showed peak 5G data rates in Australia lagging those of 4G were due to a near perfect implementation of the latter technology in the country.

Information released by the research company yesterday (8 July) showed peak data rates of 792Mb/s for 5G users in the country compared with 950Mb/s for customers on 4G connections. In all other markets researched, 5G topped the table.

When quizzed about whether the difference in Australia was due to a lack of 5G users relative to the previous-generation technology (Opensignal gleans its figures from real-world tests on consumer’s devices), VP Analysis Ian Fogg told Mobile World Live the “outlier” was actually the 4G tests.

“What we have seen in Australia is one 4G speed test in the real world that is much, much closer to the 4G ‘theoretical’ maximum speed than we have seen in the other countries,” he explained. “This is most likely due to the quality of the 4G experience in Australia and the large spectrum holdings held by some operators.”

In its original report, Opensignal credited the large stocks of mmWave spectrum as a factor in the US topping its findings on peak 5G data rates at 1.815Gb/s. However, the same figures show Australia’s 4G speeds alone are actually higher than the 5G numbers attained by several other countries researched.

Fogg noted only South Korea, Switzerland and the USA had 5G rates faster than Australia’s 4G, but added the situation is evolving quickly with the peak speed in South Korea rising from 988Mb/s in early June to more than 1Gb/s by the end of the month.

“We expect the 5G maximum speed seen in Australia to improve over time similarly,” he said.