About 1.4 million internet speed tests were carried out using NET.mede in 2020, more than double (125%) the previous year. On average, 3873 daily tests were conducted. This increase in the number of tests was influenced by the change in behaviour of internet users due to the Covid-19 pandemic. About 600 thousand tests were carried out during the 2nd quarter of 2020, more than a third of the total tests done in that year, which coincided with the 1st lockdown phase.
For the year as a whole, about 72% of the tests were carried out through national fixed accesses identified as residential (1 million), 20% through national mobile accesses (289 thousand) and 7% through fixed accesses identified as non-residential (95 thousand tests derived from accesses associated with uses of business, academic, governmental and other nature). The remaining tests, of a residual number, correspond to foreign operator and other accesses.
By geographic distribution, in 2020, internet speed tests were carried out through residential fixed access in the 308 municipalities of Portugal. Through mobile accesses, there are data for 306 municipalities. Lisbon Metropolitan Area (AML) and the North region recorded the highest number of tests through fixed accesses (156 and 124 thousand respectively) and the Centre and North regions through mobile accesses (40 and 34 thousand respectively). Lisbon was the municipality with the highest number of internet speed tests, both concerning residential fixed accesses (8%) and mobile accesses (9%). This was followed by the municipalities of Sintra (4%) and Oeiras (3%) with most tests carried out through residential fixed accesses and the municipalities of Abrantes (5%) and Porto (3%) with most tests associated with mobile accesses.
Half of the tests carried out countrywide showed download speeds of 50 Mbps or more in residential fixed accesses; and 7 Mbps or more in mobile accesses. For upload speeds, half of the tests showed 22 Mbps or more in residential fixed accesses; and 5 Mbps or more in mobile accesses.
In fixed accesses, at a national level, the Autonomous Region of Madeira (RAM) showed the best median results for download (84.8 Mbps) and upload (50.6 Mbps). In Mainland Portugal, the best results occurred in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area for download, and in the Coimbra region for upload. The Alentejo recorded the lowest value for download speed (with 38.2 Mbps) and upload speed (19.8 Mbps).
In terms of the regions/sub-regions, the highest median download speed was obtained in the two Autonomous Regions and Lisbon Metropolitan Area. The lowest values were recorded in Alto Alentejo, Alto Minho and Algarve.
Regarding the speed of the fixed access services, a median download value higher than 40 Mbps was observed in 198 municipalities (64%), and lower than or equal to 24 Mbps was observed in 39 municipalities (13%), in this last case primarily located in regions of the interior of Mainland Portugal.
Regarding mobile accesses, the best results at a national level were recorded in the Autonomous Region of the Azores and Madeira, with half of the tests showing download speeds of about 12.1 Mbps (Azores) and 11.6 Mbps (Madeira) or more; and upload speeds of 5.1 Mbps (Azores and Madeira) or more. In Mainland Portugal, the best results in download occurred in the Alentejo and Lisbon Metropolitan Area. The lowest values were recorded in the Algarve, with median speeds of 5.7 Mbps for download and 4.4 Mbps for upload.
In terms of the regions/sub-regions, the highest median download speeds were recorded in the two Autonomous Regions and in the sub-region of Alentejo Central, while the lowest values were recorded in the sub-regions of Tâmega e Sousa, Alto Minho and Viseu Dão Lafões.
In the total 306 municipalities in which tests were carried out through mobile accesses, 89 (29%) showed median download speeds higher than 10 Mbps, 158 (52%) between 5 Mbps and 10 Mbps, and 59 (19%) lower than or equal to 5 Mbps, in this last case primarily located in the North and Centre regions. In terms of uploads, 11 municipalities (4%) recorded a median speed higher than 10 Mbps, 71 (23%) between 5 Mbps and 10 Mbps, and 224 (73%) lower than or equal to 5 Mbps.
This report also includes a more detailed regional analysis for the 21 Intermunicipal Communities, the two Metropolitan Areas and the two Autonomous Regions.
Consult the statistical report:
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NET.mede - Relatório anual 2020
(PDF 14791 KB)
