The findings, published by Ookla, the company behind Speedtest, highlight Portugal’s rapid adoption of next-generation mobile technology. The report assessed countries with populations between 10 and 20 million, comparing the proportion of mobile users connected to 5G networks.

Portugal secured second place with around 22% of users connected via 5G, trailing only Sweden, while outperforming countries including Belgium, the Czech Republic and Greece.

Investment paying off

The ranking reflects the significant investment made by Portugal’s telecommunications operators since the country’s 5G spectrum auction concluded in 2021. Major providers MEO, NOS and Vodafone Portugal have continued expanding their networks, bringing 5G coverage to most urban centres and an increasing number of ANACOM rural communities.

According to the latest figures from ANACOM, Portugal’s communications regulator, 5G coverage now reaches the vast majority of the population, with network expansion continuing as operators improve capacity and speeds.

More than faster downloads

While consumers often associate 5G with quicker internet connections, the technology is expected to support a much wider range of services over the coming years. Improved connectivity will play an important role in areas such as smart cities, connected transport, healthcare, industry and remote working.

Portugal has positioned itself as a growing technology hub, attracting international companies and digital nomads. Faster and more reliable mobile networks are increasingly viewed as part of the country’s competitiveness, particularly as demand grows for cloud computing, artificial intelligence and data-intensive services.

Usage still has room to grow

Although Portugal ranked highly for 5G usage, the figures also suggest that a large proportion of mobile users continue to rely on 4G connections. Experts note that wider adoption will depend on consumers upgrading to compatible smartphones, expanding network availability and mobile operators continuing to offer competitive 5G plans.

As more devices become 5G-enabled and businesses adopt new applications, usage is expected to continue rising over the coming years.

The latest ranking underlines Portugal’s progress in digital infrastructure and suggests the country is well positioned to benefit from future technological developments across both the public and private sectors.