Saudi Arabia has ranked among the top five G20 countries for median mobile internet download speeds, with nationwide connectivity and digital adoption reaching new highs as the Kingdom continues to strengthen its position as a global digital economy leader.
According to the Communications, Space and Technology Commission's (CST) Saudi Internet Report 2025, median mobile download speeds increased to 216 Mbps in 2025, up from 203 Mbps a year earlier. The report also revealed that internet penetration reached 99.6 percent, while average monthly mobile data consumption climbed to 53 GB per user, nearly three times the global average.
The latest figures reflect sustained investment in next-generation telecommunications infrastructure, expanding 5G coverage and digital services as Saudi Arabia accelerates its Vision 2030 transformation agenda.
5G and fibre investments continue to strengthen connectivity
Saudi Arabia's continued investment in advanced communications infrastructure is translating into measurable improvements in network performance.
The report found that median 5G download speeds reached 320 Mbps, while fixed broadband download speeds increased to 151 Mbps, up from 120.4 Mbps the previous year. Fixed upload speeds reached 73 Mbps, with latency improving to 8 milliseconds, supporting high-performance applications including cloud services, video streaming and enterprise connectivity.
Overall internet traffic reached 69 million terabytes, with 56 percent generated domestically and 44 percent flowing through international networks, highlighting the Kingdom's growing digital activity.
AI adoption and digital services become mainstream
The report shows Saudi Arabia's digital transformation extending well beyond connectivity into everyday digital engagement.
Nearly 45.2 percent of internet users reported using artificial intelligence tools during 2025, more than doubling from the previous year, with ChatGPT identified as the country's most downloaded AI application. Government digital services were accessed by 96 percent of internet users, while 85.9 percent used online banking services and 76.9 percent made online purchases.
The findings demonstrate how AI, digital government and online financial services are becoming embedded across both consumer and business activities.
Digital lifestyles continue to evolve
Saudi Arabia's increasingly connected population is driving higher levels of digital engagement across entertainment, commerce and social platforms.
More than 61 percent of internet users spend at least seven hours online each day, reflecting the growing importance of digital services in everyday life. WhatsApp remained the country's most widely used social platform with 92.7 percent usage, followed by Snapchat at 83.6 percent and TikTok at 77 percent.
The report also noted an 89 percent improvement in gaming latency, highlighting continued enhancements to network quality for latency-sensitive applications.
Infrastructure supports Saudi Arabia's digital ambitions
The latest connectivity indicators reinforce Saudi Arabia's ambition to become a leading regional and global digital economy.
IPv6 adoption reached 67 percent of internet users, while approximately 200 Saudi Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs) have now been registered, supporting a more resilient and scalable internet ecosystem. Riyadh accounted for the largest share of internet traffic at 30.6 percent, followed by Makkah at 20.5 percent and the Eastern Province at 16.8 percent.
The report follows Saudi Arabia's recent achievement of ranking first among 159 economies in the International Telecommunication Union's 2026 ICT Development Index, further underscoring the Kingdom's progress in digital infrastructure and connectivity.
