South African smartphone users have the fastest download speed on the continent, at 34.5Mbps, which is over 50% faster than second-placed Zimbabwe and more than four times faster than last-placed Angola.

This is according to the t latest Open Signal study, The State of Mobile Network Experience in Africa.

Open Signal's research on 27 African countries compares each country to its counterparts using important metrics such as download speed experience, the overall average download speeds seen by our users, and Consistent Quality (CQ).

According to the report, a closer examination of users' time spent on various network technologies reveals some of the underlying causes of network experience disparities, including the persistence of older technologies.

The report's key insights include considerable inequalities in CQ. While South Africa and Tunisia do quite well, almost 60% of the African countries studied score below 30% in CQ, showing connectivity's inability to sustain the stable performance required for even basic digital services in many African nations.

It goes on to say dependency on 2G and 3G networks limits consumers' experiences.

It reads: “Across all compared markets, our users spend 8.3% to 38.5% of their time on 3G and 2G networks, with 63% of the markets spending over 20% of the time on older technologies that restrict both the Download Speed Experience and CQ.”

Furthermore, it states that time without a signal (%) remains a challenge. Tunisia has the highest number of customers without a signal, showing serious service and infrastructural deficiencies. South Africa is at the opposite end of the table, with little time without a signal.

According to the report, African markets must prioritise several key areas to bridge the continent's digital divide: infrastructure investment, efficient spectrum allocation, supportive regulatory frameworks, improving digital skills, addressing device affordability, and promoting broader adoption of 4G and 5G technology.

It says: “These efforts can empower users with the connectivity they need to fully participate in a digital world and seize new economic opportunities.”

The report recommends that Africa speed up digital adoption and inclusion through coordinated efforts among operators, policymakers, regulators, continental and international agencies, and the private sector, thereby contributing to Africa's Agenda 2063 and larger socioeconomic goals.