Reliance Jio reported over 600 Mbps median download speed on its 5G network in Delhi, Airtel attained nearly 200 Mbps median download speed at 197.98 Mbps, and India’s overall 5G speed surpassed 500 Mbps, according to a report by network intelligence and connectivity insights provider Ookla.
“The updated 5G results demonstrate that 5G speeds are far faster than India’s current network. Although we should proceed cautiously with these preliminary results, 5G devices have already demonstrated their ability to produce substantially higher speeds, at least under artificially controlled testing conditions, such as no network congestion and optimal network coverage “The study made a note.
Ookla conducted this “Speedtest Intelligence” to demonstrate early 5G performance in a few places and to provide a snapshot of the expansion of 5G-capable devices.
Ookla’s test of the telecom providers’ networks reveals a broad range of 5G download speeds, from a low double-digit (16.27 Mbps) to an astounding 809.94 Mbps, indicating that the operators are still fine-tuning their networks. As the networks go into the commercial phase, these speeds are anticipated to become more stable.
On October 1, 5G services were introduced in a few Indian cities by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Reliance Jio has started a 5G beta experiment called “Jio True 5G for All” in four Indian cities, while Airtel has announced that their 5G services will be accessible in eight cities. Despite its financial difficulties, Vodafone Idea, India’s third largest telecom provider, has reaffirmed its commitment to the 5G roll-out but hasn’t yet given any deadlines.
Jio and Airtel are competing in 4 cities for 5G.
According to Ookla, the Speedtest was conducted to assess the average 5G download speeds in four cities where both Jio and Airtel have established their networks.
While Jio has been approaching 600 Mbps (598.58 Mbps) since June 2022, Airtel in Delhi has just just surpassed 200 Mbps median download speed at 197.98 Mbps.
Since June 2022, operators’ median download speeds in Kolkata have varied the most: Jio had a median download speed of 482.02 Mbps, but Airtel’s was 33.83 Mbps.
In Mumbai, one of the most populous cities in India, Airtel once again lagged behind Jio, with a median download speed of 271.07 Mbps as opposed to Jio’s 515.38 Mbps median download speed since June 2022.
Since June 2022, Airtel has outperformed Jio in Varanasi, where its 5G median download speed is 516.57 Mbps as opposed to Jio’s 485.22 Mbps.
Jio’s 5G performance varies depending on the spectrum band it employs, Ookla noted. The performance of Jio’s 5G network using the C-band (n=78) ranges from 606.53 Mbps to 875.26 Mbps for the median download speed. While 5G networks using the lower 700 MHz frequency range (n=28), also known as the coverage band, provide median download rates that are lower than 100 Mbps, ranging from 78.69 Mbps to 95.13 Mbps. Airtel, on the other side, deployed 5G using solely its C-band spectrum holding and obtained speeds ranging from 365.48 Mbps to 716.85 Mbps.
Recall that Jio was the only operator to purchase spectrum in the 700 MHz band during the most recent 5G spectrum auction. Jio also purchased the most spectrum overall, particularly in the highly sought-after C-band spectrum.
iPhone 12 5G tops
According to a recent consumer poll by Ookla, 89 percent Indian smartphone users are prepared to make the switch to 5G. Jio saw the biggest rise in 5G-capable smartphones among Speedtest users (67.4%), followed by Airtel (61.6%) and Vi India (56%).
All operators have noticed a noticeable increase in the number of 5G-capable smartphones in Hyderabad, with Jio even tripling its install base.
According to Ookla, Samsung (31% of market share) is followed by Xiaomi (23%), Realme, and Vivo as the leading smartphone manufacturers. Even though only one in ten survey participants had an iPhone, Apple handsets typically have better 5G capabilities. The iPhone 12 5G is the most widely used 5G-capable cellphone in the Indian market, per the Speedtest data.
India’s mobile download speed in August was 13.52 Mbps, placing it 117th in the world, according to the Speedtest Global Index.
