In the past year, India has made significant strides in mobile download speeds, propelling the country up 72 places on Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index. The driving force behind this remarkable advancement has been the widespread launch of 5G technology by top telecom operators such as Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel.
As of August 2023, India holds the 47th position in the global mobile speed rankings, the report said. Since the introduction of 5G, the country has witnessed a 3.59 times increase in speed performance, with download speeds soaring from 13.87 Mbps in September 2022 to an impressive 50.21 Mbps by August 2023. This surge in speed has propelled India up from its previous ranking at 119th place to its current standing.
Top 10 countries in the Global Mobile Speed Rankings are: United Arab Emirates, China, South Korea, United States, France, Malaysia, Germany, India, South Africa and Brazil, the report said.
The result of the investment in 5G networks has been felt across all telecom circles in the country, enhancing the overall user experience. Major telecom operators like Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel have played a crucial role in deploying 5G technology, resulting in a significant boost in 5G subscribers. These operators have ambitious rollout plans, aiming to set up a substantial number of 5G base stations nationwide. Vodafone Idea and BSNL are yet to start 5G.
5G customers on the mobile network of Reliance Jio have achieved a download speed of 1,882.61 Mbps. For comparison, 5G customers on the mobile network of Bharti Airtel have achieved a download speed of 1,735.91 Mbps.
5G’s influence goes beyond faster speeds. Users of 5G consistently rate their network operators more positively compared to 4G users, indicating higher levels of customer satisfaction. Additionally, the introduction of 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services has bridged connectivity gaps in areas where laying fiber was expensive or impractical.
The transformation is evident in the data provided by Speedtest Intelligence, showcasing a remarkable 259 percent increase in download speeds across India since the launch of 5G. This progress is highlighted by a notable improvement from 13.87 Mbps in September 2022 to a download speed of 50.21 Mbps in August 2023.
In October 2022, during the early stages of network development, there were variations in 5G network performance across different regions. 5G download speeds ranged from 512.57 Mbps in Gujarat to 19.23 Mbps in Uttar Pradesh West. However, by August 2023, all telecom areas surpassed 240 Mbps in 5G download speeds, with Kolkata leading at an impressive 385.50 Mbps.
Key industry players, including Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, reported a substantial surge in 5G customers. Jio, with over 50 million customers, has set ambitious rollout targets, aiming to deploy nearly 1 million base stations by December 2023 to address the growing data consumption on its network.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) reported a substantial increase in 5G base stations (BTS) across the country, reaching 338,572 as of August 28, 2023, a significant rise from 53,590 reported at the beginning of the year. The three most populous states in India – Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Bihar – play a pivotal role, accounting for 25 percent of all wireless subscribers and an equal share of 5G BTS.
India, known for having data-intensive consumers, faced challenges with 4G network congestion. However, the introduction of 5G has effectively offloaded 4G traffic onto 5G networks, alleviating congestion and significantly enhancing user experience.
In addition to augmenting speed and reducing congestion, Indian operators have introduced 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services. This technology complements existing 5G offerings, especially in areas where fiber deployment is economically challenging. The success of 5G FWA has been witnessed in various countries, and Indian operators are leveraging its potential to provide broadband connectivity, utilizing 5G as the last-mile technology.
Bharti Airtel and Jio have already launched their respective 5G FWA services, extending connectivity beyond traditional fiber reach. These services offer a range of plans with varying download speeds, catering to diverse user needs. Bharti Airtel’s ‘Airtel Xstream AirFiber’ and Jio’s ‘JioAirFiber’ have already gained traction, providing promising prospects for India’s broadband landscape.
