Reliance Jio reported 83.9 percent 5G availability, nearly twice that of Airtel's 42.4 percent, ensuring broader coverage and more consistent connectivity for users. According to Ookla's recent research report titled "5G at Maha Kumbh: How Networks Handled the World's Largest Gathering," released on March 10, 5G maintained a significant performance advantage over 4G during Maha Kumbh 2025, despite periods of congestion.
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Jio 5G Infrastructure
The report highlighted Jio's aggressive deployment of 5G infrastructure in Prayagraj, supported by its use of the 700 MHz low-band spectrum, which further enhanced its reach and allowed for stronger signal penetration across the vast mela grounds, where millions were densely packed.
Airtel 5G Infrastructure
The report further stated, "In contrast, Airtel’s 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) network, while delivering strong 5G speeds, had lower availability. This is most likely due to its reliance on mid-band spectrum, which has a shorter coverage range compared to low-band frequency deployment."
5G Speeds at the Mela
Operators' network performance during the event varied based on infrastructure deployment and congestion levels. The report stated that Reliance Jio delivered the highest 5G median download speeds at 201.87 Mbps, followed by Airtel at 165.23 Mbps. The strong 5G speeds indicate the successful deployment of high-capacity networks designed to handle the surge in data demand. Jio's 5G Standalone (SA) network played a crucial role, efficiently managing 20 million voice calls and 400 million data service requests at peak times, as previously reported by TelecomTalk and jointly shared by Ericsson and Jio.
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Ookla also acknowledged Airtel's efforts, stating, "Airtel has also taken several measures to enhance the connectivity experience for its customers." The report added, "These efforts contributed to maintaining strong 5G speeds despite heavy usage." Airtel reported its infrastructure enhancements ahead of the Mela, TelecomTalk reported previously.
Affandy Johan, an analyst at Ookla, explained, "Ookla's 5G Availability data from Speedtest Intelligence represents the percentage of 5G-active devices that spend the majority of their time connected to 5G networks. Analysis of the data indicates that Jio achieved 83.9 percent 5G Availability throughout the Maha Kumbh period. This was significantly higher than Airtel's 42.4 percent. This reflects Jio's aggressive deployment of 5G infrastructure in Prayagraj, supported by its use of the 700 MHz low-band spectrum further enhanced its reach, allowing for stronger signal penetration across the vast mela grounds, where millions were densely packed."
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5G Stands Up to Demand Surge
Download Speeds
Speedtest Intelligence data reveals variations in the weekly median download and upload speeds for 5G and 4G networks in Prayagraj, starting from the first week of January 2025 before the festival began until the end of the Maha Kumbh event.
According to the report, 5G median download speeds started at 259.67 Mbps in early January but declined by over 40 percent to 151.09 Mbps on January 26, coinciding with peak pilgrimage days and increased network congestion. 5G speeds recovered to 201.43 Mbps by February 9 and further improved to 206.82 Mbps by February 23, during the final week of the festival.
4G Speeds
In contrast, 4G speeds remained consistently lower, ranging between 13.38 Mbps (January 19) and 21.68 Mbps (February 23). Even at its lowest, 5G was still 9.5 times faster than 4G, highlighting its ability to handle high-traffic demand more effectively, the report said.
Uploads
5G upload speeds followed a similar pattern, starting at 19.71 Mbps, declining to 12.99 Mbps on January 26, and recovering to 17.95 Mbps by the end of February. 4G upload speeds remained below 5 Mbps, peaking at 4.85 Mbps. The three to five times difference in upload speeds allowed 5G users to share information and content faster, which was critical for pilgrims relying on mobile connectivity. While both networks experienced slowdowns, 5G provided more uplift in performance compared to 4G, reinforcing its role in supporting high-density events like Maha Kumbh, the report said.
4G Networks at Mela
While 5G provided high-speed connectivity, the report stated that 4G speeds were significantly lower across all operators, reflecting network congestion and capacity limitations. Vi India recorded the 4G median download speed at 20.06 Mbps, followed by Jio (18.19 Mbps), Airtel (17.65 Mbps), and BSNL (11.64 Mbps). The slower speeds suggest that 4G networks struggled under high user density, as a large portion of attendees still relied on 4G devices.
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5G Response Times
Ookla reported that Speedtest Intelligence Quality of Experience data was used to assess web page load times and video start times on 5G and 4G networks during the Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj. These measurements reflect real-world user experiences, such as accessing social media, browsing websites, and streaming videos.
The data shows that 5G reduced page load times across all operators compared to 4G, demonstrating its performance uplift even in high-traffic demand situations. Jio and Airtel recorded similar 5G page load times at 1.99 seconds, while 4G networks experienced longer load times: Jio at 2.40 seconds, Airtel at 2.36 seconds, Vi India at 2.44 seconds, and BSNL at 2.70 seconds.
These results, according to the report, highlight how 5G networks managed digital demand more effectively than 4G during the Maha Kumbh. While 4G networks remained functional, their higher latency and longer load times made them less efficient for web browsing and video playback in a high-density setting.
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Stress Test on India's 5G Networks
This event created an unprecedented demand for mobile connectivity as attendees relied on their devices for communication, navigation, and digital transactions. According to Ookla, the event also served as a large-scale stress test for India's 5G networks, which launched commercially in October 2022.
The report stated that the deployment of 5G SA, particularly on Jio's 700 MHz spectrum, contributed to broader coverage and improved network responsiveness, while Airtel's 5G NSA, operating on mid-band frequencies, provided high speeds in select locations.
Speedtest Samples
Ookla reported that Speedtest sample density showed a gradual increase in activity around Triveni Sangam, the confluence point of the three holy rivers, as Maha Kumbh 2025 progressed. Sample density remained low in early January but rose significantly from January 20 onward, peaking between January 27 and February 17 during key bathing dates. Elevated sample density persisted until the last week of the festival.
Maha Kumbh Mela 2025
The Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years at rotating locations in India, is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. The 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela, a special occasion occurring once every 144 years, took place in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, from January 13 to February 26. The event attracted over 660 million devotees by the concluding day, according to the Government of India.
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Infrastructure Enhancements at the Mela
As previously reported by TelecomTalk, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), along with telecom operators, implemented infrastructure enhancements. In Prayagraj, 328 new towers were installed. Additionally, 575 new Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) were deployed, 1,462 existing BTS units were upgraded, and tens of Cells on Wheels were deployed to bolster network capacity.
Conclusion
Considering the report and the samples presented, it appears that many tech-savvy attendees, while taking holy dips, also conducted speed tests to check internet speeds at the heavily crowded location. It is encouraging to see that 5G networks delivered excellent speeds at the confluence of the holy rivers and in the surrounding area. We look forward to more such events and reports in the future.
