India's mobile internet speeds reach new highs in August 2025

In August 2025, India’s median mobile download speed rose to 131.77 Mbps, a significant milestone for the country’s digital infrastructure. This marks a remarkable improvement, especially considering that just a few years ago, the median speed was below 20 Mbps.

This transformation has been largely driven by sustained investments from Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, with Vodafone Idea (Vi) also beginning to roll out 5G services, which are expected to further boost mobile download speeds for Indian users. The data was published by Ookla as part of its Global Speedtest Index.

India now ranks 25th globally for median mobile download speeds, moving up two places compared to the previous month. With continued network expansion and optimisation, these gains are likely to continue.

However, when it comes to fixed broadband speeds, India still lags behind. As per Ookla’s data, India ranks 98th globally, with a median fixed broadband download speed of 59.07 Mbps. This slower progress is largely due to the challenges associated with deploying fibre infrastructure across the country.

To address this, telecom operators are increasingly turning to Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) via 5G. FWA enables high-speed internet connectivity without the need for fibre, making it a practical solution in areas where laying fibre is difficult. Currently, only Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel offer 5G FWA services, though Vodafone Idea may follow suit in the near future.

That said, Vodafone Idea has indicated a cautious approach toward entering the FWA segment. During a recent media interaction at Vi’s Super Network Operations Centre (SNOC) in Pune, Chief Technology Officer Jagbir Singh stated that the company is focusing solely on mobility services for now. “Mobility was and is the focus for the time being. Jio and Airtel see FWA as complementary, but for us, it is a new business segment,” Singh said.

This strategy is consistent with Vi’s current revenue structure, where broadband services contribute less than 2% of overall sales. Singh acknowledged that while the company is currently prioritising mobility, its focus may evolve over time.

In India, where many users are effectively receiving 5G at no additional cost, mobile services remain a crucial platform for telcos to monetise their investments in next-generation networks.