Jio's 5G dominated Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, says Ookla

At the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela, Jio surpassed Bharti Airtel in terms of 5G capabilities. Early January through late February was when the Maha Kumbh Mela was held. Ookla's data indicates that during the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, Jio's 5G service was not just faster but also significantly more accessible to customers. Additionally, even when 5G's speed significantly decreased, it was still at least nine times faster than 4G. 

According to Ookla, despite times of congestion, 5G continued to outperform 4G during Maha Kumbh 2025. By the end of the event, 5G download speeds had recovered to 206.82 Mbps, although they had fallen from 259.67 Mbps in early January to 151.09 Mbps during peak congestion on January 26. Even at its slowest, 5G is at least nine times quicker than 4G, which has steadily decreased in speed from 13.38 Mbps to 21.68 Mbps. 

Image Credit: Ookla 

Ookla data further revealed that with a median download speed of 201.87 Mbps, Jio outperformed Airtel in 5G performance, with Airtel coming in second at 165.23 Mbps. With Vi India recorded a 4G median download speed of only 20.06 Mbps, Jio (18.19 Mbps), Airtel (17.65 Mbps), and BSNL (11.64 Mbps), 4G networks, however, suffered under high user density. 

With Jio reporting 83.9% 5G availability, nearly twice as high as Airtel's 42.4%, users experienced greater coverage and more reliable connectivity. By utilising the 700 MHz low-band frequency, Jio's rapid 5G rollout allowed for greater signal coverage throughout the crowded mela ground.