According to a report by Opensignal, Bharti Airtel continued to lead in 5G upload and download speeds as of June, surpassing its closest competitor, Reliance Jio. Vodafone Idea Limited (Vi), ranks third overall, is already competing with the larger telecom operators in terms of 5G availability in select circles.
However, the report noted a decline in 5G download speeds for both Airtel and Jio, indicating a slowdown in the performance of their latest-generation networks. Airtel’s users recorded an average 5G upload speed of 22.6 Mbps in June, which was about 1 Mbps lower than in October 2024. In contrast, Jio’s average 5G upload speed increased by 2 Mbps to reach 15.1 Mbps over the same period. Airtel’s average 5G download speed dropped by 28 Mbps to 212 Mbps, while Jio’s declined by 21 Mbps to 204 Mbps.
Opensignal attributed the decrease in 5G download speeds to rising network congestion caused by a growing number of users adopting 5G and increasing their data consumption. Despite this, Jio topped the chart for average overall upload speeds at 9.1 Mbps, just ahead of Airtel’s 9 Mbps. In terms of average overall download speeds, Jio again led with 106.3 Mbps, compared to Airtel’s 58.6 Mbps.
The findings are based on a study covering all four Indian telecom operators over a 90-day period from February 1 to May 1, 2025. Together, Jio and Airtel have over 300 million unique 5G subscribers.
The report also highlighted that Vi is nearly at par with Airtel in terms of 5G availability but continues to lag in 5G download and upload speeds. However, Vi’s 5G download speeds are more than four times faster than its overall speeds. Meanwhile, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), which has not yet launched 5G, saw more than a twofold increase in both download and upload speeds.
Opensignal concluded that there is little difference among the three private telecom companies when it comes to 5G video experience, live video experience, and gaming experience.
