The Mahakumbh Mela has been described as a significant challenge for India’s 5G networks, with Ookla highlighting the superior performance of 5G compared to 4G during the event in 2025.
From January 12 to February 26 in the Prayagraj region, Jio emerged as the leader in 5G performance, recording a median download speed of 201.87 Mbps. Airtel followed with a speed of 165.23 Mbps. Jio successfully implemented a 5G Standalone (SA) network that handled 20 million voice calls and 400 million data requests during peak traffic periods. Meanwhile, Airtel expanded its infrastructure with 287 new sites and an additional 74 kilometers of fiber laid in the Prayagraj area.
On the other hand, Vi’s 4G median download speed lagged significantly at just 20.06 Mbps, while Jio, Airtel, and BSNL reported lower speeds of 18.19 Mbps, 17.65 Mbps, and 11.64 Mbps, respectively.
Though 5G download speeds experienced a decline from 259.67 Mbps in early January to 151.09 Mbps during peak congestion on January 26, they rebounded to 206.82 Mbps by the event’s conclusion. Even at its lowest, 5G was remarkably nine times faster than 4G, which had speeds ranging between 13.38 Mbps and 21.68 Mbps.
The report indicated that Jio’s 5G network boasted an impressive 83.9% availability, nearly double that of Airtel’s 42.4%, thus providing users with broader coverage and more reliable connectivity. Jio’s ambitious 5G rollout utilized the low-band 700 MHz spectrum, which allowed for greater signal coverage across the densely populated Mela grounds.
In terms of website loading times, 5G (offered by both Jio and Airtel) recorded an average time of 1.99 seconds, while 4G users experienced significantly longer loading times, ranging from 2.36 seconds to 2.70 seconds. For video streaming, the 5G networks provided a faster video start time of 1.79 seconds.
Additionally, 5G upload speeds ranged between 17.95 Mbps and 19.71 Mbps, in stark contrast to the peak upload speeds of 4G, which only reached 4.85 Mbps.
Throughout the Mahakumbh period, Jio maintained an impressive 83.9% availability for its 5G services, outpacing Airtel’s 42.4%. While Airtel’s 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) network delivered strong speeds, its availability remained lower, likely due to its reliance on mid-band spectrum, which offers a shorter range compared to the low-band frequency deployed by Jio.
