Mukesh Ambani top performer in Maha Kumbh 2025! Jio emerges No.1 in providing…, Sunil Mittal’s Airtel at…

Jio’s leadership in 5G deployment and its ability to perform better in large-scale events has once again been proven in India’s telecommunications sector.

Reliance Jio has emerged as the top performer in providing 5G connectivity at the recently concluded Maha Kumbh 2025, the world’s largest religious gathering. According to a report by Ookla, Jio’s 5G network availability was far better than its closest competitor, Bharti Airtel, by a significant margin. 

Jio achieved an impressive 83.5% 5G availability during the event, nearly double Airtel’s 42.4%. The event, held from January 12 to February 26, wherein millions of devotees participated, getting good connectivity was a critical factor.

 Jio’s Performance During Peak Times

 Jio’s advanced 5G Standalone (SA) network played a crucial role in managing the massive demand. The network successfully handled 20 million voice calls and 400 million data requests during peak periods, ensuring uninterrupted communication and internet access for attendees.

Jio, Airtel 5G Speed Performance

“Jio led 5G performance, with a median download speed of 201.87 Mbps, followed by Airtel at 165.23 Mbps. Meanwhile, 4G networks struggled under heavy user density, with Vi India recording 4G median download speed at just 20.06 Mbps, followed by Jio (18.19 Mbps), Airtel (17.65 Mbps), and BSNL (11.64 Mbps),” the report said.

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.

The report said that Airtel enhanced its network by deploying 287 new sites, optimizing over 340 existing ones, and laying an additional 74 kilometers of fiber in Prayagraj which contributed to maintaining strong 5G speeds despite heavy usage.

Jio reported 83.9 per cent 5G availability, nearly twice that of Airtel’s 42.4 per cent, ensuring broader coverage and more consistent connectivity for users.

“The Mahakumbh 2025 in Prayagraj presented one of the most significant challenges for telecom operators, with over 660 million attendees relying on mobile connectivity. Despite the extreme demand, operators successfully maintained strong network performance through strategic infrastructure upgrades and advanced technologies,” the report said.

Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had instructed telecom operators to implement extensive infrastructure enhancements which led to deployment of 328 new towers in Prayagraj.

“Additionally, 575 new Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) have been deployed, and 1,462 existing BTS units have been upgraded, as well as tens of Cells on Wheels deployed to bolster network capacity,” the report said.

Telecom gear maker Ericsson had said that it collaborated with Jio to implement strategic solutions across the Jio True 5G SA network using SA features such as network slicing, carrier aggregation using 700 MHz band etc.

Indian telecom gear maker HFCL deployed around 360 wifi hotspots, designed, developed and manufactured entirely in India for its telecom operator partner in Mahakumbh area.

According to the report, the 5G download speed dropped from 259.67 Mbps in early January to 151.09 Mbps at peak congestion on January 26 but it later recovered to 206.82 Mbps by the end of the event. 

(With inputs from PTI)