Opensignal has released its June 2025 Mobile Network Experience report, analyzing India’s major telecom operators — Jio, Airtel, Vi, and BSNL — across various 5G and mobile network metrics. Based on data from February 1 to May 1, 2025, the report reveals key insights on network speed, availability, and quality, highlighting the evolving competitive landscape in India’s 5G sector.

Mobile Network Experience Report _ June 2025

Market Overview

India’s mobile networks have continued to improve, although rising adoption of 5G has led to increased network congestion. As a result, both Jio and Airtel experienced slight dips in average 5G download speeds. However, their aggressive 5G rollouts have made India one of the top countries globally in 5G Availability.

Jio now leads with a 5G Availability score of 70%, more than double that of Airtel.

Airtel, meanwhile, leads in overall 5G Experience, including download/upload speeds and gaming performance.

5G Strategy: SA vs. NSA

Jio and Airtel follow different 5G deployment strategies:

Jio uses Standalone (SA) 5G, combining:

700MHz for rural areas

3.5GHz for urban cities

26GHz mmWave for high-capacity use cases

Airtel employs Non-Standalone (NSA) 5G, built on existing 4G infrastructure to ensure faster urban rollouts.

This divergence benefits users by promoting competitive improvements across coverage and performance.

Spectrum Landscape

In the 2022 5G spectrum auction:

Airtel and Jio acquired large allocations across low, mid, and high bands.

Vi secured smaller slices in 3,300MHz and 26GHz, with limited low-band coverage.

The government added 687MHz of spectrum in early 2025, but a 400MHz shortfall remains in the critical 6GHz band.

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has urged the government to conduct further auctions to close the gap.

Vi’s Limited Rollout & Financial Troubles

Vi has launched 5G in Mumbai, Delhi, Chandigarh, and Patna. In Mumbai, Vi’s 5G availability rivals Airtel’s, and it offers:

Affordable unlimited 5G plans starting at ₹299/month

Speeds in Mumbai 4x higher than its national average

However, Vi faces serious financial strain:

₹450 billion in AGR dues

Investor concerns over survival beyond 2025

These challenges could hinder its broader network expansion.

Regulatory Moves

TRAI auctioned 900MHz and 1800MHz bands in 2024

Recommended inclusion of mmWave bands (37–40GHz and 42.5–43.5GHz) in future auctions

Government to refarm 1,100MHz of spectrum by 2030

Airtel is reallocating mid-band spectrum and preparing to launch SA 5G, also acquiring 400MHz of mmWave from Adani Data Networks.

BSNL, while still lacking 5G, has made notable progress in 4G performance, especially in:

Download Speed

Upload Speed

Consistent Quality

Key Findings from the Report

Upload Speed:

Jio: 9.1 Mbps (up 2.7 Mbps)

Airtel: 9.0 Mbps (up 2.1 Mbps)

5G Experience:

Airtel won all major 5G experience awards

Jio improved in all areas except download speed

Video Experience:

Airtel: 66/100

Jio: 65.7/100

Vi: 62.7/100

BSNL: 42.1/100 (lowest)

Download Speeds:

All operators saw double-digit growth

Jio surpassed 100 Mbps average for the first time

Airtel still holds the 5G download speed crown

Coverage & Consistency:

Jio leads in overall availability, consistent quality, and reliability

Airtel showed the largest 5G availability growth

Regional Data: Tamil Nadu

Video Experience:

Jio: 67.3

Airtel: 66.6

Live Video Experience:

Airtel: 58.6

Jio: 58.5

Gaming Experience:

Airtel: 73.8

Vi: 72.2

Download Speeds:

Jio: 128.9 Mbps

Airtel: 63.0 Mbps

Upload Speeds:

Airtel: 9.1 Mbps

Jio: 8.6 Mbps

Conclusion and Future Outlook

India’s 5G landscape is progressing rapidly, with Airtel and Jio dominating the experience and coverage fronts. Opensignal anticipates fierce competition in the coming months as:

Airtel prepares to switch to Standalone 5G

Jio continues expanding rural and urban 5G

Vi attempts to scale despite financial strain

Further spectrum auctions and regulatory reforms will be essential in enabling BSNL and smaller players to remain competitive. As more users adopt 5G, Indian consumers can expect ongoing improvements in speed, quality, and network reach across the country.