In terms of the smartphone business, India is a very important market. This market is second only to China and smartphone sales are massive, especially mid-range phones. Nevertheless, India is still struggling to popularize its 5G network. The construction of 5G networks in the Indian market is still in its early stages. While other countries have had 5G since 2019 /early 2020, India only launched 5G network services this month. As of now, 5G signals in India are currently limited to a few cities and regions. However, the 5G network speed depends on a number of factors. For now, the 5G network speed varies with carrier and city.
5G download test speed in India reaches 500Mbps
India’s 5G download speed has hit 500Mbps on the test network. In the Delhi area, Jio fares better than Airtel with a download speed of 598.58Mbps. Airtel has a download speed of 197.98Mbps in the Delhi area. 5G speeds in India could drop dramatically when the network is widely available. 5G is now commercially available in parts of India and is expected to be fully rolled out by 2024. Airtel and Jio are expanding their networks across the country, and experts point out that 5G speeds in India will be comparable to those of professional computers. According to the latest data from the internet test Ookla, among Airtel and Jio, the latter has the fastest speed.
The analysis shows that telecom operators did a lot of testing before the October 1 launch. The test reveals 5G speed ranging from 16.27Mbps to 809.94Mbps. This suggests that telcos are recalibrating their networks. Ookla has recorded 5G download speeds from June 2022 in four metros, including Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Varanasi. Airtel lagged behind Jio in popular cities like Mumbai with a download speed of 271.07Mbps, while the latter was faster at 515.38Mbps.
5G network speed varies widely in different Indian cities
In Kolkata, the speed difference between the two telecom networks is greatest. Airtel had a median download speed of 33.83Mbps, while Jio had a much faster median download speed of 482.02Mbps. “We expect these speeds to be more stable as these networks move into the commercial phase,” said Sylwia Kechiche, principal industry analyst at Ookla Enterprise.
In Varanasi, the gap between Jio and Airtel is even smaller. Airtel has achieved a 5G download speed of 516.57Mbps while Jio has a download speed of 485.22Mbps. “These new 5G results show that 5G speeds are far superior to existing networks in India,” Kechiche said.
Ookla analysis shows that Jio’s 5G performance depends on the spectrum band it uses. C-band (n=78) performance was between 606.53Mbps and 875.26Mbps download speeds. 5G networks using the lower 700MHz band (n=28) gave download speeds below 100Mbps, ranging between 78.69Mbps and 95.13Mbps. According to Ookla, Airtel has achieved speeds of 365.48Mbps to 716.85Mbps using only the C-band spectrum it holds when deploying 5G. Ookla claims that Jio’s network has seen the largest growth in 5G-capable devices (67.4%) over the past year, followed by Airtel (61.6%) and Vodafone Idea (56%).
Gizchina News of the week
5G network scam in India
The Mumbai police in India issued a warning about 5G-related scams. Scammers trick users by offering instructions to upgrade to 5G connectivity. Previously, the Hyderabad and Gurugram police also warned users about similar scams. After India launched 5G services on October 1, the network is being rolled out slowly in stages. The next generation of mobile networks brings numerous upgrades. However, it appears to be creating new opportunities for scammers. A tweet from the Mumbai police alerted users to a new scam. Scammers are deceiving customers by giving people a guide to upgrading to 5G. The police warn that users should not share any personal or banking information. Also, it is risky to click on any strange link.
Internet scammers send links in the name of 5G. If the user opens the link, there is a risk of hackers attacking the phone. Users are at risk if they are not vigilant. “By sending a link to upgrade from 4G to 5G SIM, the account balance is cleared. These links are sent on behalf of the respective telcos.”
Reports show scammers pretending to be executives of major telecom companies and directing people to switch to 5G SIM cards. However, in the process, they send the user an OTP (one-time password) or link, which can potentially lead to further intrusions into the user’s device or bank account.
Ericsson and India Telecom to build long-term 5G SA network
According to Ericsson, it has a new 5G SA network long-term agreement with an Indian carrier, Reliance Jio Infocomm. This is the first collaboration between Jio and Ericsson on the deployment of a radio access network in the country. The telecom market leader has partnered with South Korea’s Samsung to build a 4G network. Ericsson claims it will deploy its 5G radio access network (RAN) products and solutions. It will also deploy E-band microwave mobile transmission solutions for Jio’s 5G SA network.
Besides Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung, Jio is also working with US network equipment maker Cisco on its 5G network. The telco has launched a “true 5G” test service in four cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Varanasi. Jio aims to have 5G available in every town, every autonomous district, every borough, etc. by December 2023.
Ookla analysis shows that Jio’s 5G SA network performance depends on the spectrum band it uses. The C-band (n=78) performance was between a median download speed of 606.53Mbps and 875.26Mbps. 5G networks using the 700MHz band (n=28), on the other hand, provide median download speeds below 100Mbps, ranging between 78.69Mbps and 95.13Mbps.
