Jio Offers Best Overall Consistent Quality Network, Airtel Shines in 4G Download Speed: Report

Reliance Jio provides the best basic consistent quality data network to its consumers, whereas Airtel's network is better for more demanding requirements, claims analytics company Tutela. The company also notes that Airtel offers the best average 4G data download speed, whereas Jio has the slowest average 4G download speed. Mukesh Ambani's Jio has a similar track record for 4G upload speed while Idea tops the average upload speed. For the 3G networks, BSNL as well as Vodafone top the average download speed, whereas the Vodafone and Idea have the best average 3G upload speed.

Tutela explains that Reliance Jio customers have a good enough data connection around 95.7 percent of the time, whereas only 45.5 percent of the time did the customers have an excellent connection. Rest of the time, they are stuck on basic data download speeds of over 512Kbps and less than 4Mbps. While the basic speeds are fine for web browsing, checking emails or accessing social media websites, they disappoint during video streaming online gaming, and other such data intensive tasks. On the other hand, Airtel users got excellent network quality 48.1 percent of the time and basic quality 45.5 percent of the time.

“Across the entire country, Jio had the best overall consistent quality, with 95.7 percent of all tests meeting the standards for either basic or excellent consistent quality. That means that Jio's users were able to make a VoIP call, check emails, or use most basic apps 19 times out of 20,” wrote Tutela in its report.

In terms of the regional availability of network, Jio's basic consistent quality network tops or ties with Airtel in pretty much all Indian states, except Odissa, where Airtel is the leader. Moving the network latency, Vodafone rules the roost with 49.5ms on 4G, followed by Airtel, Jio, and Idea. BSNL tops the list in terms of the 3G network latency, followed by Vodafone, Idea, and Airtel.

According to Tutela, it is using crowdsourced data taken between December 1, 2018 and January 30, 2019 to come to these conclusions. The research firm mined 29.6 million speed tests and 268 billion measurements for the report.