Jio 5G vs Airtel 5G: Which Is Better For You?

Two of the biggest telecom companies in India, Reliance Jio and Airtel, have silently launched their 5G network operations. Ultimately, it will boil down to a battle of Jio 5G vs Airtel 5G, considering the competition in the market. Having said that, which 5G network would be the best for you? Reliance Jio has had a good track record of introducing network connectivity in the country at reduced rates. On the other hand, Airtel has been around for decades and has provided exceptional service in all corners of the country. So, if you’re shifting to a 5G network, which one should be the most suitable for you? Here, we’re going to take a look at all the aspects of both 5G networks, including price, speeds, and supported handsets, to find out who wins this battle.

So, are you ready to determine the winner of Jio 5G vs Airtel 5G? Without further delay, let’s get started!

Jio 5G Launch Date

Jio True 5G was launched on October 5, 2022.

Also read: 5 Best 5G Mobile Phones In India October 2022

Airtel 5G Launch Date

Airtel 5G Plus was launched following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise of 5G availability from October 1, 2022. However, it commenced its 5G operations on the backend in August 2022.

Jio 5G Launch Cities

Jio 5G is currently available only in four major Indian cities – Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Varanasi. Of course, there are plans in place to expand 5G coverage nationwide by the end of 2023.

Also read: Airtel 5G Availability: Activation, Supported Mobiles, And All You Should Know!

Airtel 5G Launch Cities

Airtel 5G can be used in eight cities, twice as many as that of Jio 5G. These cities are Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Varanasi, and Gurugram. Airtel has also promised that it will provide nationwide 5G coverage by the end of 2023.

Jio 5G vs Airtel 5G Speeds

Before we get into the internet speed of both these networks, we have to understand that there’s a significant difference between the two. Jio 5G uses a standalone architecture which doesn’t have to piggyback on existing 4G infrastructure. This allows it to deliver faster speeds than non-standalone network deployment 5G. Interestingly, Airtel 5G uses the latter and has to utilise the existing 4G infrastructure in the country to provide 5G services.

A significant reason for this is the budget that Reliance Jio has in its hands. When it comes to 5G, there are two aspects which are the most important – coverage and speeds. Either will fall apart without the other. If you’re in an area with great 5G coverage but lacks speed, it defeats the purpose of 5G. On the other hand, if your 5G is fast but only in a particular area, it takes away from 5G’s supposed ubiquitous nature.

Reliance Jio spent quite a bit of money, approximately over half of INR 88,000 crore, on acquiring 10Mhz of the 700Mhz spectrum. This band is one of the best in terms of speed but is highly expensive as well. Airtel has stayed away from this spectrum due to the costs. Instead, Airtel spent most of its budget on acquiring mid-band spectrums. Moreover, they don’t have a standalone infrastructure.

With Jio acquiring the 700Mhz band for coverage, 3.5Ghz band for capacity, and 26Ghz mmWave band for extra internet speed, Jio is bound to deliver higher speeds.

Coming to the speed tests, here’s what we have:

A broadband speed research from Ookla has stated that Jio 5G speeds are pretty high, with a median speed of 600Mbps. For Airtel, the 5G network topped off at 516Mbps.

Furthermore, in Delhi, Airtel reached a median speed of 200Mbps, while Jio almost went past the 600Mbps mark.

Also read: Jio 5G Availability: Launch, Prices, And Everything You Should Know!

Jio 5G Plan Prices

Jio True 5G will be available with unlimited 5G data and speeds of up to 1Gbps. This will be available on all prepaid and postpaid plans priced INR 239 and above. However, trying Jio 5G requires an invite-only Jio Welcome Offer. You’ll find the banner for this offer in the MyJio app if you’re eligible for it. Additionally, Reliance has stated that Jio 5G is currently in the beta phase.

Airtel 5G Plan Prices

Since Airtel 5G rollout isn’t completed yet, Airtel is pricing the 5G plans quite aggressively. This implies that 5G will be available on 5G-compatible smartphones and 4G SIM cards at the current price of 4G plans. We don’t expect Airtel to charge a premium on 5G plans yet, as it can result in lower revenue per user.

Jio 5G Supported Smartphones

Although Reliance Jio hasn’t mentioned any specific brand or smartphone model that will support the Jio 5G network, we have compiled a list of all the phones that can support it. You can check it out in the table below:

Also read: 5 Best 5G Mobile Phones Under 15000 In India

Airtel 5G Supported Smartphones

Airtel has released a list of smartphones and brands that can support its current 5G network. You can take a look at the table below:

Jio 5G Bands In India

Reliance Jio has specified that Jio 5G will be available in three bands:

• n28 (700Mhz)
• n78 (3300Mhz)
• n258 (26Ghz)

Airtel 5G Bands In India

Airtel has released a list of supported 5G bands in India. These are:

• n8 (900Mhz)
• n3 (1800Mhz)
• n1 (2100Mhz)
• n78 (3300Mhz)
• n258 (26Ghz)

Also read: 5 Best Realme 5G Mobile Phones In India October 2022

Jio 5G vs Airtel 5G: Who Wins?

In this battle of the 5G networks, it isn’t easy to pick a clear winner. While Jio 5G offers better speeds and will evolve continuously, it isn’t available in multiple Indian cities. On the other side, Airtel 5G is available in twice the number of cities in India compared to Jio 5G. So, it boils down to what you prefer. If you’re in cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, there’s a good chance that you’ll pick Jio 5G for the coverage and speed. However, its invite-only system can be an impediment, at least for the moment. Airtel 5G users will be happy with more regions covered but will have to compromise slightly on speed. Let us know which you consider the winner in this Jio 5G vs Airtel 5G head-to-head comparison in the comments below!

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