4 Best Mobile Networks in India for Reliable Coverage and Fast Data

Since most of our life today revolves around mobile phones, whether paying bills or finding the way, it is important to choose a network provider wisely based on good speed and pan India coverage. In this article we discuss the 4 best mobile networks in India for fast speed and great coverage.

Selecting a mobile phone provider is a very important decision since we are dependent on our phones for most tasks of daily life, be it paying bills or nonstop entertainment. You must select a network with great coverage, fast speeds and data plans that suit your pocket.

Here are a few important things to keep in mind while choosing the best mobile network.

Coverage area

The main thing to check is if the network is available near your place of residence, place of work and where you are likely to travel all over India. Check the coverage map of the service provider and take references of friends and family regarding connectivity. Jio and Airtel offer a pan India coverage, while BSNL may not be available in certain states. 

Data speed

Choose a network offering 5G which is the fastest in the market presently. You can make a selection based on reports of many independent agencies like Ookla that carry out speed tests to determine the fastest mobile networks nationally and regionally as well.

Image source

Monthly plans

You can choose from prepaid and postpaid plans depending on your usage of calls and data. Some companies offer unlimited plans while others give plans based on usage. Compare various recharge packs as per your requirements and then make a selection that gives maximum features at a reasonable cost.

Online reviews

Reviews from real customers gives a clear picture of network issues, call drops and actual data speeds. Check ratings on sites like Trustpilot to get honest reviews about the best mobile networks.

Customer service

Go through the response times for network outages and bill dispute resolution for each mobile company. Check ratings of customer support for technical support and prompt resolution on the company website and especially check for complaints on social media forums.

Added benefits

Most companies offer benefits like monthly OTT subscriptions free and affordable international roaming. Compare what suits your needs and what you will use before making a selection.

Company reputation

Choose a company that has a good corporate reputation, excellent customer service, and one that has been in the business for a long time. A reputed company will ensure proper communication and meet all your data and entertainment needs.

Based on the above criteria here is a list of the 4 best mobile networks in India for reliable coverage and fast data speeds.

1. Reliance Jio
2. Bharti Airtel
3. Vodafone Idea (Vi)
4. BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited)

You must select one of these service providers that facilitates fast speeds and seamless connectivity for your devices like laptops and smartphones.

1. Reliance Jio

Reliance Jio is based out of Navi Mumbai. It operates a national LTE network with full coverage across all 22 circles. It offers 5G, 4G and 4G+ services all over India.

• Type of Network: Jio is the only network that offers advanced 4G LTE technology on all its sites. Jio is also the only network in the country which offers VoLTE technology for voice calling on all of its sites.

• Width of the Network: Jio has around 5.32 lakh 4G LTE network base stations and covers more than 95% of India’s population. The number of base stations clearly establishes that Jio offers the widest coverage.
• Quality of the Network/Speed:  As per TRAI’s My Speed application, which is an independent crowd sourced application testing speed of network consistently reported Jio to be the fastest network operator.
• Best Network ranking: Jio has won ‘Best Mobile Operator Service for consumers‘ at World Mobile Congress.
• Jio offers the best 5G download speeds that is twice as fast as Airtel.
• As per Opensignal’s survey, Jio is the best operator for availability, 5G availability and coverage.
• Jio is also most consistent in the quality of its network. This means users can do various typical demanding tasks on their devices.

2. Bharti Airtel

Bharti Airtel Limited is a world leader in telecommunications based out of Delhi. They provide services across the USA, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, India and SAARC countries. Airtel has a wide range of technology products with a network across 50 countries and five continents. They offer superior service quality and are focused on enhancing end-user experience.

• As per Opensignal, Airtel offers the best live and on demand video streaming including 5G.
• Airtel users have the best experience in games and OTT services and voice app services including 5G.
• Airtel also scores the highest on upload speed in 5G and is the fastest.

3. Vodafone Idea (Vi)

Vodafone Idea (Vi) is among the top 3 mobile service providers in India offering 4G and LTE networks across the country. It is a joint venture of Vodafone and Idea based out of Mumbai. It was formed in 2018 and has about 18% of the mobile telephony market share after Jio and Airtel. They offer best-in-class prepaid and postpaid plans combining data and entertainment packages with superior customer service. They offer unlimited international roaming packs and have several differentiated options in postpaid plans. Vi promises speed in its services and is passionate about its offerings and service to customers.

4. BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited)

BSNL was founded in the year 2000 and is headquartered in New Delhi. It offers landline and telephony services and is ranked 4^th in the country in terms of its reach and coverage. It has played an important role in connecting border areas, rural areas, and remote areas which is essential for development and enhanced communication in today’s digital age. It has about 8% market share in India’s mobile telephony market. BSNL also has a world-class ISO 9000 Telecom Training Institute for training its personnel.

To encapsulate, the mobile service provider you select must have the best coverage, international roaming, high-speed data upload and download and all this at an affordable cost. Therefore, consider all these factors that give you the best coverage at high speeds and an affordable plan before finalizing your selection. Studying all the plans of the top companies before final selection will give you maximum bang for the buck and great service to boot.

Poll

FAQs

Is Airtel or Jio better?

Jio has been consistent in quality as per the OpenSignal report. Airtel performs better on service quality, upload speeds, and broadband experience.

What is the advantage of Jio?

Jio has the widest coverage with acceptable call and data quality and covers 90% of the population.

Is Airtel free after porting?

Airtel offers mobile number portability (MNP) where you can retain the existing number and change the telecom operator. When you opt for MNP, Airtel delivers the new sim with the same number to your home. The old service provider is disconnected and Airtel will be activated on your phone. Any previous balance will be carried forward to the new postpaid connection. Prepaid users can also opt for Airtel by using MNP. There is doorstep sim delivery and activation of sim happens the same way as for a postpaid connection.

References:

(Mar 20, 2017) Merger of Vodafone India and Idea: creating the largest telecoms operator in India, Retrieved from https://www.vodafone.com/news/corporate-and-financial/merger-vodafone-india-idea

Hardik Khatri (April 2023) India Mobile Network Experience Report, Retrieved from https://www.opensignal.com/reports/2023/04/india/mobile-network-experience

Speed Test Awards India | Q1-Q2 2023, Retrieved from https://www.speedtest.net/awards/india/2023/?award_type=5g&time_period=q1-q2

Sarthak Dogra (Mar 5, 2018), Reliance Jio Wins ‘Best Mobile Operator Service for Consumers’ at Global Mobile Awards 2018, Retrieved from https://www.news18.com/news/tech/reliance-jio-wins-best-mobile-operator-service-for-consumers-at-global-mobile-awards-2018-jiotv-wins-best-mobile-video-content-award-1679427.html

ETTelecom (June 16, 2023), Airtel prepaid plans with access to over 15 OTTs, Retrieved from https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/prepaid-postpaid/airtel-prepaid-plans-with-access-to-over-15-otts/101046228

ETTelecom (Jan 9, 2024) BSNL aims for 20% market share this year, 5G roll out in 2025, Retrieved from https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/bsnl-aims-for-20-market-share-this-year-5g-roll-out-in-2025-report/106652779

Image credits: AAPT Digital Team

(AAPTDIGITAL1009AC)