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Reliance Jio challenges Airtel’s fastest network claim, says Ookla took sides
Hours after Sunil Mittal-promoted Airtel issued a public statement that its network speeds are the fastest according to Ookla, a Seattle-based internet testing firm, rival Reliance Jio said “the public should not be misled by false claims based on Ookla results”.
Hours after Sunil Mittal-promoted Airtel issued a public statement that its network speeds are the fastest according to Ookla, a Seattle-based internet testing firm, rival Reliance Jio said “the public should not be misled by false claims based on Ookla results”.
Reliance Jio is owned by Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries, and has disrupted the telecom sector with its free internet services over high-speed the 4G network.
On Tuesday, at a joint press release by Airtel and Ookla, the telecom operator said it had the fastest speed in quarters three and four (July to December period) of 2016.
Jio launched its services in September last year with large number of freebies.
Reliance Jio recently filed a complaint with the advertising watchdog against Ookla declaring Airtel as the “Fastest Mobile Network” in India. The Mukesh Ambani-led firm has alleged that Ookla, the owner of Speedtest app, charges money for giving such awards and it approached Jio for the same.
“The core issue is that the speedtest results are attributed to the primary SIM even though the SIM for which the data speedtest is conducted is the secondary SIM in the case of dual-SIM phones. In India, more than 90% of 4G phones are dual-SIM. Therefore, there is no guarantee that the speed which is attributed to Airtel is of the Airtel data network,” said a Reliance spokesperson in an emailed statement.
Reliance Jio also questioned Ookla’s credibility, and hinted that the speed test firm’s report was biased. “We are surprised that Ookla in its press release has not talked about this issue even though they had acknowledged the blunder to us earlier. Ookla has baldly stated that they stand by their results and has skirted the main issue. We will initiate actions as we deem fit at appropriate forums,” the spokesperson added.
