Network connectivity in Sangla valley, Spiti valley and Parvati valley, Himachal Pradesh

I am extremely fortunate that my work allows me the flexibility to not be restricted by a location. I am also extremely lucky that my family is very accommodating and allows me to go on such sudden, unplanned excursions.

The main things I need for my work are my iPad, a calm environment, and reliable network connectivity.

When I decided to backpack across some places in Himachal that I had never been to before, one of the key questions I tried to get an answer to was 'How is the network connectivity there?'

While I got some answers before I visited the exact place, typically the information available online was sparse. Moreover, the information gets quickly outdated. Many places I visited only got network connectivity within the last six months.

For the most part, it was about going to the place and running the SpeedTest app on my phone to gauge the network. In case you are also considering working remotely from Himachal, but are wondering about the network connectivity in these parts, this article might be helpful.

A few notes:

1. Wi-fi was pretty much non-existent
2. These figures are from May-June, 2022
3. These figures are based on tests I ran on Speed Test on my android phone and on my iPad. Your experience might vary.
4. I had Airtel sim cards in my devices, and I bought a pre-paid Jio sim in Himachal too. The process to get a pre-paid Jio sim card was pretty smooth, and I had a working Jio sim card in my phone within an hour. From what I gathered, Vodafone-Idea pretty much did not work at all. I did not have a BSNL sim.
5. The speeds that I mention are based on my tests. I did observe that sometimes speeds fluctuated quite a bit within the same village from one location to another, and based on time of day.
6. My work involves long Zoom calls. I have gauged reliability based on how my 2-hour Zoom calls went. I typically need consistent and stable network for 2 hours at a stretch.
7. I did experience power cuts at pretty much all these places. I would usually try to keep my devices plugged into chargers, and keep my power bank powered up. I never had a device die on me the entire trip. So, no complaints there.
8. I’d be remiss if I didn’t add that my students were very accommodating. A couple of times I had to reschedule our sessions. Sometimes I kept my webcam off to be on the safe side. Even if I faced network issues, my students never made a big deal out of it. So, thank you, guys! I couldn’t have done this trip without your support.

I have mentioned the places in the order that I visited them. My route: Delhi - Shimla - Sangla valley - Kalpa - Nako - Spiti Valley - Manali - Parvati Valley - Delhi

Source: https://tripologer.com/itinerary/spiti-circuit-8n9d/

Sangla Valley, Kinnaur

1. Sangla

Fairly reliable network. At some locations, Airtel worked better, at others, Jio. 20-30mbps. Minor fluctuations.

2. Rakcham

Very reliable. I got around 40mbps all day on both Airtel and Jio.

3. Chitkul

No Airtel. Reliable Jio. 20-30mbps.?

4. Batseri

Both Airtel and Jio around 20mbps.

Kinnaur

5. Kalpa

I faced significant network issues. Both Airtel and Jio worked really well in the mornings, but both gave me serious issues in the evenings. Speeds fluctuated from 60 mbps in the mornings to <1 mbps in the evenings. I had to cancel some of my sessions, and left the village sooner than I had intended to.

6. Nako

Reliable network. Airtel was better than Jio. I got around 40mbps throughout my stay.

Spiti Valley

7. Tabo

Reliable. Both Airtel and Jio worked well. I got speeds between 20 and 30mbps.

8. Komic

There was a Jio tower there. But I did get any network at all. Beautiful place, but I had to keep my visit short because there was no connectivity.

9. Kibber

No Airtel. Strong Jio. Reliable. 40mbps.?

10. Chichum

11. Kaza

Not reliable. Fluctuations here and there. The biggest hub in Spiti valley, Kaza was packed with tourists. The network became quite weak at times. Speeds fluctuated from 1 to 20 mbps.

12. Mudh village, Pin Valley

No Airtel, no Jio.

13. Rangrik

Four kms from Kaza. Much quieter. More stable network. I usually got 20mbps on Airtel and Jio both.

14. Lossar

Strong, reliable Jio and Airtel. 40mbps.?

15. Manali

Weak Airtel and Jio. But many guest houses had good Wi-Fi. Vashisht and Old Manali were both too loud for my liking though.

Parvati valley

16. Kasol

Not bad. 20mbps on both Airtel and Jio.

17. Chalal

40mbps on both Airtel and Jio.?