India, Oct. 29 -- The Government of India has issued a release:

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released findings of Independent Drive Test (IDT) conducted across Kachchh area including Gandhidham & Bhuj cities and Bhuj to Bachau highway (in Gujarat LSA), during the month of September 2026, for information of general telecom consumers. The purpose of this drive test is to assess and verify real time quality of mobile network services (both voice & data) provided by Telecom Service Providers (TSPs). During the IDT, TRAI captures performance of TSPs for key Quality of Service (QoS) parameters like Coverage, Call Drop Rate (CDR), Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR), Packet loss rate, data Download (DL) and Upload (UL) throughput etc., which are then published to inform Consumers and encourage TSPs to improve their services.

These IDTs have been designed to capture on ground mobile network performance of all TSPs across diverse usages environment like cities, hotspots, public transport hubs, etc. In this type of drive testing, live data and voice sessions are established using SIM cards from all TSPs over 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G networks. Multiple advanced test handsets are used, and the sessions are monitored and analysed in real-time using advanced Software Systems.

TRAI, through its appointed agency, conducted drive tests including City drive - 245.2 KMs, Hotspot locations - 09 & Bhuj to Bachau highway -75.7 KMs across Kachchh area including Gandhidham & Bhuj cities and Bhuj to Bachau highway during 8th September to 11th September 2026 in Gujarat LSA. These tests were conducted under the supervision of the TRAI Regional Office Jaipur. The observations presented in the drive test reports represent the performance of the TSPs on the area/ route under test on the day/ time of conducting the drive test.

Drive Test Route Map: The following map provides overview of drive test routes indicating City drive, Inter-operator calling, Hotspots and Walk tests, as per the legends shown on the map: -

Key Parameters Assessed

The overall mobile network performance in Kachchh area including Gandhidham & Bhuj cities and Bhuj to Bachau highway in Gujarat LSA for the key parameters has been summarised below:

i. Packet Loss rate (Downlink): Downlink Packet loss rate measured for Airtel as 0.17 %, for BSNL as 1.52%, for RJIL as 0.93% and for VIL as 0.42%.

ii. Packet Loss rate (uplink): Uplink Packet loss rate measured for Airtel as 0.22%, for BSNL as 2.40%, for RJIL as 0.79% and for VIL as 0.39 %.

f. Coverage Gap - The signal strength observed during voice testing on the drive test route in auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G), measured as the number of samples having poor signal strength out of the total samples collected, was 202/11015 for Airtel, 1718/10423 for BSNL, 187/10902 for RJIL and 164/11198 for VIL. Details of the coverage gaps have been provided in the map Annexed.

g. Dropped Calls - Dropped calls, measured as the number of dropped calls out of the number of successfully established calls, were 0/54 for Airtel, 7/56 for BSNL, 0/54 for RJIL and 1/55 for VIL. Details of the dropped call locations have been provided in the map Annexed.

h. Call Silence Instance - Call silence instances, measured as the total number of silence instances observed for > 3 seconds out of the total calls established, were 0/53 for Airtel, 0/61 for BSNL, 1/52 for RJIL and 1/55 for VIL. Details of the call silence instance locations have been provided in the map Annexed.

v. Packet Loss rate (Downlink): Downlink Packet loss rate measured for Airtel as 0.50 %, for BSNL as 3.88%, for RJIL as 0.98% and for VIL as 1.11%.

vi. Packet Loss rate (uplink): Uplink Packet loss rate measured for Airtel as 0.43%, for BSNL as 4.19%, for RJIL as 0.65% and for VIL as 1.12%.

Locations of Dropped Calls and Call Silence instances can be seen by clicking red dot on the map Annexed.

Details of drive test route and area covered during the IDT are as under: -

City: Sukhpar, Uma Nagar, Airport Ring Road, Sanskar Nagar, Din Dayal Nagar, Junavas, Somiya Nagar, Anjar, Jalaram Nagar, Bharat Nagar, Gandhidham, Vinayak Society, Kandla, Mundra etc. in Kachchh area including Gandhidham & Bhuj.

Highway Route - Bhuj to Bhachau via Danda Bazar, Bhuj-Bhachau Highway, Padhar, Kaniyabe, Budharmora, Amardi, Kumbhardi, Euro Colony, Madina Nagar etc.

The findings of this IDT report have been shared with respective TSPs for taking further necessary action at their end, if required. Detailed report of IDT is made available on the TRAI website at www.trai.gov.in. For any clarification or additional information, an email can be sent to Regional office of TRAI at Jaipur on Email id adv.jaipur@trai.gov.in Regional Office of TRAI at Jaipur RO can be contacted on telephone no. 0141-2701919.

Click here to see Annexure

Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.