New Delhi [India], June 16 : The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Monday released the results of Independent Drive Tests (IDTs) conducted in April 2025, covering nine cities and highway corridors in seven Licensed Service Areas (LSAs).
The nine cities and highway corridors fall under Palakkad, Varanasi, Delhi (City and Highway), Cuttack, Jodhpur, Patna, Gangtok, and Pakyong, with surrounding districts.
These assessments were part of TRAI's periodic Quality of Service (QoS) audits, aimed at evaluating real-time network performance. The tests were carried out using calibrated equipment and standardised protocols, under direct supervision of TRAI officials across diverse on-ground environments.
The drive tests were undertaken through a TRAI-appointed agency and evaluated both voice and data services across 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G technologies.
The scope included City Drive tests, Walk tests, Highway test and hotspot analysis.
The networks of Bharti Airtel Limited, Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, Vodafone Idea Limited, and BSNL/MTNL were covered in auto-selection and locked mode as per the requirement of tests.
Key Parameters Assessed:
Voice Services: Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR), Drop Call Rate (DCR), Call Setup Time, Call Silence Rate, Speech Quality (MOS), Coverage.
Data Services: Download/Upload Throughput, Latency, Jitter, Packet Drop Rate, and Video Streaming Delay.
The following are the key findings of Independent Drive Tests (IDTs):
Palakkad, Varanasi and Cuttack have demonstrated better network performance by all operators with the achievement of <= 2 per cent of Drop Call Rate against the benchmark.
In Varanasi and Jodhpur, all operators have achieved a benchmark of 98 per cent for Call Setup Success Rates (CSSR). Data Download and Upload speeds are also observed to be better in Palakkad, Varanasi, Cuttack and Jodhpur.
Delhi and Bihar, and Jharkhand LSA areas have recorded comparatively higher drop call rates, exceeding the prescribed QoS benchmarks.
Data download and upload speeds are also observed to be relatively lower in these areas compared to other areas tested in the Drive Test. Call Setup Success Rates (CSSR) in Gangtok and Pakyong in West Bengal LSA observed below the benchmark of 98 per cent for all service providers.
Commenting on the findings, Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, TRAI, said: "As India rapidly transitions into a digitally connected economy, TRAI remains committed to ensuring that service quality keeps pace with consumer expectations. These IDT results reflect actual user experience, help benchmark operator performance, and guide necessary network improvements."
The detailed reports are available at the TRAI website.
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