**Executive Summary**
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) conducted an Independent Drive Test (IDT) in Kasaragod District, Kerala, from May 5th to May 8th, 2026, to assess the real-time quality of 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G mobile services. The assessment evaluated Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) on critical parameters including coverage, call success rates, and data throughput. The findings have been shared with TSPs for necessary service improvements and published for consumer information.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Testing Scope and Methodology**
* The IDT covered 414.2 KMs of city drives, 10.0 KMs of coastal areas, 12 hotspot locations, and 6.5 KMs of walk tests.
* Testing utilized advanced handsets and software to monitor live voice and data sessions across various environments like public transport hubs and cities.
* Key parameters assessed include Coverage Gap, Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR), Drop Call Rate (DCR), and data Download/Upload throughput.
* **Voice Service Performance**
* **Dropped Calls:** RJIL recorded the best performance with 0 dropped calls, followed by Airtel (1/419) and VIL (1/421), while BSNL recorded the highest failure rate at 18/402.
* **Call Silence:** BSNL experienced the most silence instances (16), while RJIL recorded the fewest (4).
* **Coverage Gaps:** RJIL showed the lowest number of poor signal samples (1,252), while BSNL recorded the highest (3,203).
* **Data Speed Performance**
* **Download Speeds:** RJIL led with an average of 294.88 Mbps (5G/4G), followed by Airtel at 139.44 Mbps. BSNL recorded the lowest average download speed at 10.73 Mbps.
* **Upload Speeds:** Airtel recorded the highest average upload speed at 23.36 Mbps, while BSNL recorded the lowest at 3.78 Mbps.
**Impact Analysis**
**Telecom Service Providers (TSPs: Airtel, BSNL, RJIL, VIL)**
**Impact**
Providers are held accountable for their network performance through public disclosure of service quality gaps, including specific locations of call drops and poor coverage.
**Action Required**
TSPs must review the shared IDT findings and take "further necessary action" to address identified deficiencies in coverage and service quality.
**Telecom Consumers**
**Impact**
Consumers gain access to verified, real-time data regarding the performance of different networks in their specific geographical area.
**Action Required**
Consumers are encouraged to use the published reports on the TRAI website to make informed decisions regarding their service provider choices.
**TRAI Regional Office (Bengaluru)**
**Impact**
The office acts as the supervisory body ensuring the accuracy of the drive tests and facilitating communication between the regulator and TSPs.
**Action Required**
The Regional Office remains the point of contact for clarifications and continued monitoring of TSP improvements based on the report.
Key Entities Referenced
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI): The statutory regulator responsible for conducting Independent Drive Tests to monitor and ensure mobile network quality.
Independent Drive Test (IDT): The specific initiative and testing methodology used to assess real-time quality of voice and data services provided by telecom operators.
Kasaragod District, Kerala LSA: The specific geographical region and Licensed Service Area (LSA) where the network performance assessment was conducted.
Quality of Service (QoS): The set of regulatory parameters, including Call Drop Rate and Coverage Gap, used to evaluate the performance of mobile networks.
Telecom Service Providers (TSPs): The primary entities (including Airtel, BSNL, RJIL, and VIL) whose network performance and service delivery are being audited.
Ministry of Communications
TRAI Assesses Mobile Network Quality Across
Kasaragod District, Kerala LSA
प्रव तथ: 16 JUL 2026 2:13PM by PIB Delhi
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released findings of Independent Drive Test (IDT)
conducted across Kasaragod District, Kerala LSA, during the month of May 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), 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 across City drive – 414.2 KMs, Hotspot
locations - 12, Walk Test - 6.5 KMs and Costal - 10.0 KMs in Kasaragod District during 5th May 2026 to
8th May 2026 in Kerala LSA. These tests were conducted under the supervision of the TRAI Regional
Office Bengaluru. The observations presented in 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
a. Coverage Gap: Percentage of samples, for which signal strength observed less than the
minimum prescribed signal strength for respective technology (2G/ 3G/ 4G/ 5G).
b. Voice Services: Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR), Drop Call Rate (DCR), Call Setup Time,
Call Silence Rate, Speech Quality (MOS).
c. Call Silence Instance: Number of call silence instance occurred during the calls.
d. Data Servies: Download/ Upload Throughput, Latency, Jitter, Packet Drop Rate
The overall mobile network performance in Kasaragod District for the key parameters has been
summarised below:-
a) 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 2105/46617 for Airtel, 3203/46207 for
BSNL, 1252/45532 for RJIL and 2105/47035 for VIL. Details of the coverage gaps have
been provided in the map Annexed.
b) Dropped Calls - Dropped calls, measured as the number of dropped calls out of the
number of successfully established calls, were 1/419 for Airtel, 18/402 for BSNL, 0/421 for
RJIL and 1/421 for VIL. Details of the dropped call locations have been provided in the map
Annexed.
c) 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 6/ 403 for Airtel, 16/
368 for BSNL, 4/ 405 for RJIL and 10/ 404 for VIL. Details of the call silence instance
locations have been provided in the map Annexed.
d) Data Download and Upload Throughput:i) Data Download performance (Overall): Average download speed was observed as
139.44 Mbps for Airtel (5G/4G), 10.73 Mbps for BSNL (4G), 294.88 Mbps for RJIL
(5G/4G) and 18.85 Mbps for VIL (5G/4G/2G). Detail of Download throughput has
been provided in the map Annexed.
ii) Data Upload performance (Overall): Average upload speed was observed as 23.36
Mbps for Airtel (5G/4G), 3.78 Mbps for BSNL (4G), 22.81 Mbps for RJIL (5G/4G)
and 8.18 Mbps for VIL (5G/4G/2G). Detail of Upload throughput has been provided in
the map Annexed.
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 is as under:-
a) City - The areas covered in the city drive are Manjeshwar, Uppala, Kumbla, Kasaragod,
Kalnad, Kanhangad, Nileshwar, Cheruvathur, Thrikaripur, Cheemeni, Bheemanady,
Rajapuram, Kuttikol, Panayal, Poinachi, Cherkala, Mulleria, Badiyadka, Seethangoli and
Paivalike etc. in Kasaragod District.
b) Coastal - Kottapuram Boat Terminal- Azhithala - Medakkera Fishing Harbour - Nileswar
Baoting Terminal passing through The Lotus Houseboat, Thaikadappuram Boat Jetty and
Achamthuruthy etc.
c) Hotspot - The hot spot locations, capturing stationary user experience, are Bekal Fort,
Cheruvathur Bus Stand, CPCRI Kasaragod, District Collectorate Kasaragod, Government
General Hospital Kasaragod, Kanhangad Railway Station, Kasaragod Municipality Office,
Kasaragod New Bus Stand, Kasaragod Railway Station, KSRTC Bus Stand Kasaragod,
Nileshwaram Market, and Uppala Town Junction.
d) Walk Test - The walk tests conducted on 05th to 08th May 2026, covered Bekal Beach
Promenade, Kanhangad Market, Kasaragod Beach Walkway, and Kasaragod Railway Station
etc.
The findings of this IDT report have been shared with respective TSPs for taking further necessary action
at their end. Detailed reports of IDT are made available on the TRAI website at www.trai.gov.in. For any
clarification or additional information, an email can be sent to adv.bengaluru@trai.gov.in or Regional
Office of TRAI at Bengaluru RO can be contacted on telephone No. +91-80-22865004.
Click here to see annexure
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NJ/AR
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