**Executive Summary**
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released its Independent Drive Test (IDT) findings for the Kadapa city area in the Andhra Pradesh Licensed Service Area, conducted between 17 February and 19 February 2026. The report assesses 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G network performance across 395.6 km of drive tests and various hotspots. The findings have been shared with the relevant Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) to address identified service gaps.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Testing Scope and Methodology**
* Tests covered 395.6 km of drive routes, 5.1 km of walk tests, and 8 specific hotspot locations.
* Evaluated environments included urban zones, institutional hotspots, and rural residential areas.
* The assessment utilized TRAI-suggested equipment and standardized protocols to reflect real-world user experiences for stationary and mobile users.
**Voice Service Performance**
* **Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR):** Performance ranged from 93.74% (BSNL) to 99.59% (Airtel) in auto-selection mode.
* **Drop Call Rate (DCR):** BSNL recorded the highest drop call rate at 1.29%, while Airtel and RJIL recorded the lowest at 0.21%.
* **Speech Quality:** Mean Opinion Scores (MOS) varied between 3.27 (BSNL) and 4.41 (RJIL).
* **Signal Strength:** Poor signal strength during voice testing was most prevalent for BSNL (18.70% of the route) and VIL (10.13%).
**Data Service Performance**
* **Download Speeds:** RJIL recorded the highest average download speed (229.13 Mbps), followed by Airtel (131.28 Mbps), VIL (28.57 Mbps), and BSNL (14.34 Mbps).
* **Upload Speeds:** Average upload speeds ranged from 4.13 Mbps (BSNL) to 24.86 Mbps (Airtel).
* **Latency:** RJIL showed the lowest 50th percentile latency at 24.36 ms, while BSNL showed the highest at 50.75 ms.
* **5G Performance:** In hotspot locations, 5G download speeds reached up to 289.73 Mbps (RJIL) and 185.80 Mbps (Airtel).
**Specific Locations Evaluated**
* Key stationary test sites included Kadapa Railway Station, YV Street Market, Collector Office, Govt. Arts College, and YSR Reddy Stadium.
* Poor signal strength during data testing was observed across all TSPs, ranging from 12.28% (RJIL) to 20.32% (BSNL) of the tested routes.
**Impact Analysis**
**Telecom Service Providers (Airtel, BSNL, RJIL, VIL)**
**Impact**
Providers have been presented with objective data highlighting specific deficiencies in their voice and data coverage, particularly regarding poor signal strength zones in Kadapa City.
**Action Required**
TSPs must review the findings intimated by TRAI and take necessary measures to optimize network performance and address the identified gaps in call success rates and data throughput.
**TRAI Regional Office, Hyderabad**
**Impact**
The authority has completed the supervision of real-world performance captures across diverse usage environments.
**Action Required**
TRAI will facilitate public access to the detailed report on its official website and remain available for clarifications via the designated Advisor.
**Mobile Users in Kadapa City**
**Impact**
Users are provided with transparent data regarding the service quality they can expect from different technologies (2G/3G/4G/5G) and providers.
**Action Required**
No direct action is required, though users can use this information to make informed decisions regarding their service providers.
Key Entities Referenced
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI): The regulatory body that conducted the assessment and released the findings regarding mobile network performance and quality of service.
Independent Drive Test (IDT): The specific initiative and testing methodology used to evaluate real-world voice and data service performance across various mobile technologies.
Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh: The primary city and surrounding areas within the Andhra Pradesh Licensed Service Area that served as the central location for the network quality assessment.
Ministry of Communications
TRAI Assesses Network Quality Across Kadapa
City and adjoining areas in Andhra Pradesh State
(under Andhra Pradesh Licensed Service Area)
Posted On: 24 MAR 2026 3:27PM by PIB Delhi
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released its Independent Drive Test (IDT) findings for
the Andhra Pradesh Licensed Service Area (LSA), covering extensive city of Kadapa surrounding areas
in the month of February 2026. The drive tests conducted under the supervision of the TRAI Regional
Office, Hyderabad, were designed to capture real-world mobile network performance across diverse usage
environments- Urban Zones, Institutional Hotspots, rural residential areas etc.
Between 17th February 2026 to 19th February 2026, TRAI teams conducted detailed tests for 395.6 Kms
Kadapa City drive test, 5.1Kms Walk Test and 8 Hotspot locations. Technologies evaluated included 2G,
3G, 4G, and 5G, reflecting the service experience of users across multiple handset capabilities. The
findings of the IDT have been intimated to all the TSPs concerned.
Key Parameters Assessed:
a) Voice Services: Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR), Drop Call Rate (DCR), Call Setup Time, Call
Silence Rate, Speech Quality (MOS), Coverage.
The overall mobile network performance in Kadapa city is summarized below:
Call Setup Success Rate: Airtel, BSNL, RJIL and VIL have 99.59%, 93.74%, 99.17% and 96.36%
call setup success rate respectively in Auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G).
b) Data Services: Download/Upload Throughput, Latency, Jitter, Packet Drop Rate, and Video
Streaming Delay.
Average download speed of Airtel (5G/4G/2G) is 131.28 Mbps, BSNL (4G/3G/2G) is 14.34 Mbps,
RJIL (5G/4G) is 229.13 Mbps and VIL (4G/2G) is 28.57 Mbps.
CSSR: Call Setup Success Rate (in %), CST: Call Setup Time (in seconds), DCR: Drop Call Rate (in %)
& MOS: Mean Opinion Score.Summary-Voice services Summary-Data services
Call Setup Success Rate: Airtel, BSNL, RJIL Data Download performance (Overall): Average
and VIL have 99.59%, 93.74%, 99.17% and download speed of Airtel (5G/4G/2G) is 131.28
96.36% call setup success rate respectively in Mbps, BSNL (4G/3G/2G) is 14.34 Mbps, RJIL
Auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G). (5G/4G) is 229.13 Mbps and VIL (4G/2G) is 28.57
Mbps.
Call Setup Time: Airtel, BSNL, RJIL and VIL
have call setup time of 0.97, 1.35, 0.74 and 0.53 Data Upload performance (Overall): Average
seconds respectively in Auto-selection mode upload speed of Airtel (5G/4G/2G) is 24.86 Mbps,
(5G/4G/3G/2G). BSNL (4G/3G/2G) is 4.13 Mbps, RJIL (5G/4G) is
18.56 Mbps and VIL (4G/2G) is 8.48 Mbps.
Drop Call Rate: Airtel, BSNL, RJIL and VIL
have drop call rate of 0.21%, 1.29%, 0.21% and Latency (Overall): Airtel, BSNL, RJIL and VIL
1.05% respectively in Auto-selection mode 50th percentile latency is 40.35 ms, 50.75 ms,
(5G/4G/3G/2G). 24.36 ms, 46.12 ms respectively.
Call Silence/Mute Rate: Airtel, BSNL, RJIL and Data performance - Hotspots (in Mbps):
VIL have silence call rate of 0.57%, 4.61%,
0.29% and 1.17% respectively in packet switched
Airtel- 4G D/L: 29.29 4G U/L: 11.83
network (4G/5G).
5G D/L: 185.80 5G U/L: 25.44
Mean Opinion Score (MOS): Airtel, BSNL, BSNL- 4G D/L: 16.23 4G U/L: 5.55
RJIL and VIL have average MOS of 3.97, 3.27,
RJIL- 4G D/L: 49.08 4G U/L: 9.89
4.41 and 3.87 respectively.
5G D/L: 289.73 5G U/L: 14.71
VIL- 4G D/L: 25.79 4G U/L: 4.76
The Poor signal strength in auto-selection mode
(5G/4G/3G/2G) during voice testing has been
observed in 2.08%, 18.70%, 1.86% & 10.13% of
Note- “D/L” Download speed, “U/L” Upload
the City IDT route in case of Airtel, BSNL, RJIL
speed
and VIL respectively
The Poor signal strength in auto-selection mode
(5G/4G/3G/2G) during data testing has been
observed in 15.21%, 20.32%, 12.28% & 16.57% of
the City IDT route in case of Airtel, BSNL, RJIL
and VIL respectively.
In Kadapa City, the assessment included the areas nearby The Poor signal strength in auto-selection mode
(5G/4G/3G/2G) during data testing has been observed in 15.21%, 20.32%, 12.28% & 16.57% of the City
IDT route in case of Airtel, BSNL, RJIL and VIL respectively. Walk Test at Kadapa Railway Station and
YV Street Market Kadapa.TRAI also evaluated real-world conditions at Collector Office Kadapa, Govt. Arts College Kadapa, Govt.
General Hospital and Medical College Kadapa, Kadapa Bus Stand, Kadapa Railway Station, Seven Road
Circle Kadapa, Sri Vijaya Durga Devi Temple Kadapa, YSR Reddy Stadium Kadapa in Kadapa City to
reflect stationary user experience.
The tests were conducted using TRAI suggested equipment and standardised protocols in real-time
environments. The detailed report is available at TRAI website www.trai.gov.in. For any
clarification/information, Shri B. Praveen Kumar, Advisor (Regional Office, Hyderabad) TRAI may be
contacted on email: adv.hyderabad@trai.gov.in or at Tel. No. +91-40-23000761.
****
NJ/ARJ
(Release ID: 2244431) Visitor Counter : 88
Read this release in: ही