**Executive Summary**
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released findings from Independent Drive Tests conducted in January 2026 along the coastal route in the Sundarban area of West Bengal. These tests evaluated mobile network performance across various environments, with findings already communicated to all Telecommunication Service Providers (TSPs).
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Scope of Testing:**
* Independent Drive Tests (IDT) conducted in the coastal route along rivers Herobhanga, Bidyadhari, and Datta in the Sundarban area, West Bengal.
* Covered 41.0 Km of coastal drive test and 1 Hotspot location.
* Evaluated 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G technologies.
* Tested in village residential areas, tourist locations, and local businesses.
* Included static testing at Jhore Jole Jongole - Eco Heritage Resort - Jharkhali.
* **Parameters Assessed:**
* **Voice Services:** Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR), Drop Call Rate (DCR), Call Setup Time, Coverage.
* **Data Services:** Download/Upload Throughput, Latency.
* **Performance Metrics (Auto-selection mode 5G/4G/3G/2G):**
* **Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR):** Airtel (100.00%), BSNL (18.37%), RJIL (100.00%), VIL (91.61%).
* **Drop Call Rate (DCR):** Airtel (0.00%), BSNL (8.89%), RJIL (0.68%), VIL (0.00%).
* **Call Setup Time (CST):** Airtel (1.91s), BSNL (7.20s), RJIL (0.75s), VIL (1.53s).
* **Data Performance (Overall):**
* **Average Download Speed:** Airtel (5G/4G) - 58.81 Mbps, BSNL (4G/3G/2G) - 3.24 Mbps, RJIL (5G/4G) - 60.40 Mbps, VIL (4G/2G) - 21.65 Mbps.
* **Average Upload Speed:** Airtel (5G/4G) - 8.33 Mbps, BSNL (4G/3G/2G) - 3.58 Mbps, RJIL (5G/4G) - 17.49 Mbps, VIL (4G/2G) - 6.60 Mbps.
* **50th Percentile Latency:** Airtel - 69.83 ms, BSNL - 154.01 ms, RJIL - 34.79 ms, VIL - 47.97 ms.
* **Data Performance (Hotspots in Mbps):**
* **Airtel:** 4G Download (D/L): 5.81, 4G Upload (U/L): 4.76.
* **RJIL:** 4G D/L: 17.86, 4G U/L: 4.92; 5G D/L: 24.10, 5G U/L: 5.73.
* **Note:** All download and upload tests failed in Airtel 5G, BSNL 4G, and VIL 4G.
* **Signal Strength Observations:**
* Poor signal strength in auto-selection mode during voice testing observed for Airtel (4.27%), BSNL (25.81%), RJIL (9.64%), and VIL (11.74%) of the total IDT route.
* Poor signal strength in auto-selection mode during data testing observed for Airtel (24.44%), BSNL (24.81%), RJIL (25.95%), and VIL (11.76%) of the total IDT route.
* **Report Availability:**
* Detailed report available on TRAI website: www.trai.gov.in.
* Contact for clarification: Shri Kaushik Mukherjee, Advisor (Regional Office, Kolkata) TRAI.
* Email: adv.kolkata@trai.gov.in
* Phone: +91-33-22361401.
**Impact Analysis**
* **Telecommunication Service Providers (TSPs)**
* **Impact:** Findings indicate varying levels of network performance across voice and data services, with specific areas of concern regarding signal strength and data test failures for certain providers and technologies. This directly affects their service quality perception and competitive standing.
* **Action Required:** Review the detailed findings and implement necessary improvements to address the identified performance gaps, particularly in areas of poor signal strength and failed data tests.
* **Consumers/End-Users**
* **Impact:** Consumers in the Sundarban coastal areas may experience inconsistent or poor mobile network quality, affecting their ability to make calls and access data services reliably.
* **Action Required:** Be aware of the reported network performance to set expectations for service quality.
* **Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)**
* **Impact:** TRAI has fulfilled its mandate of assessing network quality. The findings provide data for future policy decisions and regulatory actions.
* **Action Required:** Continue monitoring network performance, engage with TSPs to ensure improvements, and potentially take further regulatory action based on the report's outcomes.
Key Entities Referenced
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI): The primary regulatory body that conducted the independent drive tests and released the findings.
Sundarban area: The specific geographic location where the network quality assessment was performed.
State of West Bengal: The state in which the Sundarban area is located, defining the broader scope of the assessment.
Independent Drive Test (IDT): The specific type of test conducted by TRAI to assess real-world mobile network performance.
Ministry of Communications
TRAI Assesses Network Quality along Coastal
route in Sundarban area in the State of West
Bengal
Posted On: 02 MAR 2026 4:03PM by PIB Delhi
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released its Independent Drive Test (IDT) findings
conducted in the coastal route along rivers Herobhanga, Bidyadhari and Datta in Sundarban area in the
State of West Bengal in the month of January 2026. The drive tests, conducted under the supervision of
the TRAI Regional Office, Kolkata, were designed to capture real-world mobile network performance
across diverse usage environments- village residential areas, tourist locations, and local businesses etc.
On 29th January 2026, TRAI teams conduced detailed tests along rivers Herobhanga, Bidyadhari and
Datta in Sundarban area in the State of West Bengal covering 41.0 Km of coastal drive test, and 1
Hotspot location. Technologies evaluated included 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G, reflecting the service experience
of users across multiple handset capabilities. The findings of the IDT have already 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, Coverage.
b) Data Services: Download/Upload Throughput, Latency.
The overall mobile network performance in the coastal route along rivers Herobhanga, Bidyadhari and
Datta in Sundarban area in the State of West Bengal is summarized below:
Call Setup Success Rate- Airtel, BSNL, RJIL and VIL have call setup success rate of 100.00%, 18.37%,
100.00% and 91.61% respectively in Auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G).
Drop Call Rate Airtel, BSNL, RJIL and VIL have drop call rate of 0.00%, 8.89%, 0.68% and 0.00%
respectively in Auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G).
5G Data Services delivered maximum average download speed of 60.40 Mbps and maximum average
upload speed of 17.49 Mbps in the overall coastal drive test.
The poor Signal Strength in auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G) has been observed for 4.27%, 25.81%,
9.64% & 11.74% of the total IDT route during voice testing in city drive in case of Airtel, BSNL, RJIL &
VIL respectively. The same, during data testing in city drive was observed for 24.44%, 24.81%, 25.95%
& 11.76% in case of Airtel, BSNL, RJIL & VIL respectively.
Along the rivers Herobhanga, Bidyadhari and Datta in Sundarban area, the assessment included the areas
of Jharkhali, Amlamethi, Sajnekhali, Sonagar, Gadkhali etc.
TRAI also evaluated real-world conditions at Jhore Jole Jongole - Eco Heritage Resort - Jharkhali through
static testing..
Performance against key QoS parameters:
Summary-Data services
Data Download performance (Overall): Average download speed of Airtel (5G/4G) is 58.81 Mbps,
BSNL (4G/3G/2G) is 3.24 Mbps, RJIL (5G/4G) is 60.40 Mbps and VIL (4G/2G) is 21.65 Mbps.
Data Upload performance (Overall): Average upload speed of Airtel (5G/4G) is 8.33 Mbps, BSNL
(4G/3G/2G) is 3.58 Mbps, RJIL (5G/4G) is 17.49 Mbps and VIL (4G/2G) is 6.60 Mbps.
Latency (Overall): Airtel, BSNL, RJIL and VIL 50th percentile latency is 69.83 ms, 154.01 ms, 34.79
ms, 47.97 ms respectively.
Data performance - Hotspots (in Mbps):
Airtel- 4G D/L: 5.81 4G U/L: 4.76
RJIL- 4G D/L: 17.86 4G U/L: 4.92
5G D/L: 24.10 5G U/L: 5.73
Note- “D/L” Download speed, “U/L” Upload speed
All download and upload tests were failed in Airtel 5G, BSNL
4G & VIL 4G.Summary-Voice services
Call Setup Success Rate: Airtel, BSNL, RJIL and VIL have 100.00%, 18.37%, 100.00% and 91.61%,
call setup success rate respectively in Auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G).
Call Setup Time: Airtel, BSNL, RJIL & VIL have call setup time of 1.91, 7.20, 0.75 and 1.53 seconds
respectively in Auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G).
Drop Call Rate: Airtel, BSNL, RJIL and VIL have drop call rate 0.00%, 8.89%, 0.68% and 0.00%
respectively in Auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G).
CSSR: Call Setup Success Rate (in %), CST: Call Setup Time (in seconds), DCR: Drop Call Rate (in %)
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 Kaushik Mukherjee, Advisor (Regional Office, Kolkata) TRAI may be
contacted on email: adv.kolkata@trai.gov.in or at Tel. No. +91-33-22361401.
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