The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released findings of Independent Drive Test (IDT) conducted across Udupi District, Karnataka LSA, during the month of March 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 – 535.5 KMs, Hotspot locations - 15, Walk Test - 9.8 Kms and Highway drive – 103.3 Kms in Udupi District during 17th March 2026 to 20th March 2026 in Karnataka 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

1. Coverage Gap: Percentage of samples, for which signal strength observed less than the minimum prescribed signal strength for respective technology (2G/ 3G/ 4G/ 5G).
2. Voice Services: Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR), Drop Call Rate (DCR), Call Setup Time, Call Silence Rate, Speech Quality (MOS).
3. Call Silence Instance: Number of call silence instance occurred during the calls.
4. Data Services: Download/ Upload Throughput, Latency, Jitter, Packet Drop Rate

The overall mobile network performance in Udupi 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 5304/46558 for Airtel, 18643/44700 for BSNL, 4561/46087 for RJIL and 11219/42475 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 1/420 for Airtel, 22/396 for BSNL, 4/422 for RJIL and 13/392 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 30/ 407 for Airtel, 22/ 316 for BSNL, 16/ 402 for RJIL and 32/ 380 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 96.45 Mbps for Airtel (5G/4G), 5.65 Mbps for BSNL (4G), 197.40 Mbps for RJIL (5G/4G) and 23.09 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 17.00 Mbps for Airtel (5G/4G), 1.76 Mbps for BSNL (4G), 14.78 Mbps for RJIL (5G/4G) and 10.81 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 Padubidri, Santhekatte, Kota, Kumbhashi, Kundapura, Baindur, Nellikatte, Shiroor Murukai, Hebri, Ajekar J.H.C, Karkala and Belman etc. in Udupi District.

b)    Coastal - Saligram A to Saligram B passing through the great mangrove islands and Malpe Beach to St. Mary's Island passing through Malpe Sea View Point & St. Mary’s line etc.

c)    Hotspot - The hot spot locations, capturing stationary user experience, are Canara Mall Manipal, District Government Hospital Udupi, Kasturba Medical College (KMC) Hospital Manipal, Mandavi Times Square Mall Udupi, Manipal MIT Campus, RTO Office Udupi, Sri Krishna Temple (Car Street) Udupi, Tip Top City Centre Mall Udupi, TMA PAI Hospital Manipal, Udupi Deputy Commissioner Office, Udupi District and Sessions Court, Udupi KSRTC Bus Stand, Udupi Nagarasabha Municipal Office, Udupi Railway Station, and Udupi Taluk Office.

d)    Walk Test - The walk tests conducted from 17^th to 20^th March 2026, covered Karkala Bahubali Statue Hill Pathway Area, Malpe Beach Promenade–Malpe Beach Entrance to Sea Walk Area, and Sri Krishna Temple Udupi-Udupi Service Bus Stand 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.

Annexure

1. Udupi District:

 

1. Coverage Gap – The coverage distribution found less than the minimum specified signal strength for the drive test route in auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G) during voice testing, is as below: -

Parameter	AIRTEL	BSNL	RJIL	VIL
Total Number of Samples captured on Drive test route	46558	44700	46087	42475
Number of Samples having poor signal strength	5304	18643	4561	11219

Note: Signal strength has been considered poor if it falls below −110 dBm for 5G & 4G, −90 dBm for 3G, and −85 dBm for 2G.

 

Coverage Gap observed

 

 

 

2. Dropped Calls - The TSP-wise details of dropped calls in auto-selection mode (5G/ 4G/ 3G/ 2G) are as below: -

Parameter	AIRTEL	BSNL	RJIL	VIL
Number of successful Calls Established	420	396	422	392
Number of dropped Calls	1	22	4	13

       

Locations of Dropped Calls

 

Note: Dropped calls locations are shown in red color and which can be clicked to know the exact location (latitude and longitude) on the map

3. Call Silence Instance - The TSP-wise details of Call silence instance in Auto-selection mode (5G/4G) are as below: -

Parameter	AIRTEL	BSNL	RJIL	VIL
Call Established (within service provider network)	407	316	402	380
Number of silences calls for >3 Sec	30	22	16	32
Total number of silence instances for >3 Sec	41	30	17	49

^*  NA – Not Applicable

Locations of Call Silence Instance

 

Note: Call silence instances are shown in red color and which can be clicked to know the exact location (latitude and longitude) on the map

4. Data Download and Upload throughput: The TSP-wise details of Average Download (DL) and Upload (UL) throughput against declared typical DL/UL Throughput for month, in Auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G) are as below:-

 

1. Download Throughput

Parameter	Measured in	AIRTEL (upto 5G)	BSNL (upto 4G)	RJIL (upto 5G)	VIL (upto 4G)
Typical Download throughput declared by TSP	(Mbits/s)	15.22	10.03	15.00	15.00
Average Download Throughput measured during IDT	(Mbits/s)	96.45	5.65	197.40	23.09

 

Note: Plot is based on Dynamic Drive Test results only

 

(ii) Upload Throughput

Parameter	Measured in	AIRTEL (upto 5G)	BSNL (upto 4G)	RJIL (upto 5G)	VIL (upto 4G)
Typical upload throughput declared by TSP	(Mbits/s)	7.94	3.00	7.00	8.00
Average Upload Throughput measured during IDT	(Mbits/s)	17.00	1.76	14.78	10.81

 

Note: Plot is based on Dynamic Drive Test results only

2. Kodi Kayak Point-Saligram and Malpe Beach to St. Mary's Island Coastal Drive:

1. Coverage Gap – The coverage distribution found less than the minimum specified signal strength for the drive test route in auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G) during voice testing, is as below: -

Parameter	AIRTEL	BSNL	RJIL	VIL
Total Number of Samples captured on Drive test route	10938	8708	10828	10775
Number of Samples having poor signal strength	3438	6146	3201	3708

Note: Signal strength has been considered poor if it falls below −110 dBm for 5G & 4G, −90 dBm for 3G, and −85 dBm for 2G.

 

Coverage Gap observed

2. Dropped Calls - The TSP-wise details of dropped calls in auto-selection mode (5G/ 4G/ 3G/ 2G) are as below: -

 

Parameter	AIRTEL	BSNL	RJIL	VIL
Number of successful Calls Established	99	63	99	98
Number of dropped Calls	1	2	1	2

       

Locations of Dropped Calls

 

Note: Dropped calls locations are shown in red colour and which can be clicked to know the exact location (latitude and longitude) on the map

3. Data Download and Upload throughput: The TSP-wise details of Average Download (DL) and Upload (UL) throughput against declared typical DL/UL Throughput for month, in Auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G) are as below: -
4. Download Throughput

Parameter	Measured in	AIRTEL (upto 5G)	BSNL (upto 4G)	RJIL (upto 5G)	VIL (upto 4G)
Typical Download throughput declared by TSP	(Mbits/s)	15.22	10.03	15.00	15.00
Average Download Throughput measured during IDT	(Mbits/s)	89.41	3.91	174.55	9.68

 

 

 

         Note: Plot is based on Dynamic Drive Test results only

2. Upload Throughput

Parameter	Measured in	AIRTEL (upto 5G)	BSNL (upto 4G)	RJIL (upto 5G)	VIL (upto 4G)
Typical upload throughput declared by TSP	(Mbits/s)	7.94	3.00	7.00	8.00
Average Upload Throughput measured during IDT	(Mbits/s)	11.51	3.56	7.66	6.13

 

 

Note: Plot is based on Dynamic Drive Test results only

 

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