The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released findings of Independent Drive Test (IDT) conducted along river Ganga from Kolkata to Kachubaria-Gangasagar under West Bengal LSA, during the month of June 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 along river Ganga (Coastal) – 124.4 KMs, Hotspot locations - 2 in West Bengal State on 6^th June 2026 in West Bengal LSA. These tests were conducted under the supervision of the TRAI Regional Office Kolkata. 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 Coastal drive and Hotspots, 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.
3. Data Services: Download/ Upload Throughput, Latency, Jitter, Packet Drop Rate

           

The overall mobile network performance in the coastal drive from Kolkata to Kachubaria-Gangasagar, for the key parameters has been summarised below: -

a)    Coverage Gap - The signal strength observed during voice testing along the coastal 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 1051/ 18186 for Airtel, 10326/ 16338 for BSNL, 1474/ 18149 for RJIL and 1819/ 18122 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/ 129 for Airtel, 24/ 124 for BSNL, 2/ 130 for RJIL and 9/ 133 for VIL. Details of the dropped call locations have been provided in the map Annexed.

 

c)    Data Download and Upload Throughput:

 

i)  Data Download performance (Overall): Average download speed was observed as 55.93  Mbps for Airtel (5G/4G), 5.95 Mbps for BSNL (4G/2G), 86.53 Mbps for RJIL (5G/4G) and 24.23 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 5.54 Mbps for Airtel (5G/4G), 1.65 Mbps for BSNL (4G/ 2G), 4.95 Mbps for RJIL (5G/4G) and 3.43 Mbps for VIL (5G/4G/2G). Detail of Upload throughput has been provided in the map Annexed.

 

Locations of Dropped Calls 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)      Coastal - The areas covered in the coastal drive from Kolkata to Kachubaria - Gangasagar - Pujali, Belari, Geonkhali, Diamond Harbour and Ghoramara etc.

 

b)   Hotspot - The hot spot locations, capturing stationary user experience, are (i) Outram Ghat Kolkata; and (ii) LCT Jetty Kachubaria.

 

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.kolkata@trai.gov.in or Regional Office of TRAI at Kolkata RO can be contacted on telephone no.  +91-33-22361401.

Click here to see Annexure

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