TRAI Publishes Drive Test Results for UP West, Evaluates 2G to 5G Network Quality

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released the results of its Independent Drive Test (IDT) for the Uttar Pradesh (West) Licensed Service Area (LSA), conducted during July 2025. The tests were carried out under the supervision of TRAI’s Regional Office, Delhi, to evaluate real-world mobile service performance across diverse environments such as urban neighborhoods, institutional hotspots, public transport hubs, and high-speed corridors.

Coverage and Methodology

Between 17th July and 19th July 2025, TRAI teams conducted extensive drive tests, covering:

• 214.7 km of city drive routes

• 8 hotspot locations including educational, healthcare, and public transport centers

• 1 inter-operator calling location

The evaluation spanned 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G technologies, ensuring that the experience of users with different handset capabilities was represented. Testing was carried out using TRAI-recommended equipment and standardized international protocols, ensuring transparency and accuracy.

Key Quality of Service (QoS) Parameters

The assessment focused on voice and data service quality, considering parameters most relevant to consumers:

Voice Services:

• Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR)

• Drop Call Rate (DCR)

• Call Setup Time (CST)

• Call Silence Rate

• Speech Quality (Mean Opinion Score – MOS)

• Network Coverage

Data Services:

• Download and Upload Throughput

• Latency and Jitter

• Packet Drop Rate

• Video Streaming Delay

Operator Performance: Voice Service Indicators

In Auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G), the following results were observed:

• Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR): Airtel (100%), BSNL (84.21%), RJIL (99.48%), VIL (99.74%)

• Drop Call Rate (DCR): Airtel (0.00%), BSNL (3.13%), RJIL (0.00%), VIL (0.00%)

The results indicate that private operators like Airtel, Reliance Jio (RJIL), and Vodafone Idea (VIL) performed strongly in call setup and reliability, while BSNL lagged behind on CSSR and DCR.

Assessment in Mathura and Key Hotspots

The test routes included high-density neighborhoods of Mathura district, such as: Govardhan, Jikhangaon, Chhatikara, Vrindavan, Panigaon Khader, Diwana, Hayatpur, Mahaban Bangar, Gokul, Mathura Refinery Nagar, Maholi, Datiya, Pali Khera, and Janam Bhumi.

TRAI also assessed network performance at institutional and public locations, including:

• Delhi Public School, Mathura

• District Hospital, Mathura

• GLA University

• Mathura District Court

• Mathura Railway Station

• New Bus Stand, Mathura

• Prem Mandir and Vishram Ghat, popular religious and tourist destinations

This broad coverage ensured that the evaluation reflected both daily usage environments and high-demand public spaces.

Importance of Drive Tests

Drive Tests are a critical mechanism through which TRAI independently evaluates consumer experience across telecom networks. The findings help identify coverage gaps, call quality issues, and data performance bottlenecks, enabling both consumers and operators to gauge actual service levels against regulatory benchmarks.

The regulator has shared its findings with all concerned Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) for remedial action where needed. This continuous monitoring process contributes to ensuring better service quality and competitive improvements among operators.

Transparency and Public Access

TRAI has made the detailed IDT report for UP West LSA publicly available on its website www.trai.gov.in. Citizens, researchers, and industry stakeholders can access the full dataset for reference.

For any clarifications, Shri Vivek Khare, Advisor (Regional Office, Delhi) TRAI, may be contacted via email at adv.ca@trai.gov.in or by phone at +91-11-20907772.

The July 2025 IDT results for UP West LSA provide a comprehensive snapshot of telecom service quality, highlighting strong performances from private operators and areas for improvement in state-run networks. By bringing greater transparency and accountability, TRAI aims to ensure that users experience consistent, reliable, and high-quality mobile connectivity across both urban and semi-urban areas of Uttar Pradesh (West).