TRAI Finds Strong 5G Performance in Rajasthan Network Survey

TRAI said the findings provide consumers with an independent assessment of network quality while encouraging telecom companies to improve services wherever gaps are identified.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released the results of an Independent Drive Test (IDT) conducted across Barmer, Balotra, Pachpadra and nearby areas in Rajasthan to assess the real-world performance of mobile network services offered by telecom operators.

The survey was carried out during June 2026 under the supervision of TRAI's Regional Office in Jaipur. Covering more than 350 kilometres and seven hotspot locations, the tests evaluated the quality of voice and data services provided by Airtel, BSNL, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea (Vi). Engineers measured key performance indicators such as network coverage, call setup success, dropped calls, call quality, download and upload speeds, latency and packet loss using live voice and data sessions across 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G networks.

TRAI said the findings provide consumers with an independent assessment of network quality while encouraging telecom companies to improve services wherever gaps are identified.

Jio records fastest download speeds while Airtel shows reliable call performance

According to the report, Reliance Jio delivered the highest average download speed during the tests at 228.12 Mbps, followed by Airtel at 145.06 Mbps. Vodafone Idea recorded an average download speed of 22.40 Mbps, while BSNL registered 8.11 Mbps.

For upload performance, Airtel achieved the highest average speed at 24.57 Mbps, narrowly ahead of Reliance Jio at 22.28 Mbps. Vodafone Idea recorded 10.99 Mbps, while BSNL averaged 3.60 Mbps.

Voice service performance also varied across operators. Airtel completed the drive test without any dropped calls out of 255 successfully established calls. Reliance Jio recorded two dropped calls out of 260 calls, Vodafone Idea reported seven dropped calls from 251 calls, while BSNL registered eight dropped calls from 183 successfully connected calls.

The report also found no call silence incidents on Airtel's network during testing, while Reliance Jio recorded three such instances. BSNL and Vodafone Idea experienced higher numbers of call silence events during the survey.

Report highlights coverage gaps and areas for improvement

TRAI's assessment also measured network coverage by identifying locations where signal strength fell below the required threshold. Reliance Jio recorded the fewest coverage gap samples during the survey, followed by Airtel. BSNL and Vodafone Idea showed larger coverage gaps across the tested routes, indicating areas where network improvements may be required.

The drive tests covered several locations, including Gadra Road, Gagriya, Ramsar, Bhachbhar, Barmer, Uttarlai, Kawas, Lapla, Baytu, Gol Station, Tilwara, Balotra, Jerla and Pachpadra. TRAI noted that the results represent network performance only during the specific days and locations where the tests were conducted.

The regulator has shared the findings with all telecom service providers for further action where necessary. The detailed report, including maps showing coverage gaps, dropped call locations and call silence incidents, has been made available on the TRAI website to support greater transparency and help operators strengthen mobile services across the region.