TRAI Drive Tests Reveal Jio’s Speed, Airtel’s Clarity, BSNL’s Struggles

In a bid to crack the code for seamless mobile connectivity, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) conducted real-world tests to evaluate telecom networks.

Its latest Independent Drive Tests (IDT), carried out across Kanpur, Unnao, and the bustling Prayagraj, Lucknow highway, revealed which operators kept users connected, and which left them battling poor signals and dropped calls.

The tests, conducted in August 2025, measured how well telecom operators delivered voice and data services in real-life conditions, focusing on critical parameters such as call setup success and drop call rates, the report released recently said.

The results presented a mixed picture. While Reliance Jio and Airtel offered impressive speeds, low drop call rates, and reliable connections, BSNL continued to struggle with slower speeds and higher drop call rates.

TRAI’s appointed agency tested over 356 kilometers of roads in Kanpur and Unnao, along with nearly 197 kilometers on the highway. Real-time tests covered both pedestrian and vehicular movement zones, using advanced tools to measure service quality across 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G networks. The goal was to reflect the everyday experience of users rather than laboratory scenarios.

When it came to connecting calls quickly and keeping them stable, Reliance Jio stood out with a perfect 100% call setup success rate and the fastest call connection at just 0.56 seconds. Airtel followed closely with a 98.23% success rate and 1.30 seconds connection time. Vi’s figures were also competitive, with a 98.71% success rate and 0.72 seconds connection time, while BSNL lagged at 96.31% and a setup time of 3.90 seconds.

In terms of call drops, Airtel reported the lowest at 0.36%, while Jio followed with 0.24%, Vi with 0.12%, and BSNL trailing far behind at 3.58%. Voice clarity was measured using the Mean Opinion Score (MOS), where Airtel scored 3.96, followed by Jio (3.88), Vi (4.36), and BSNL (2.26).

The data service results told a similar story. Jio’s average download speed reached a remarkable 295.58 Mbps, more than double that of Airtel’s 152.42 Mbps. Vi’s speed stood at 51.76 Mbps, and BSNL at a mere 5.25 Mbps. Upload speeds showed Jio at 34.12 Mbps, Airtel at 26.86 Mbps, Vi at 16.66 Mbps, and BSNL at 6.06 Mbps.

Latency measurements reinforced Jio’s lead with the lowest 14.15 milliseconds, while Airtel came in at 19.50 ms, and BSNL and Vi recorded higher latencies of 29.95 ms and 30.50 ms, respectively.

Hotspot testing showed that Jio’s 5G network provided download speeds up to 244.62 Mbps, with upload speeds at 23.69 Mbps. Airtel’s 5G reached 144.12 Mbps download and 35.63 Mbps upload, while Vi and BSNL lagged further behind.

The full report has been shared with telecom providers, encouraging them to address gaps and enhance service delivery. TRAI’s findings highlighted the growing divide between operators with advanced 5G infrastructure and those still catching up. For consumers, these insights offered clarity on which networks provide faster, more reliable service across key routes in Uttar Pradesh.

The assessment confirmed that Reliance Jio led in download speeds and latency, while Airtel excelled in voice quality. Vi delivered competitive performance across parameters, and BSNL lagged, particularly in data throughput and voice reliability.

TRAI has shared the report with all telecom operators to encourage improvements in coverage, reliability, and customer satisfaction.

The detailed report is available for public access at www.trai.gov.in.