TRAI Drive Test Odisha: Network Speeds on Bhubaneswar-Rourkela Highway

What the Teams Checked on the Road

The testers looked at both voice calls and internet data. For calls, they noted if a call connected right away, how long it took to ring, whether it suddenly cut off, and how clear the voice sounded. For data, they measured download and upload speeds, how fast pages loaded, and if videos played without pauses.

All major operators took part: Airtel, BSNL, Jio, and Vi. The phones automatically picked the best available signal, whether 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G. This mirrors what most of us experience when we let the handset choose the network.

Voice Call Results That Stand Out

On the highway stretch, Airtel and Vi never dropped a single call in auto mode. Jio came very close with just 0.4 percent drops, while BSNL had a higher 5.32 percent. When it came to starting a call, Airtel, Jio, and Vi scored above 99 percent success, with BSNL at 87.85 percent.

Inside Rourkela city and nearby areas, the picture changed a bit. Jio led with 99.84 percent successful call setups. Airtel followed at 97.06 percent. Vi managed 61.34 percent, and BSNL stood at 79.76 percent. Call connection time was quickest on Airtel at 0.70 seconds, then Jio at 0.87 seconds.

Voice quality gets rated on a scale where 5 means excellent. Vi topped the list with an average score of 4.48, followed by Airtel at 3.91 and Jio at 3.78. BSNL scored 2.43, which means conversations were understandable but not crystal clear.

Data Speeds That Make a Difference

Internet performance tells a bigger story. On the combined highway and city routes, Jio delivered the fastest average download at 191.10 Mbps. Airtel came second with 96.48 Mbps. Vi offered 17.73 Mbps, and BSNL averaged 3.90 Mbps.

Upload speeds followed a similar order. Airtel led with 25.57 Mbps, then Jio at 18.40 Mbps, Vi at 15.37 Mbps, and BSNL at 5.23 Mbps. Lower latency means quicker response for apps and games. Airtel recorded 20.25 milliseconds, Jio 21.63 ms, BSNL 26.45 ms, and Vi 39.95 ms.

Hotspot Areas Put to the Test

Eight busy spots in Rourkela got extra attention because people stand still there and expect strong signals. Places like the collector office, district court, government hospital, municipal office, NIT campus, bus stand, steel plant, and STI market complex were checked.

Jio’s 5G network shone brightest. It pushed download speeds above 219 Mbps and uploads over 25 Mbps at these locations. Airtel’s 5G hit 145 Mbps down and 30 Mbps up. On 4G, Jio still led with around 40 Mbps down, while BSNL stayed near 4 Mbps.

Routes Covered in Detail

The highway drive passed through small towns and villages like Sunaparbat, Lohadar, Raniberna, Banki, Chandiposh, Musabira, Barghat, Darjing, Juniani, Gudhiali, Jhaliaberna, Kenaveta, Tuniapali, Khulundikudar, Lakhapali, Thianal, Kamakhyanagar, and Cuttack. Each segment gave a real picture of coverage in semi-urban and rural patches.

Inside Rourkela, testers cruised along Ring Road, Chhend Main Road, Panposh Road, Pitamahal Dam Road, and roads near Timjore, Lathikata, Hathibura, Nuagaon, Kuarmunda, Biramitrapur, Bisra, Jhirpani, and Koel Nagar. A short walk test at Rourkela Railway Station checked indoor-like conditions for commuters.

How the Testing Actually Happened

From 19 to 22 August 2025, TRAI staff from the Hyderabad regional office supervised everything. They used standard tools and followed fixed rules so results stay fair and repeatable. Phones ran in auto-select mode to copy normal user behaviour. Every operator received the full report to help them improve weak spots.

If you travel this route often, these numbers explain why your streaming works smoothly on some networks and stutters on others. Jio and Airtel clearly handle high-speed data better, while Vi surprises with excellent voice clarity. BSNL keeps basic connectivity alive in many areas but lags in speed.

Next time you plan a trip between these two cities, picking the right SIM can save frustration. The data also pushes companies to upgrade towers and fix dead zones. Better networks mean smoother work calls, faster map updates, and uninterrupted family video chats on the move.

Odisha keeps growing its digital roads alongside the physical ones. Regular checks like this one make sure mobile signals keep pace with the state’s progress.