Posted on October 21, 2025, by PIB Delhi
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has published findings from its Independent Drive Test (IDT) conducted in Agartala and nearby areas within the North East Licensed Service Area, specifically in Tripura. The tests, overseen by TRAI’s Kolkata Regional Office, took place from August 25 to August 29, 2025, to assess real-world mobile network performance across various environments, including urban zones, institutional hotspots, business districts, and rural residential areas.
Scope of the Drive Test
The IDT covered 292.5 km of city routes, 10 hotspot locations, and a 1.7 km walk test in Agartala and surrounding regions, including Mohanpur, Khowai, Chebri, Kalyanpur, Kamalnagar, Teliamura, Jirania, Gakulnagar, Bishalgarh, Kakraban, Udaipur, Jampuijala, and Shyamnagar. The evaluation included static testing at key locations such as the District and Sessions Judge Court, Khowai Hospital, Maharaja Bir Bikram College, Neermahal Rudijala, and Ujjayanta Palace, as well as walk tests at Agartala City Centre, Agartala Railway Station, and ILS Hospitals Agartala. Technologies tested included 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G, reflecting diverse user experiences across different devices.
Key Performance Metrics
The drive test assessed both voice and data services, focusing on the following parameters:
- Voice Services: Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR), Drop Call Rate (DCR), Call Setup Time, Call Silence Rate, Speech Quality (Mean Opinion Score – MOS), and Coverage.
- Data Services: Download/Upload Throughput, Latency, Jitter, Packet Drop Rate, and Video Streaming Delay.
Image Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB), Government of India
Voice Service Performance
The performance of major Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) in Agartala for voice services in auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G) is summarized below:
- Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR): Airtel: 97.77%, BSNL: 83.23%, RJIL: 95.20%, VIL: 82.28%
- Call Setup Time (CST): Airtel: 2.46 seconds, BSNL: 2.84 seconds, RJIL: 0.73 seconds, VIL: 1.51 seconds
- Drop Call Rate (DCR): Airtel: 0.91%, BSNL: 5.83%, RJIL: 0.00%, VIL: 2.48%
- Call Silence/Mute Rate (Packet-Switched Network): Airtel: 2.70%, BSNL: 1.66%, RJIL: 3.42%, VIL: 1.58%
- Mean Opinion Score (MOS): Airtel: 4.02, BSNL: 2.72, RJIL: 3.86, VIL: 4.58
Data Service Performance
The data service results highlighted significant differences in performance across TSPs:
- Overall Download Speed: Airtel: 116.89 Mbps, BSNL: 0.89 Mbps, RJIL: 209.52 Mbps, VIL: 23.17 Mbps
- Overall Upload Speed: Airtel: 22.09 Mbps, BSNL: 2.62 Mbps, RJIL: 14.72 Mbps, VIL: 8.00 Mbps
- Latency (50th Percentile): Airtel: 28.60 ms, BSNL: 86.00 ms, RJIL: 21.60 ms, VIL: 47.85 ms
Hotspot Performance (in Mbps):
- Airtel: 4G Download: 25.03, 4G Upload: 13.36, 5G Download: 143.42, 5G Upload: 40.93
- BSNL: 4G Download: 0.57, 4G Upload: 3.11
- RJIL: 4G Download: 21.99, 4G Upload: 6.89, 5G Download: 209.40, 5G Upload: 13.78
- VIL: 4G Download: 24.54, 4G Upload: 9.50
Methodology and Reporting
The tests utilized TRAI-recommended equipment and standardized protocols to ensure accurate real-time results. The findings have been shared with the respective TSPs for review and improvement. The detailed report is available on the TRAI website at www.trai.gov.in. For further information or clarification, contact Shri Kaushik Mukherjee, Advisor at TRAI’s Kolkata Regional Office, via email at [email protected] or by phone at +91-33-22361401.
Keyword: TRAI Network Assessment
Meta Description: TRAI’s Independent Drive Test in Agartala, Tripura, evaluates mobile network performance across voice and data services, covering 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G technologies.