The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released the findings of its Independent Drive Test (IDT) conducted in Sonipat city, Haryana, in December 2025, offering telecom consumers a clear picture of real-world mobile network performance. The assessment focused on the quality of voice and data services delivered by telecom service providers under actual usage conditions.
During the drive test, TRAI captured live network performance data on key performance indicators such as call setup success rate, drop call rate, call setup time, speech quality, data download and upload speeds, and latency. Multiple advanced test handsets were deployed, with sessions monitored in real time and analyzed using advanced software systems. The results are published on the TRAI website and in newspapers to improve consumer awareness and encourage service providers to enhance service quality.
The tests were conducted by TRAI’s Regional Office, Jaipur, through an appointed agency. The drive covered a total distance of 188.4 kilometers and eight hotspot locations across Sonipat city from December 2 to December 4, 2025, within the Haryana licensed service area. Mobile services were evaluated in open mode across 5G, 4G, 3G and 2G networks. Key areas covered included Seoli, Jatheri, Harsana Kalan, Jeevan Vihar, Sector 23, Sector 15, Model Town, Sector 33, Sector 12, Murthal Road, Kumashpur and Bahalgarh.
Voice service performance in Sonipat
TRAI’s IDT evaluated voice services in 3G and 2G modes for Airtel, BSNL, Reliance Jio (RJIL) and Vodafone Idea (VIL). Airtel and Vodafone Idea achieved a call setup success rate of 100 percent, while RJIL recorded 99.79 percent. BSNL lagged with a call setup success rate of 91.27 percent, TRAI said.
Drop call performance showed Airtel with the lowest rate at 0 percent. BSNL reported a drop call rate of 0.23 percent, followed by Vodafone Idea at 0.21 percent and RJIL at 0.63 percent. In terms of call setup time, RJIL delivered the fastest average at 0.66 seconds, closely followed by Vodafone Idea at 0.69 seconds and Airtel at 1.23 seconds. BSNL recorded a significantly higher average call setup time of 6.59 seconds.
Call silence or mute call rates were lowest for Vodafone Idea at 0 percent. Airtel recorded 0.53 percent, RJIL 1.84 percent and BSNL 3.08 percent. Voice quality, measured using Mean Opinion Score on a scale of 1 to 5, was led by Vodafone Idea with a score of 4.43, followed by RJIL at 4.37, Airtel at 3.97 and BSNL at 3.45.
Mobile data performance across networks
The IDT also assessed mobile data services in auto-selection mode across 5G, 4G, 3G and 2G networks. In average download throughput, RJIL emerged as the top performer with 250.35 Mbits per second, followed by Airtel at 230.90 Mbits per second. Vodafone Idea recorded an average download speed of 37.99 Mbits per second, while BSNL trailed at 14.66 Mbits per second.
For average upload throughput, Airtel led with 37.81 Mbits per second. RJIL followed at 20.71 Mbits per second, Vodafone Idea at 12.55 Mbits per second, and BSNL at 4.27 Mbits per second. Latency performance at the 50th percentile showed Airtel delivering the lowest latency at 15.91 milliseconds. Vodafone Idea recorded 17.67 milliseconds, RJIL 18.09 milliseconds, while BSNL posted the highest latency at 24.97 milliseconds.
Overall, the TRAI drive test highlights strong voice and data performance by Airtel and Reliance Jio in Sonipat, with Vodafone Idea showing competitive voice quality, while BSNL continues to lag across several key performance metrics. The findings provide valuable insights for consumers while pushing operators to further improve network quality in the region.
BABURAJAN KIZHAKEDATH
