TRAI Releases Mobile Network Performance Audit for Kathgodam-Dehradun Railway Route

Overview of Findings

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has published the results of an Independent Drive Test (IDT) conducted in August 2026 to assess mobile network quality along the railway route from Kathgodam to Dehradun. The assessment covered major transit hubs including Haldwani, Moradabad, Najibabad, and Haridwar to evaluate both voice and data services offered by local telecom providers.

Network Performance Metrics

The audit measured several Quality of Service (QoS) parameters, focusing on signal coverage, dropped calls, and data throughput. The findings represent the network status specifically at the time and day of the testing:

• Coverage Analysis: Signal strength was assessed against thresholds (e.g., -110 dBm for 4G/5G). Samples with poor signal strength varied by provider, with BSNL recording 6,638 samples of poor signal, compared to 1,734 for RJIL, 2,833 for Airtel, and 2,774 for VIL.
• Dropped Calls: Call stability was measured by the ratio of dropped calls to successful connections. Out of the calls tested, BSNL experienced 24 dropped calls, while Airtel and RJIL each recorded 5, and VIL recorded 6.
• Data Speed: Average download throughput was measured during the test. RJIL recorded the highest average download speed at 156.76 Mbps, followed by Airtel at 113.02 Mbps, VIL at 36.32 Mbps, and BSNL at 10.84 Mbps.

Verification and Methodology

These tests were conducted under the oversight of the TRAI Regional Office in Bhopal using dynamic drive testing. The reports are intended to provide transparency for consumers and encourage infrastructure improvements by Telecom Service Providers (TSPs).

Interested stakeholders can review the detailed performance maps, which include specific latitude and longitude coordinates for dropped call locations and signal gaps, by accessing the official TRAI Press Release No. 132/2026. The report advises that these results reflect performance on the specific dates of the testing and may not reflect real-time network conditions at any other time.