New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released the findings of an independent mobile network quality assessment conducted across Kasaragod district in Kerala, with Reliance Jio (RJIL) emerging as the best-performing operator in data speeds and call reliability.
The drive tests were conducted between May 5 and 8, 2026, covering 414.2 km of city routes, 12 hotspot locations, 6.5 km of walk-test routes, and 10 km of coastal areas. The assessment evaluated the performance of Airtel, BSNL, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea (Vi) across voice and data services.
According to the report, Reliance Jio recorded the highest average download speed of 294.88 Mbps, followed by Airtel at 139.44 Mbps, Vodafone Idea at 18.85 Mbps, and BSNL at 10.73 Mbps.
For upload speeds, Airtel marginally led with 23.36 Mbps, while Reliance Jio registered 22.81 Mbps. Vodafone Idea recorded 8.18 Mbps, and BSNL averaged 3.78 Mbps.
In terms of voice quality, Reliance Jio reported zero dropped calls during the drive test, while Airtel and Vodafone Idea recorded one dropped call each. BSNL registered 18 dropped calls, the highest among the four operators.
The drive test covered major locations across Kasaragod district, including Manjeshwar, Uppala, Kumbla, Kasaragod, Kanhangad, Nileshwar, Cheruvathur, Bekal Fort, Kasaragod Railway Station, Kanhangad Railway Station and several bus stands, hospitals and government offices. Coastal routes and popular public locations such as Bekal Beach Promenade and Kasaragod Beach Walkway were also included in the assessment.
TRAI said the findings have been shared with the respective telecom service providers for corrective action where required. The regulator conducts periodic independent drive tests to assess real-time mobile network quality and encourage operators to improve service standards while providing consumers with transparent information on network performance.
