TRAI Assesses Mobile Network Quality across Chandigarh, Mohali & Panchkula Urban Area (Punjab LSA)

📌 Summary:

• TRAI released findings of an Independent Drive Test (IDT) of mobile network quality across the Chandigarh, Mohali & Panchkula urban area (Punjab LSA), conducted April 6–10, 2026
• IDTs verify real-time Quality of Service (QoS) — coverage, Call Drop Rate, Call Setup Success Rate, and download/upload throughput — over 2G/3G/4G/5G using all operators' SIMs
• Testing spanned ~453 km of city drive, 15 hotspots and walk tests; results shared with Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) for corrective action
• Sample results: lowest dropped calls for Airtel (0/566); BSNL lagged on coverage gaps and throughput; highest average download speeds for RJIL (~203 Mbps) and Airtel (~170 Mbps)
• Purpose: inform consumers and push TSPs to improve services; the detailed report is on trai.gov.in

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2/GS3 — role of independent regulators (TRAI as a statutory body), telecom governance, and consumer protection.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• TRAI = Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, a statutory body established under the TRAI Act, 1997
• LSA = Licensed Service Area; QoS = Quality of Service
• IDT = Independent Drive Test, used to measure real-world mobile network performance

🔑 Key Term: Quality of Service (QoS) — measurable network-performance benchmarks (call drop rate, setup success rate, throughput) that TRAI mandates and monitors for telecom operators.