The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has published the results of independent drive tests conducted in July 2026 on the Delhi-Agra highway route via Yamuna Expressway and the Agra-Delhi railway route. The tests measured the real-time quality of mobile network services, including voice calls and data speeds, provided by all major telecom service providers to consumers in the Delhi region.
These periodic tests assess how well telecom companies deliver services across diverse environments such as highways, railway corridors and public spaces. The results are made public to inform consumers about network performance and encourage service providers to improve their offerings.
Key facts
- Highway route tested: 183.4 kilometres on Delhi to Agra via Yamuna Expressway, passing through Dankaur, Jewar, Tappal, Surir, Javara, Baldeo, Khandauli and Kuberpur
- Railway route tested: 188 kilometres from Agra to Delhi, passing through Raja Ki Mandi Junction, Mathura Junction, Chata, Kosi Kalan, Palwal, Ballabhgarh and Faridabad
- Test dates: 16 to 17 July 2026
- Hotspot location: Food Street Food Court on Yamuna Expressway at Vrindavan Cut
- Service providers tested: Airtel, BSNL, Reliance Jio (RJIL) and Vodafone Idea (VIL)
- Network technologies tested: 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G
- Tests supervised by TRAI Regional Office Delhi
What was tested
TRAI used multiple advanced test handsets with SIM cards from all four major telecom service providers to establish live voice and data sessions. The agency monitored these sessions in real-time using advanced software systems. Tests were conducted across different usage environments: the highway route, a stationary hotspot location, and the railway corridor.
The drive tests measured several key quality parameters. For voice services, these included call setup success rate (the percentage of calls that connect), call drop rate (how many calls disconnect unexpectedly), call setup time, and speech quality. For data services, the tests measured download and upload speeds, latency (delay), jitter (variation in delay) and packet drop rate. Coverage gaps—areas with weak signal strength—were also documented.
Highway route performance
On the Delhi-Agra Yamuna Expressway highway route, Reliance Jio recorded the highest average data download speed at 213.68 Mbps on 5G networks, followed by Airtel at 135.33 Mbps on 5G. BSNL achieved 8.10 Mbps on 4G, while Vodafone Idea reached 46.48 Mbps on 5G.
For upload speeds on the same route, Reliance Jio led with 20.62 Mbps, Airtel achieved 17.62 Mbps, Vodafone Idea 13.70 Mbps, and BSNL 3.38 Mbps.
Coverage performance varied significantly. Airtel had the fewest coverage gaps with 180 samples showing poor signal strength out of 13,960 total samples. Vodafone Idea had 44 gaps out of 13,327 samples, Reliance Jio had 145 out of 13,268 samples, while BSNL had substantially more gaps at 4,876 out of 12,619 samples.
Call drop rates on the highway were generally low. Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio each had zero dropped calls in their test samples. Airtel recorded 2 dropped calls out of 65 successful calls, while BSNL had 16 dropped calls out of 68.
Railway route performance
On the Agra-Delhi railway route, download speeds were lower than on the highway. Reliance Jio again led with an average of 82.68 Mbps on 5G, followed by Vodafone Idea at 47.48 Mbps on 5G and Airtel at 44.23 Mbps on 5G. BSNL achieved 9.99 Mbps on 4G networks.
Upload speeds on the railway route ranged from 5.07 Mbps for BSNL to 13.32 Mbps for Airtel. Reliance Jio recorded 10.14 Mbps and Vodafone Idea 12.31 Mbps.
Coverage gaps on the railway route were larger than on the highway. BSNL again had the most significant gaps with 5,264 samples showing weak signal out of 10,895 total samples. Other providers had better coverage: Airtel recorded 326 gaps out of 11,709 samples, Reliance Jio had 286 out of 11,697, and Vodafone Idea had 224 out of 11,728.
Dropped calls on the railway route were generally low. Airtel recorded zero dropped calls, BSNL had 12 out of 60 successful calls, Reliance Jio had 3 out of 63, and Vodafone Idea had 2 out of 62.
What this means for you
If you travel on the Delhi-Agra Yamuna Expressway or use the Agra-Delhi railway route, these results show which networks perform best for voice calls and data speeds in those specific areas. The test data helps consumers understand network reliability and speed variations across different service providers. Those who frequently use mobile data for work or streaming may prefer providers with higher average speeds, while users concerned about call quality should note the call drop rates and signal coverage gaps.
The findings also provide benchmark data for telecom service providers to identify weak spots and plan network improvements.
What happens next
TRAI has shared the detailed findings with all telecom service providers so they can take corrective action in areas with poor performance. Complete drive test reports are available on the TRAI website at www.trai.gov.in. Citizens seeking clarification can email adv.ca@trai.gov or contact the TRAI Regional Office Delhi at +91-11-20907772.