The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released the results of an independent drive test conducted across South Andaman district and the coastal route from Port Blair to Havelock in August 2026. The test measured real-time quality of mobile network services offered by all major telecom service providers in the region, covering voice calls, data speeds, coverage and call reliability.
TRAI conducts these independent drive tests to assess how well telecom companies actually perform in providing services to consumers on the ground. The findings are published to help consumers understand network quality in their area and to encourage telecom providers to improve their services. This particular test examined networks across the West Bengal telecom service area, which includes the Andaman and Nicobar Islands union territory.
Key facts
- Test period: 17 to 21 August 2026
- City drive route covered: 259.8 kilometres
- Coastal route tested: 52.8 kilometres from Port Blair to Havelock
- Walk test distance: 1.1 kilometres
- Hotspot locations tested: 10 locations
- Telecom providers assessed: Airtel, BSNL, Reliance Jio (RJIL) and Vodafone Idea (VIL)
- Network technologies tested: 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G
How the tests were conducted
TRAI’s appointed testing agency used multiple advanced handsets with SIM cards from all four telecom service providers. Live voice calls and data sessions were established simultaneously on each operator’s network while the handsets travelled along predetermined routes and remained stationary at specific locations. The test data was monitored and analysed in real time using advanced software systems.
Testing covered different environments to capture real-world usage patterns: city roads in South Andaman, beach areas and public transport hubs (hotspots), coastal routes, and walking routes through busy areas. The test was supervised by TRAI’s Regional Office in Kolkata.
Coverage performance
The test measured coverage gaps, which are instances where signal strength fell below the minimum level required for each technology type. During city drive tests in auto-selection mode (where the handset chooses the best available network), Airtel had 4,734 coverage gap samples out of 37,333 total samples collected. BSNL recorded 9,228 gaps out of 37,623 samples, Reliance Jio had 5,123 gaps out of 38,739 samples, and Vodafone Idea had 15,927 gaps out of 36,434 samples.
Voice call quality
Call reliability, measured as the number of calls that dropped unexpectedly after successful connection, showed variation across operators. Airtel had 5 dropped calls out of 266 completed calls. BSNL recorded 38 dropped calls from 268 calls, Reliance Jio had 9 drops from 285 calls, and Vodafone Idea had 8 drops from 262 calls.
The test also measured call silence instances lasting more than 3 seconds. Airtel experienced 23 such instances out of 264 calls. BSNL had 30 instances from 265 calls, Reliance Jio had 33 instances from 264 calls, and Vodafone Idea had 13 instances from 143 calls.
Data speed performance
Download speeds (measured in megabits per second) varied significantly by operator. Reliance Jio delivered the highest average download speed at 77.61 Mbps on 5G and 4G networks. Airtel achieved 67.06 Mbps on 5G and 4G, Vodafone Idea reached 26.54 Mbps on 4G and 2G, and BSNL recorded 7.18 Mbps on 4G and 2G networks.
Upload speeds showed similar patterns. Reliance Jio led at 20.28 Mbps average, followed by Airtel at 18.01 Mbps, Vodafone Idea at 10.84 Mbps, and BSNL at 6.13 Mbps.
What this means for you
If you live in or travel through South Andaman, these results show which networks provide better coverage, faster data speeds and more reliable calls in your area. The data can help you choose a telecom provider based on your actual needs. All telecom companies have received detailed reports of their performance and have been asked to take necessary action to improve their services in areas where they fell short.
Where to find more information
Detailed drive test reports with maps showing exact locations of coverage gaps, dropped calls and speed measurements are available on the TRAI website at www.trai.gov.in. For questions or additional information, you can email adv.kolkata@trai.gov.in or call TRAI’s Kolkata Regional Office at +91-33-22361401.