JAIPUR: BSNL-India’s largest govt-owned telecom PSU, recorded the weakest mobile network performance on the 456.9-km Jodhpur-Ahmedabad rail route, with the highest poor-signal rate and call drops among operators, according to a Telecom Regulatory Authority of India report issued on June 29.TRAI’s Independent Drive Test, conducted in May 2026 across the Rajasthan and Gujarat telecom circles, assessed real-time voice and data quality on the rail corridor. The route covered Bhagat Ki Kothi, Luni Junction, Dundara, Samdari Junction, Mokalsar, Jalore, Modra, Marwar Bhinmal, Raniwara, Dhanera, Bhildi Junction, Patan and Mahesana Junction.The test measured key quality-of-service indicators, including coverage, call drop rate, call setup success rate, data download speed and upload throughput. TRAI’s appointed agency used SIM cards of all telecom service providers across 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G networks, with live voice and data sessions monitored through advanced test handsets and software systems.In voice coverage testing conducted in auto-selection mode, BSNL logged 7,368 poor-signal samples out of 23,625, translating to a 31.2% poor-signal rate — the highest among operators. The state-run company also recorded 15 dropped calls out of 122 successfully established calls, a call-drop rate of about 12.3%.BSNL also lagged in data performance, recording the lowest download speed at 7.95 Mbps over 4G, 3G and 2G networks, and the lowest upload speed at 3.76 Mbps.The findings indicate significant coverage gaps and reliability issues for BSNL along the busy rail corridor compared with private telecom providers.“All concerned telecomserviceproviders have already been informed about the findings of the IDT to take necessary action as required at their level to improve the quality of service to the consumer,” a TRAI official said.
