TRAI’s latest independent drive test in Assam’s Sonitpur district found Jio delivering the highest average download speed at 221.18 Mbps, while Airtel recorded the fastest upload speed at 21.09 Mbps. Both Airtel and Jio reported zero dropped calls during the city-route voice tests.
TRAI tests mobile networks across Sonitpur
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released the findings of an Independent Drive Test conducted across parts of Sonitpur district under the Assam Licensed Service Area. The regulator published the assessment on September 29, 2026, with the findings covering mobile voice and data performance measured during August.
The assessment covered 308 km of city routes, 10 hotspot locations and 1.6 km of walk-test routes between August 10 and 13. TRAI tested Airtel, BSNL, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea across parameters including network coverage, call setup, dropped calls, call silence, download and upload throughput, latency, jitter and packet loss.
The city-drive assessment covered Tezpur, Dhekiajuli, Thelamara, Sonabil, Rangamati, Bindukuri and surrounding areas. Hotspot locations included the ASTC Bus Stand in Mahabhairab, Tezpur Medical College and Hospital, Tezpur University, District Court Tezpur and other public locations. Walk tests were conducted around North Jamuguri and Rangapara North Junction.
Jio records 221.18 Mbps average download speed
Jio recorded the highest average download throughput among the four operators at 221.18 Mbps across 5G and 4G networks.
Airtel followed with an average download speed of 116.11 Mbps, while Vodafone Idea recorded 20.04 Mbps on 4G/2G and BSNL registered 11.72 Mbps on 4G/2G.
| Operator | Average download | Average upload |
|---|---|---|
| Jio | 221.18 Mbps | 15.98 Mbps |
| Airtel | 116.11 Mbps | 21.09 Mbps |
| Vi | 20.04 Mbps | 6.69 Mbps |
| BSNL | 11.72 Mbps | 4.32 Mbps |
The results show a clear difference between download and upload performance. While Jio led downloads by a wide margin, Airtel recorded the highest average upload speed at 21.09 Mbps. Jio followed at 15.98 Mbps, ahead of Vi at 6.69 Mbps and BSNL at 4.32 Mbps.
Airtel and Jio record zero dropped calls
Voice performance also showed differences between operators. During the city-route testing in auto-selection mode, Airtel recorded no dropped calls among 311 successfully established calls. Jio also recorded zero dropped calls across 316 established calls.
Vi recorded eight dropped calls from 312 successfully established calls, while BSNL recorded 301 dropped calls from 476 successfully established calls.
TRAI also measured poor-signal samples. Airtel recorded 1,766 poor-signal samples out of 44,378, while Jio recorded 1,494 out of 43,999. Vi recorded 6,682 out of 44,109 samples and BSNL 18,494 out of 41,037.
Call-silence measurements lasting more than three seconds were relatively limited across the operators. Airtel recorded 13 such instances, Jio seven, Vi eight and BSNL seven in the reported city-route tests.
What the Sonitpur results mean for users
The Sonitpur assessment provides a location-specific view of mobile network performance rather than a nationwide ranking of operators. TRAI’s IDT methodology measures networks on selected routes, locations and testing periods, so the results should be read as an assessment of the areas covered during the August exercise.
For users in and around the tested parts of Sonitpur, the results indicate that Jio delivered substantially higher average download throughput during the test, while Airtel had the strongest upload result. The voice tests also showed zero dropped calls for both Airtel and Jio on the city route.
The findings are particularly relevant as operators continue expanding 5G services beyond India’s largest metropolitan markets. Actual speeds experienced by individual subscribers can still vary depending on handset, spectrum, indoor coverage, network load, location and other local conditions.
TRAI said the findings have been shared with the respective telecom service providers for necessary action. The regulator also makes detailed Independent Drive Test reports available so consumers can examine network performance in the areas covered.
