Jio fastest, BSNL slowest in TRAI’s Kachchh drive test of mobile networks

Reliance Jio recorded the fastest average mobile download speeds and BSNL the slowest in a drive test the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) carried out in Gujarat's Kachchh district in September.

TRAI published the results of its Independent Drive Test (IDT) on 29 October. The test covered 245.2 km of city roads in Gandhidham and Bhuj, nine hotspot locations and 75.7 km of the Bhuj–Bhachau highway between 8 and 11 September. It was supervised by TRAI's regional office in Jaipur.

Gandhidham and Bhuj

Average download speed:

• Jio: 231.92 Mbps (5G/4G)
• Airtel: 177.25 Mbps (5G/4G)
• Vi: 31.68 Mbps (5G/4G/2G)
• BSNL: 10.27 Mbps (4G/3G/2G)

Airtel had the fastest average upload, at 34.26 Mbps, ahead of Jio at 29.44 Mbps.

Dropped calls: Airtel 0 of 496, Vi 0 of 499, Jio 3 of 495 and BSNL 10 of 496.

Bhuj–Bhachau highway

Jio averaged 241.22 Mbps for downloads and Airtel 139.15 Mbps, against 22.97 Mbps for Vi and 10.66 Mbps for BSNL.

BSNL showed weak signal in 1,718 of 10,423 samples on the highway, against 164 to 202 for the other three operators. It dropped 7 of 56 calls; Airtel and Jio dropped none.

Why it matters

The tests are meant to show consumers how networks perform on the ground and to push operators to improve. TRAI notes that the results reflect only the route, day and time of testing.

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Source: official release by the Ministry of Communications, issued through the Press Information Bureau, Government of India (29 OCT 2026 4:28PM by PIB Delhi). Read the full official text: TRAI Assesses Mobile Network Quality across Kachchh area including Gandhidham & Bhuj cities and Bhuj to Bachau highway (in Gujarat LSA)during the month of September 2026.