Trai finds telecom operators fail call drop test

Most of the telecom operators, including state-run MTNL, failed random drive tests conducted by the regulator Trai to check quality of their network and services as part of its efforts to rein in call drop menace.

As per the test report released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Thursday, none of telecom operators showed improvement in call drops in Mumbai, Pune and Bhubaneswar.

“As per the drive test report, none of the operators is meeting the prescribed benchmark,” Trai said in the report.

Telecom operators, however, questioned the tests conducted by Trai. Airtel, Idea and Vodafone asked Trai not to publish the report as they claimed there was huge variation between tests conducted by Trai and their reassessment done by them.

The regulator conducted drive tests during December- January this fiscal on selected route of seven cities — Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Surat, Bhubaneswar and Indore — and shared the findings with telecom operators.

As per Trai benchmark, not more than 2 per cent calls on a telecom operator’s network should get automatically disconnected. The regulator conducted tests on both 2G and 3G networks of companies.

State-run MTNL was the worst performer in Mumbai and Delhi, where it operates. MTNL 3G network reported call drop at 15.58 per cent level in Mumbai and 23.65 per cent in Delhi.

For Pune, call drop on Tata’s 3G network was as high as 42.93 per cent followed by that of Idea Cellular with 20.96 per cent. The 2G network of Idea Cellular in Pune was also worst performer in its category with 18.97 per cent call drop.

Idea conducted its own test on same routes and found its network compliant to quality norms, the report said.

“Your (Trai) own December DT (drive test) results are very different from September DT results. This huge variation is logically not possible when there were no major changes in Network...In view of the above, you are requested not to publish your report considering huge gaps in findings,” Idea said in response to the telecom regulator said.