Airtel, Jio, and Vi Ace Voice Tests; MTNL Faces 80% Call Drops; Full 4G/5G Speed Analysis Inside

New Delhi, March 2026: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released its highly anticipated Independent Drive Test (IDT) report for Mumbai LSA for January 2026. Conducted by M/s RedMango Analytics, the test rigorously evaluated the voice and data performance of all major telecom operators—Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea (Vi), and MTNL—across the city, coastal routes, railway stations, and major hotspots.

The results reveal a stark digital divide: while private players deliver world-class 5G speeds exceeding 240 Mbps, state-owned MTNL continues to struggle with network availability and massive call failures. Here are the key highlights from the report.

Executive Summary: Who Rules the Airwaves?

The drive test, covering 201.7 KM of city routes, coastal areas, and 7 critical hotspots, provides a comprehensive snapshot of network quality in India's financial capital.

• Fastest 5G Network: Reliance Jio dominated with an average download speed of 244.43 Mbps.

• Best Voice Quality: Jio (MOS: 4.51) and Vi (MOS: 4.47) delivered "Excellent" voice clarity, followed by Airtel (MOS: 3.89).

• Worst Performer: MTNL recorded near-total service failure, with only 20.77% call setup success and a staggering 45.34% drop call rate.

• Coverage Concern: MTNL users experienced "Limited Service" for 65-72% of the drive duration, highlighting severe coverage gaps.

Voice Call Performance: A Tale of Two Networks

Private Players Excel in Auto-Mode

When tested in the default auto-network mode (5G/4G/3G/2G), the performance of private telcos was flawless:

• Call Setup Success Rate: Airtel, Jio, and Vi achieved 100.00% success. (Benchmark: >98%)

• Drop Call Rate: Airtel and Vi recorded 0.00% drops, while Jio had a marginal 0.63%. (Benchmark: <2%)

• Call Setup Time: Vi connected calls the fastest (0.41 sec), followed closely by Jio (0.57 sec) and Airtel (1.31 sec).

MTNL's Deepening Crisis

• MTNL managed to establish only 20.77% of calls.

• Nearly half (45.34%) of the successfully connected calls were dropped prematurely.

• On the Mumbai Coastal route (Belapur Jetty - Atal Setu) , the situation worsened, with a 80% drop call rate.

Voice Clarity (MOS Score)

• Excellent (4.0 - 5.0): Jio (4.51) and Vi (4.47) led the pack.

• Good (3.0 - 4.0): Airtel scored a respectable 3.89.

• Poor (1.0 - 2.0): MTNL scored an abysmal 2.03, indicating "Poor" to "Bad" voice quality for most calls.

Data Performance: The 5G Speed Race

When it comes to mobile data, the competition is fierce, with Jio pulling ahead significantly in raw speed.

• City Drive Speeds: In the heart of Mumbai, Jio's speeds peaked at an average of 267.70 Mbps, compared to Airtel's 87.52 Mbps and Vi's 42.45 Mbps.

• Legacy Network Lag: MTNL, operating primarily on 3G/2G, managed just 4.10 Mbps downlink in city areas and a paltry 0.67 Mbps uplink, rendering high-speed applications virtually unusable.

📍 Hotspot & Walk Test Analysis: Where Networks Struggle

TRAI tested 7 key locations, including industrial areas, hospitals, and police stations.

• Top Hotspot Speed: At the Rabale MIDC TTC Industrial Area, Jio's 5G network clocked an astonishing 337.66 Mbps.

• Public Transport Hubs (Walk Test): At Airoli, Kopar Khairane, and Rabale Railway Stations, Airtel, Jio, and Vi provided reliable voice coverage (100% setup). However, Airtel's download speed at Kopar Khairane station dropped to just 9.31 Mbps.

• Zero Service Zones: MTNL failed to establish any data session at 6 out of 7 hotspots, with 100% packet loss observed at locations like Airoli Police Station and Mumbra Hospital.

📝 Critical Advisory for Users

• MTNL Subscribers: The data suggests severe network degradation. Users facing connectivity issues may consider porting to private operators for reliable service.

• Vi & Airtel Users on 3G/2G: The report indicates that users stuck on older networks (3G/2G mode) experience lower success rates (96% vs 100% on 4G/5G). Upgrading to a 4G/5G handset is highly recommended for optimal performance.

Conclusion

The TRAI Mumbai Drive Test report for January 2026 confirms that Jio currently leads in data speeds, while Airtel and Vi offer rock-solid voice reliability. The performance of MTNL remains a major concern, with the operator failing to meet virtually all QoS benchmarks, highlighting an urgent need for network modernization.