Key Points
- Survey will cover over 5.68 lakh villages across all states and union territories
- Over 1.4 lakh Gramin Dak Sevaks will collect mobile network data during postal rounds
- Partnership spans one year to assess Airtel, Jio, Vi and BSNL network performance
The Department of Posts (DoP) and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) have signed an agreement to conduct a mobile network performance survey across more than 5.68 lakh villages, making it the largest village-level telecom assessment in the country.
Under the memorandum of understanding signed in New Delhi on Friday (10 July), over 1.4 lakh Gramin Dak Sevaks — rural postal workers who operate branch post offices — will collect network data during their daily delivery rounds using an Android application developed by TRAI.
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The survey will assess the mobile services of Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea and BSNL across all states and union territories.
The initiative comes as the government seeks to address persistent connectivity gaps in rural areas, where network quality often lags behind urban centres despite significant infrastructure investment over the past decade.
Field-level data on signal strength and service availability has historically been difficult to gather at scale, with most network assessments relying on tower-based metrics rather than actual user experience on the ground.
“The Department of Posts has consistently partnered with various government organisations to deliver citizen-centric services by leveraging its reach and presence across the country,” said Manisha Bansal Badal, general manager, citizen centric services and rural business, Department of Posts.
“This collaboration with TRAI reinforces our commitment towards Digital India by supporting the creation of reliable digital infrastructure,” she said.
According to government assesstment, the postal network’s geographical spread makes it uniquely suited for this exercise. Branch post offices are present in villages that often lack other government infrastructure, and postal workers travel routes that cover areas beyond the immediate vicinity of their offices.
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By integrating data collection into existing delivery operations, the survey avoids the cost and logistical complexity of deploying dedicated field teams.
How the Department of Posts, TRAI survey will work
TRAI will provide the survey application, technical support and training to postal staff, while maintaining centralised monitoring of the data collection process.
The app is designed to measure network parameters automatically as GDS workers move through their assigned areas, capturing information on signal availability, call quality and data speeds at multiple points across each village.
“This collaboration with the Department of Posts will significantly strengthen TRAI’s capability to assess telecom network performance at the grassroots level,” said Arun Agarwal, principal advisor, network, spectrum and licensing, TRAI.
“The Department’s extensive field network will enable systematic collection of reliable network performance data, supporting informed regulatory decisions and improved quality of telecom services for consumers,” said Agarwal.
By the numbers
- 5.68 lakh
- Villages to be covered in the survey
- 1.4 lakh
- Gramin Dak Sevaks collecting network data
- 1 year
- Duration of the DoP-TRAI partnership
The agreement runs for one year. The data gathered is intended to help regulators identify villages with inadequate coverage, inform infrastructure planning and support evidence-based policy decisions on rural connectivity.
For the four telecom operators being assessed, the survey results could influence regulatory scrutiny of their rural service obligations.
Your Questions, Answered
What is the TRAI-DoP mobile network survey?
A one-year partnership where over 1.4 lakh Gramin Dak Sevaks will use a TRAI-developed Android app to measure mobile network performance of Airtel, Jio, Vi and BSNL across 5.68 lakh villages in India.
How will the village-level network data be collected?
Gramin Dak Sevaks will carry smartphones with a TRAI app during their regular postal delivery rounds. The app automatically measures signal strength, call quality and data speeds as they travel through villages.
Which telecom operators are being assessed in the survey?
The survey covers the four major mobile service providers operating in rural India: Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea and BSNL.
What will the survey data be used for?
TRAI will use the data to identify villages with poor connectivity, support infrastructure planning and make evidence-based regulatory decisions to improve rural telecom services.