Sharp performance divide among telecom operators in Delhi, shows TRAI’s network audit

TRAI’s latest network assessment in Delhi highlights strong data and voice performance by Jio and Airtel, while Vodafone Idea and MTNL continue to lag behind, underscoring persistent disparities in service quality across the capital’s telecom ecosystem.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released the findings of its recent network performance audit for Delhi, offering a detailed assessment of how the city’s major telecom operators deliver mobile and internet services. The exercise, conducted in early October 2025, examined the performance of Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) against established benchmarks for speed, quality, and reliability.

Data speeds show a clear two-operator lead

The audit reveals a significant performance gap in mobile data capabilities. Jio registered the highest average download speed at 249.02 Mbps, closely followed by Airtel at 234 Mbps. Vodafone Idea reported 23.82 Mbps, and MTNL remained far lower at 5.04 Mbps.

Airtel led the upload-speed category with 31.83 Mbps, while Jio recorded 25.98 Mbps. Vodafone Idea and MTNL posted 11.38 Mbps and 1.68 Mbps, respectively. These results reaffirm the dominance of the two private-sector leaders in the capital’s data market.

Voice reliability and technology mix performance

Voice-call dependability remained strong for most operators. Airtel achieved a call setup success rate of 99.50%, followed closely by Jio at 99.30%. Vodafone Idea recorded 98.59%, while MTNL stood considerably lower at 86.53%. TRAI’s mixed-technology tests across 5G, 4G, 3G, and 2G networks showed variations in operator consistency, especially for legacy networks still active in parts of the city.

Industry financials reflect robust growth momentum

The audit coincides with healthy quarterly results across the telecom sector. BSNL reported revenues of ₹5,347 crore for Q2 FY26, contributing to ₹11,134 crore in the first half of the fiscal year. Airtel posted a net profit of ₹6,792 crore for the same quarter, while Reliance Jio saw its revenue rise 14.9% year-on-year to ₹42,652 crore, with strong EBITDA growth.

Looking ahead

MTNL’s Delhi network operations continue to rely on BSNL’s backend systems, with upgrades underway as BSNL deploys 4G and prepares for 5G rollout. TRAI’s periodic assessments remain essential in driving transparency and ensuring operators invest in stronger, more reliable networks for consumers.