Key Details
The survey will utilise India’s nationwide postal network to generate village-level evidence on mobile connectivity, strengthening telecom regulation through independent field data rather than operator reporting alone.
Programme Component | How it Works |
|---|---|
Nationwide rural survey | Mobile network performance will be assessed across more than 5.68 lakh villages in all States and Union Territories. |
Extensive field network | Over 1.40 lakh rural Branch Post Offices and Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDSs) will conduct surveys during routine postal operations. |
Technology-enabled data collection | A dedicated Android-based mobile application developed by TRAI will capture field-level telecom performance data. |
Coverage of all major operators | The survey will evaluate services provided by Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea and BSNL. |
Policy-focused outcomes | Findings will help identify connectivity gaps, strengthen telecom infrastructure and support evidence-based regulatory decisions. |
From Network Expansion to Network Performance
As digital services increasingly underpin governance, education, healthcare, financial inclusion and commerce, the quality of mobile connectivity has become as important as network coverage itself. While telecom operators routinely report coverage and performance metrics, generating independent, village-level evidence on the actual user experience has remained a significant challenge.
To address this gap, the Department of Posts and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) have partnered to undertake a nationwide telecom network performance survey covering more than 5.68 lakh villagesacross all States and Union Territories. By systematically collecting field-level data, the initiative seeks to provide regulators with a clearer picture of rural connectivity and help guide future investments in digital infrastructure.
Repurposing India’s Postal Network for Digital Governance
Rather than creating a new field workforce, the initiative leverages the Department of Posts’ extensive rural presence. More than 1.40 lakh Branch Post Offices and Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDSs) will conduct mobile network performance surveys during their routine visits using a dedicated Android-based application developed by TRAI.
This approach demonstrates how existing public institutions can be repurposed to perform new governance functions at national scale. It combines the postal network’s reach with digital data collection, reducing administrative costs while enabling extensive geographic coverage and standardised field reporting.
Strengthening Evidence-Based Telecom Regulation
The survey will assess the performance of services provided by Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea and BSNL, producing granular information on network quality across rural India.
Its significance extends beyond connectivity mapping. Independent village-level measurements can complement operator-reported data, helping regulators identify underserved locations, monitor service quality more effectively and prioritise infrastructure improvements where they are most needed. In doing so, the initiative shifts telecom governance towards evidence-based regulatory decision-making centred on citizens’ actual experience of digital connectivity.
Policy Relevance
The initiative strengthens evidence-based telecom regulation by complementing operator-reported information with independent village-level field data on network performance.
It illustrates how existing public institutions can be repurposed to support large-scale digital governance, avoiding the need to create parallel administrative structures for nationwide data collection.
Granular connectivity data can enable more targeted infrastructure investments, helping governments and service providers address persistent rural coverage and quality gaps rather than relying on aggregate network statistics.
Using Gramin Dak Sevaks as data collectors demonstrates how trusted last-mile public service networks can evolve into platforms for continuous evidence generation across multiple sectors.
The collaboration reflects a broader shift from measuring telecom infrastructure rollout to assessing the quality and reliability of digital services actually experienced by citizens, supporting more outcome-oriented regulation.
If institutionalised, the model could become a template for using India’s postal network to support nationwide monitoring of public infrastructure and service delivery across sectors such as digital inclusion, financial services, health and agriculture.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: Can village-level, real-time network performance data help shift India's telecom policy from infrastructure expansion towards ensuring consistent quality of digital connectivity for rural citizens?
Follow the Full News Here: Department of Posts and TRAI Join Hands to Conduct India's Largest Village-Level Telecom Network Performance Survey