New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) The Department of Posts and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday to conduct a nationwide app-based survey to assess the mobile network performance of Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) – Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea, and BSNL – across over 5.68 lakh villages in India as part of an initiative to improve rural telecom services and strengthen Digital India.

Under the MoU, the Department of Posts will carry out field survey operations through its nationwide postal network, while the TRAI will provide the survey application, technical support, training and centralised monitoring. The one-year partnership is expected to strengthen telecom service quality, bridge digital connectivity gaps, and further the vision of a digitally empowered and inclusive India.

Leveraging the Department of Posts’ unparalleled network of more than 1.40 lakh rural Branch Post Offices, the survey will be conducted by Gramin Dak Sevaks during their routine delivery operations using a specially developed Android-based mobile application developed by the TRAI. Covering villages across all states and Union Territories, the initiative will generate field-level data on mobile network performance to identify connectivity gaps, improve telecom infrastructure, and support evidence-based policy decisions for strengthening digital connectivity across rural India.

The MoU was signed by the Department of Posts’ General Manager, Citizen Centric Services & Rural Business, Manisha Bansal Badal, and the TRAI’s Joint Advisor, Broadband & Policy Analysis, S.M.K. Chandra, in the presence of senior officials from both organisations.

Speaking on the occasion, Badal said: “The Department of Posts has consistently partnered with various government organisations to deliver citizen-centric services by leveraging its unparalleled reach and trusted presence across the country. This collaboration with the TRAI reinforces our commitment towards Digital India by supporting the creation of reliable digital infrastructure. Our dedicated postal workforce will play a vital role in generating authentic field-level data to improve telecom services for citizens across rural India.”

The TRAI’s Pr. Advisor (NSL), Arun Agarwal, said: “This collaboration with the Department of Posts will significantly strengthen TRAI’s capability to assess telecom network performance at the grassroots level. 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.”

–IANS

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