A leap towards strengthening Digital India and rural telecom services: Why Department of Posts and TRAI have joined hands?
In a major step towards strengthening Digital India and improving rural telecom services, the Department of Posts (DoP), Ministry of Communications, and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi 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.
The initiative has been undertaken under the leadership of the Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia, reaffirming the Government's commitment to strengthening digital connectivity and accelerating the vision of Digital India.
The MoU was signed by Ms. Manisha Bansal Badal, General Manager (Citizen Centric Services & Rural Business), Department of Posts and S. M. K. Chandra, Joint Advisor (Broadband & Policy Analysis), TRAI, in the presence of senior officials from both organisations.
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 (GDSs) during their routine delivery operations using a specially developed Android-based mobile application developed by 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.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Manisha Bansal Badal, General Manager (CCS & RB), Department of Posts, said, "This collaboration with 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."
Speaking on the occasion, Arun Agarwal, Pr. Advisor (NSL), TRAI, said, “This collaboration with the Department of Posts will significantly strengthen TRAI's capability to assess telecom network performance at the grassroots level."
Under the MoU, the Department of Posts will carry out field survey operations through its nationwide postal network, while TRAI will provide the survey application, technical support, training and centralized 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.