COAI asks Trai to improve MySpeed app tests

Telecom operators' body COAI has written to sector regulator Trai pointing out "certain discrepancies" in test methodology used for measuring wireless broadband speed by its MySpeed app and sought improvements in it.

The letter was in response to a white paper on wireless broadband speed measurement methodology and findings released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) in the first week of February.

"We would like to submit that a careful and detailed analysis of the aforesaid white paper depicts certain discrepancies with respect to the results of the Trai MySpeed App...We request the authority to kindly consider our aforesaid submissions favourably to review and improve the functionality of the Trai MySpeed App by rectifying the discrepancies," COAI said in a letter dated April 10.

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), whose members include Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, Idea Cellular and Vodafone, said that it has found significant difference between the results of independent drive tests (IDT) which are carried by Trai and MySpeed App of the regulator.

According to a data chart in the COAI letter, the data speed during IDT and detected by MySpeed App for same operator in a city showed difference of around 45 units.

"This significant difference in the results across the board raises questions of authenticity and credibility of published results on speeds using Trai MySpeed App in the public domain," COAI said.

According to MySpeed App findings, Reliance Jio has most of the time topped the chart for 4G mobile broadband average download speeds.