What is This Revamped Tool?
The tool in question is the TRAI MyCall app, first released in 2017 but significantly overhauled in early August 2026. Described by TRAI as practically a new application, it moves beyond being a simple feedback box. It is now a citizen-centric platform
designed to bridge the gap between the technical Quality of Service (QoS) metrics that operators report and the actual Quality of Experience (QoE) that users face every day. With over a billion telecom subscribers in India, voice calling remains a fundamental service, and this app aims to make its quality more transparent and measurable from the user's perspective. The anonymised feedback collected is shared with both TRAI and the telecom service providers (TSPs) to help them identify and rectify network issues.
From Star Ratings to Specific Issues
The revamped MyCall app empowers users with several specific features. After a call, the app can automatically prompt you to give an instant rating on a simple one-to-five-star scale. But it goes deeper than that. Users can also report the exact problem they encountered. The list of issues includes common frustrations like call drops, echo during the call, audio delay, voice breaking, cross-connection, or one party being unable to hear the other. This detailed feedback is then routed to the respective service provider—be it Airtel, Jio, or Vi—for corrective action. The app also includes a history of your ratings, which can be viewed on an interactive map, and a 'Coverage Test' feature to assess signal strength in your area.
Empowering the Consumer
This initiative represents a significant shift, placing a powerful tool for accountability in the hands of consumers. Previously, comparing operators was often based on anecdotal evidence or marketing claims. Now, the MyCall app provides a standardized way to log personal experience and contribute to a larger dataset. According to TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti, the app is expected to strengthen consumer participation and help service providers identify network deficiencies more effectively, leading to better customer satisfaction. By providing a direct channel for feedback, the app helps ensure that user experience becomes a key factor in how network quality is judged, not just technical benchmarks that may not reflect reality on the ground.
How the Data is Used
A crucial aspect of the MyCall app is how the collected data is utilized. TRAI has clarified that the anonymised feedback serves a dual purpose. For telecom operators, it offers valuable, real-time insights into specific areas where their network performance is lacking, allowing for more targeted improvements. For the regulator, it builds an evidence-based overview of the Quality of Experience across different networks, complementing the existing technical QoS reports. It's important to note, however, that TRAI has stated the data collected from the app will not be used for direct punitive action against telecom operators. Instead, the goal is to foster a collaborative environment where consumer feedback drives network optimisation and service improvement.
Understanding the Bigger Picture
The MyCall app is part of a broader effort by TRAI to enhance transparency and service quality in the telecom sector. The regulator also releases detailed performance indicator reports and conducts independent drive tests to measure everything from call drop rates to data speeds for major operators like Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea. While these official tests provide objective data, the MyCall app introduces a subjective, user-perception layer. This combination of objective data and crowdsourced user experience creates a more holistic picture of telecom performance in India. It acknowledges that a call's quality isn't just about whether it connects, but about the clarity and reliability of the conversation from start to finish.
