Survey of GSM Network Call Drop Rates and Their Effects on Business Communication in Lagos Island

Call drop incidents represent a persistent challenge to telecommunications service quality in Nigeria and carry significant economic consequences for business users operating in high-density commercial zones. This study surveys GSM network call drop rates and their effects on business communication in Lagos Island, Lagos State, South West Nigeria, a district that hosts one of the highest concentrations of commercial activity on the African continent. A cross-sectional study design was employed, combining drive test measurements of call drop rates across ten major commercial streets with structured interviews administered to 200 small and medium enterprise owners. Measurements were conducted during both business and non-business hours over six weeks using standard network testing equipment connected to SIM cards from all four national network operators. Call drop rates on the Airtel and Glo networks averaged 5.8% and 6.2% respectively, substantially above the Nigerian Communications Commission acceptable threshold of 2%. MTN and 9mobile recorded lower but still elevated drop rates of 3.1% and 4.4%. Business owners reported that communication disruptions resulted in lost transactions, reduced client confidence, and increased operational costs. Network congestion due to subscriber density was identified as the primary technical cause. Recommendations include densification of small cell infrastructure in commercial zones and stricter enforcement of quality of service regulations by the Nigerian Communications Commission. Keywords: call drop rate, GSM network, business communication, Lagos Island, service quality.