Is there a way (direct or indirect) to estimate traffic through a particular cell tower?

Question

mobile connection

The need for this may arise, for example, when choosing a mobile operator, being in the coverage area of ​​several operators and assessing the workload of each.
It would also be useful to learn how to separately evaluate the information flow from voice communication and from data transmission (ie, providing access to the Internet).

Answer 1

You can build a GSM sniffer based on OsmocomBB and analyze the log file. Service information (LAC, MNC, etc.) is visible through the same Wireshark. This is not a simple "plug-n-play" task.
However, such an analysis, most likely, cannot solve the problem that you set for it, because the loading of base stations is not such a constant thing. And I doubt that you will travel for a month with a laptop and a receiver to the places where you go to find out which operator's SIM card you should buy.

Answer 2

Blow up the tower and see how quickly they restore it:
the faster, the more traffic)))
X ... stop suffering from it - that would really "be useful".