Pakistan Telecom Networks Struggle to Meet PTA Standards

Pakistan’s mobile operators have failed to meet the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s required network standards. Officials say continuous power outages remain the biggest reason behind the service disruptions.
Minister for IT and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja shared the details with the National Assembly. According to official figures, all major telecom companies remained below the PTA’s required 99 percent network availability target.
Telenor recorded 98.1 percent availability, while Jazz reached 98.07 percent. Ufone stood at 97.6 percent, and Zong reported the lowest figure at 96.86 percent.
Despite the challenges, telecom operators continue expanding their networks across Pakistan. The country currently has more than 57,000 Base Transceiver Stations supporting mobile and broadband services.
Jazz operates the largest telecom infrastructure with over 16,000 sites. Meanwhile, CMPak, Telenor, and Ufone also maintain thousands of 3G and 4G towers nationwide.
Officials explained that long electricity failures damage network performance. Backup systems often stop working during extended outages. As a result, service quality suffers in many areas.

PTA Plans New Measures for Better Connectivity

Telecom companies also face difficulties in remote and mountainous regions. Harsh weather, difficult terrain, and limited accessibility make maintenance work more challenging.
In addition, fiber cable cuts and equipment theft continue to disrupt telecom operations. Delays in obtaining right-of-way approvals also slow network expansion projects across the country.
However, some performance indicators remained stable. Call completion rates stayed above 98 percent, while internet speeds crossed the PTA’s 4 Mbps benchmark. Telenor recorded the highest average broadband speed at 11.64 Mbps.
The PTA has conducted hundreds of quality surveys during the past three years. Therefore, the regulator issued warning letters, show-cause notices, and financial penalties to operators that failed to meet standards.
To improve services, the government plans to expand spectrum availability for faster 4G and future 5G networks. The PTA also directed telecom operators to deploy 1,000 additional sites every year, especially in underserved regions.
Officials further aim to increase fiber connectivity and encourage infrastructure sharing to improve the overall user experience.