Islamabad, The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has completed an extensive Independent Quality of Service (QoS) Survey across sixteen cities in Sindh, Punjab, Baluchistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, assessing the performance standards of Cellular Mobile Operators (CMOs). The survey, conducted over 60 days, covered 2,270 kilometers per CMO to evaluate network coverage, data speeds, and voice service quality using a range of advanced monitoring tools.
According to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, the survey utilized mobile handsets set to auto-detect mode for conducting 0.25 million mobile broadband tests, 45,000 voice call and SMS tests, and 0.13 million Ookla speed tests. These tests were designed to ensure CMO compliance with the Next Generation Mobile Services (NGMS) licenses and the Cellular Mobile Network QoS Regulations 2021. The rankings of CMOs were determined based on their compliance with key performance indicators (KPIs) for network coverage and voice services, with Jazz, Ufone, and Zong jointly securing the top position for network coverage. Zong also led in mobile broadband speeds as measured by Ookla, while Jazz topped the mobile broadband speed tests in auto-mode and excelled in voice services.
The survey results indicated that, generally, CMOs meet the standards for upload and download speeds, with noted improvements in network latency and webpage loading times since previous assessments. However, some areas still reported voice service KPIs below the required thresholds. The use of advanced technologies like LTE Carrier Aggregation and Voice over LTE by some operators contributed to higher service quality.
The PTA has directed all operators to implement corrective measures to further enhance service quality. These findings are available on the PTA’s website for consumer reference and are part of a regular monitoring initiative aimed at fostering improved mobile services and promoting competitive practices among operators.