Pakistan’s mobile operators have collectively invested over Rs. 267 billion in infrastructure over the past three years, but service quality continues to fall short of expectations, according to data from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
Jazz Leads Spending, Telenor Lags
The biggest spender was Jazz (PMCL), which pumped Rs. 95.45 billion into its network, followed by Zong (CMPak) with Rs. 87.27 billion. Ufone (PTML) invested Rs. 62.27 billion, while Telenor trailed far behind at Rs. 22.62 billion.
Despite this surge in capital expenditure, PTA’s own audits and field surveys suggest that coverage and quality of service still leave much to be desired, especially in smaller cities and rural areas.
Regulator Issues Warnings Over Poor Coverage
PTA conducted 438 performance surveys over the last three years, inspecting service quality along major roads, railway routes, and urban centers. The findings were mixed: several operators received warning letters for underperformance in multiple locations, and Telenor even faced show-cause notices for failing to meet minimum standards.
The regulator’s firm stance underscores a persistent challenge: while operators are expanding their infrastructure, Pakistan’s rapidly growing data demand is outpacing network upgrades, keeping user experience inconsistent.
Complaints Pour In From Frustrated Users
Consumer frustration is evident in the 65,846 complaints filed through PTA’s Complaint Management System in the same period. The bulk of these—39,736 complaints—were tied to slow or unreliable data services. Other frequent issues included:
- Service disruptions/load shedding: 8,890 reports
- Coverage gaps and provisioning problems: 7,941 reports
- General service quality concerns: 9,279 reports
To its credit, the PTA says it has resolved 99.51% of cases, emphasizing that continuous monitoring, stricter compliance enforcement, and periodic testing are critical to ensuring Pakistan’s heavy telecom investments deliver results for users.
Industry Context: Investment vs. Demand
Pakistan’s telecom sector has seen a rapid increase in mobile data consumption, driven by affordable smartphones and digital services adoption. However, regulatory hurdles—such as spectrum allocation delays, legal disputes over 5G rollout, and high operational costs—continue to strain operators.
While Rs. 267 billion in spending is significant, the figures suggest that most investment has gone into maintaining existing infrastructure rather than a transformative leap in service quality. Without regulatory reforms and faster spectrum availability, Pakistan risks lagging behind regional peers in mobile connectivity standards.
