Pakistan Telecommunication Authority mandates coverage fixes by October 2026

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has ordered mobile network operators to eliminate coverage gaps in Rawalpindi and Islamabad by October 2026. The mandate requires operators to install new mobile sites and integrate network expansion with the deployment of new 5G spectrum bands. To ensure compliance, PTA teams will conduct field visits to assess performance and identify deficiencies. Operators failing to meet these service quality standards may face financial penalties.

A recent PTA Quality of Service (QoS) survey conducted across 11 Pakistani cities provides context for these directives. The assessment, which evaluated 12 key performance indicators including voice, SMS, and broadband, found that Jazz secured the top ranking in 10 of the 11 cities covered. Zong achieved the highest ranking in Karachi West, while all major operators—Jazz, Ufone, Telenor, and Zong—demonstrated 100% compliance with regulatory benchmarks in Hub, Abbottabad, Faisalabad, and Rawalpindi.