PTA Finds Mobile Network Issues Across 166 Sites — Orders Telcos to Fix Them

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) conducted an inspection of 166 mobile sites across Pakistan from October 15 to 22 to enhance telecom service quality and address consumer complaints. During the investigations, the PTA detected issues with mobile network coverage and the quality of voice and internet services. The telecommunications providers were instructed to rectify the problems within a specified period.

The monitoring process was carried out by the PTA’s 12 zonal offices in collaboration with relevant parties. The inspections spanned locations in Karachi, Quetta, Jacobabad, Khairpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Kasur, Pattoki, Kot Radha Kishan, Nowshera Virkan, Torghar, Faisalabad, and Gilgit-Baltistan.

The PTA declared its commitment to cooperate with telecom operators, other organizations, and local authorities to boost network performance and guarantee more dependable telecom services for Pakistan's consumers. The issue arises as Pakistani internet users consistently report slow speeds and unsteady mobile coverage. In a recent National Assembly session, PPP lawmaker Aseefa Bhutto Zardari reported that neither 4G nor 5G networks were functioning properly in Nawabshah.

Meanwhile, presiding officer Abdul Qadir Patel questioned the emphasis on 5G deployment when existing services were still unreliable. Parliamentary Secretary for IT Sabeen Ghauri stated that 5G was accessible in 24 cities, with nationwide expansion anticipated within two years. According to a PTA report based on second-quarter 2026 data, 4G users experienced an average download speed of 18.9 Mbps, whereas 5G was only accessible to 3.95 percent of users' connected time, underscoring its limited penetration.