The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has identified further shortcomings in mobile call quality and internet services in parts of Islamabad and Rawalpindi following a field inspection led by its chairman, Major General (Retd.) Hafeez Ur Rehman. The exercise was conducted after the October 31 deadline given to mobile network operators to address coverage gaps and improve service quality in the twin cities. The chairman personally tested voice calls and mobile internet connectivity at different locations, while teams from the regulator assessed network performance along several major routes. Representatives of mobile operators, including Jazz, Zong and Ufone, accompanied the inspection teams, alongside senior PTA officials and representatives of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication. According to the initial findings, voice and data services were generally satisfactory in most of the areas examined, but the teams still found problems with call quality and internet performance at certain locations. The chairman directed the relevant operators to address the identified deficiencies and improve services. The inspection was intended to assess the actual experience of mobile users rather than rely exclusively on network performance information submitted by telecom companies.
Three teams were deployed to cover different parts of the twin cities. One team assessed services around Islamabad International Airport, Srinagar Highway and adjoining areas. Another examined network performance along Islamabad Expressway towards Rawat T-Chowk, while the third covered Murree Road, Rawal Road and the Old Airport area. The teams evaluated several aspects of mobile connectivity, including voice clarity, call connection and continuity, internet speeds and the ability of networks to maintain stable services while users moved between locations. The chairman also made calls himself and checked mobile internet connectivity during the exercise. Other reports on the inspection said the assessment covered Blue Area and sectors G-7, G-8, G-9 and G-11, among other locations. The field testing followed an earlier inspection by PTA Director General Enforcement Brigadier (Retd.) Amir Shahzad, who had visited several areas in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to identify network coverage gaps. That earlier exercise included locations such as Kashmir Highway, Margalla Road, Iran Avenue, Peshawar Road, Tarnol and Islamabad International Airport. The regulator had said it would share the findings with mobile operators and require them to address the problems identified during the surveys.
The inspection comes amid continued complaints about mobile network quality across Pakistan, including in major urban centres. During a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology on November 3, lawmakers raised concerns about poor internet services and frequent signal drops during WhatsApp calls. The committee noted that connectivity problems were being experienced in cities including Karachi and Islamabad, while some smaller cities and remote districts faced particularly limited services. PTA Chairman Hafeez Ur Rehman told the committee that the regulator had conducted surveys and directed operators to improve service quality in areas where deficiencies were found. He said companies were generally given three months to address identified problems, after which further surveys could be conducted. Where operators failed to make the required improvements, PTA could issue show-cause notices. The chairman also informed lawmakers that five such notices had been issued to telecom operators over the preceding three months. However, recovery of the related fines remained pending because the companies had approached courts and obtained stay orders. These proceedings indicate that the regulator has been using both field inspections and enforcement measures to address complaints about mobile connectivity.
Power supply problems were also identified by the PTA chairman as one of the factors affecting telecom services, particularly in rural areas. He told the National Assembly committee that some locations experience electricity outages lasting between 12 and 16 hours a day, affecting the operation of mobile towers and their backup systems. When batteries or generators are unable to keep a site running during prolonged power cuts, users in the surrounding area can experience weaker signals or a complete loss of connectivity. The chairman also provided an update on network upgrades following Pakistan’s 5G spectrum auction, saying that around 2,300 telecom towers had been upgraded to support 5G technology and that approximately 70 per cent of 5G services in Karachi had been rolled out. These upgrades are part of the wider transition towards next-generation mobile services, but the regulator’s latest inspections show that operators still need to address existing gaps in voice and data connectivity. The expansion of 5G infrastructure does not remove the need to maintain reliable 4G services, particularly in areas where users continue to depend on existing networks for everyday communication and internet access.
The latest inspection also follows reports that mobile operators had made network adjustments in areas expected to be covered by the chairman’s visit. Those reports raised questions about whether improvements ahead of a scheduled regulatory inspection would translate into consistent service quality for consumers. However, the regulator’s initial findings indicate that some deficiencies remained despite the measures taken by operators. PTA has not published detailed operator-wise results from the latest exercise, including a complete breakdown of measured speeds, call performance or the precise locations where shortcomings were recorded. It has also not provided a public assessment showing whether each operator met the targets set for the October 31 deadline. The instructions issued during the inspection will require follow-up by the regulator and the companies concerned. For consumers in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the key issue will be whether the identified problems are resolved beyond the locations and period covered by the field exercise. PTA has indicated that it will continue monitoring network performance and expects operators to meet the required service standards. The latest findings suggest that, although services were satisfactory in many inspected areas, further work remains necessary to deliver consistent mobile coverage, reliable voice calls and stable internet access across the twin cities.
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