The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority is continuing to strengthen field monitoring and inspections of mobile network infrastructure across the country, with the aim of improving service quality, coverage and availability. Between September 30 and October 7, 2026, teams from PTA’s zonal offices inspected a total of 115 telecom sites in different regions of Pakistan. The inspections form part of the regulator’s wider effort to check network performance on the ground rather than relying only on operators’ own reports, and they cover both large cities and smaller urban centres.
The largest number of inspections took place in Lahore, where 39 sites were covered, followed by 17 in Karachi, 16 in Sukkur and 14 each in Multan and Rawalpindi. Quetta accounted for eight sites, Abbottabad for four and Gilgit for three. Field teams assessed network performance, voice and data service quality, coverage and the availability of backup power arrangements. Backup power matters because towers that lose electricity can drop out of service, which affects customers during outages. PTA said improvements in mobile service quality have also been observed in several of the areas covered by the inspections, although it did not name the specific areas or give figures.
The exercise focused on issues that directly affect consumers, including call connection failures, dropped calls, slow mobile internet speeds and gaps in network coverage. Field teams also reviewed consumer feedback and complaints to understand service related problems more clearly. PTA said it is engaging with local administrations, elected representatives and community members to help identify and resolve issues affecting mobile services in different areas. This approach brings local knowledge into the process, since residents and officials are often the first to notice where signals are weak or calls regularly fail, and it gives the regulator a second source of evidence alongside its own technical checks.
Where deficiencies or technical problems are found at telecom sites and towers, PTA directs the relevant mobile operators to carry out the necessary corrective measures. These steps are intended to address service shortcomings and ensure that improvements in network performance are sustained. The authority said it remains committed to strengthening regulatory oversight, monitoring operators’ performance and ensuring that consumer concerns are identified and resolved in good time. The inspections follow PTA’s earlier direction to operators to fix coverage gaps in Islamabad and Rawalpindi by October, and its quarterly quality of service survey, which compared operators across 11 cities. Together, they show the regulator relying on site visits, surveys and complaint reviews as it pushes operators to improve service across the country, and operators can expect continued scrutiny of their networks in the coming weeks.
Follow the SPIN IDG WhatsApp Channel for updates across the Smart Pakistan Insights Network covering all of Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.
