Telcos fall short of meeting key performance targets

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has conducted an Independent Quality of Service (QoS) survey across 18 cities to evaluate the performance of Cellular Mobile Operators (CMOs).

A recent survey assessing key performance indicators (KPIs) for telecom operators in Pakistan revealed that Zong emerged as the overall leader in service quality, excelling in mobile network coverage, mobile broadband, voice quality, and SMS services. Jazz secured second place, followed by Ufone in third, and Telenor in fourth.

The survey covered voice services, mobile broadband (including throughput, latency, and web browsing), and SMS, with tests conducted over 2,400 kilometers and involving 290,000 mobile broadband tests along with 41,700 voice and SMS tests. Despite high compliance with voice and latency KPIs, the survey highlighted some gaps in performance, particularly due to network and internet issues faced during 2024.

In terms of mobile network coverage, Zong ranked first with strong performance in both 4G and 3G services, while Jazz followed in second place. Ufone and Telenor trailed behind, with Telenor showing the weakest performance in 4G coverage.

Zong also led in mobile broadband service quality, topping both download and upload speeds in most cities. Jazz secured second place in both categories, while Ufone and Telenor lagged in broadband performance.

Regarding voice quality, Zong maintained the top spot, with Jazz in second and Ufone in third. Telenor showed the weakest results in voice quality, with significant non-compliance in key quality of service (QoS) metrics.

In SMS services, Zong ranked first, with Ufone in second and Jazz in third. Telenor was ranked last in SMS service quality.

These results highlight the need for telecom operators to address ongoing challenges, particularly in network stability and internet connectivity, to further enhance service delivery across Pakistan.