Daily Times

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) conducted independent Quality of Service (QoS) surveys across eighteen (18) cities in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) to measure the performance and quality of services provided by Cellular Mobile Operators (CMOs) to their customers. During the survey, QoS Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of Voice, SMS and Mobile Broadband including Mobile Network Coverage were checked in accordance with Next Generation Mobile Service (NGMS) licenses and Cellular Mobile Network Quality of Service (QoS) Regulations, 2021, using state-of-the-art automated QoS Monitoring & Benchmarking Tool.

The drive test teams selected survey routes in such a manner to cover main roads, service roads and majority of sectors/colonies in surveyed areas. Based upon the compliance level of each KPI against threshold defined in the respective licenses and QoS Regulations, CMOs have been ranked between 1st to 4th position in Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while 1st to 5th in Azad Jammu & Kashmir in Mobile Network Coverage and Voice services. Similarly, in Mobile Broadband Speed segment, the ranking is with respect to the highest data download and upload speed, network latency and webpage loading time.

The survey results revealed that CMOs are compliant with respect to upload and download speed to a great extent, while webpage loading time was found below the threshold. In comparison with earlier surveys, CMOs have improved the network latency however, results in a few cities remain below the benchmark. Similarly, some of the Voice KPIs have also been found below the licensed threshold in few areas. Eventually, necessary instructions have been issued to the operators for taking corrective measures so as to ensure improvement in service quality up to licensed standards.

The survey results have been placed at PTA’s website (https://pta.gov.pk/en/consumer-support/qos-survey/qos-survey) for information of the subscribers. PTA field teams are diligently conducting service quality monitoring activities with the objective of urging mobile operators for provision of better mobile services and foster a competitive environment among them.