The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), in collaboration with global
analytics firm Opensignal, has released its Mobile Network Experience Benchmarking Report
for the second quarter of 2026. Based on 90 days of crowdsourced data collected across 20 cities,
the assessment evaluates key technical indicators, including throughput, network availability and
application performance, across national mobile operators.
Among the operators evaluated, Zong recorded top placement across multiple core parameters at
the national level. In national broadband performance metrics, Zong led in average 4G download
speed, reaching 18.55 Mbps, compared to Jazz at 17.61 Mbps, Ufone at 12.82 Mbps, and Telenor
at 7.50 Mbps. For uplink capacity, Zong registered a national average upload speed of 7.81
Mbps, ahead of Jazz at 6.26 Mbps, Ufone at 4.42 Mbps, and Telenor at 2.82 Mbps.
Beyond raw throughput, the benchmarking framework evaluated real-world application metrics
to assess service consistency and user experience. Zong achieved a lead network availability
rating of 96.59 percent, reflecting the proportion of time users maintained active connections to a
mobile data network. The operator also recorded the highest national score in video streaming
capabilities at 41.66, while placing second nationally in real-time multiplayer games experience
with a score of 47.28.
City-level telemetry further detailed regional performance across specific commercial and
industrial centers. Zong maintained leading scores across all five performance categories in
Lahore, Multan, Gujranwala, and Sialkot. In Karachi, the operator recorded top metrics for
download speed, upload speed, and network availability, while also logging the fastest regional
download rates in Skardu, Muzaffarabad, and Mirpur.
The report’s findings are based on crowdsourced telemetry gathered from operational
smartphones during daily usage across indoor and outdoor environments, spanning both peak
and off-peak hours. The regulatory body noted that this dynamic monitoring approach reflects
real-world user experience rather than controlled testing environments, distinguishing it from
conventional Quality of Service surveys and drive tests. The PTA also included preliminary
telemetry on early 5G deployments, noting that current data points remain indicative rather than
representative of nationwide capability due to limited network coverage and handset adoption.
