The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has fined three major telecom operators for failing to meet required Quality of Service (QoS) standards.
The combined value of the penalties stands at Rs. 145.833 million. The fines were issued through three separate enforcement orders.
Telenor Pakistan received the highest penalty of Rs. 68.055 million. Pakistan Telecom Mobile Limited (Ufone) and CMPak Limited (Zong) were each fined Rs. 38.889 million.
The operators have been instructed to pay their respective penalties within 30 days. The orders also require the companies to maintain compliance with prescribed service standards.
The action followed an independent QoS survey conducted by PTA. The survey covered 53 cities during different quarters of 2025.
The assessment examined several aspects of telecom services. These included voice calls, SMS services, and mobile broadband performance.
Following the initial survey, PTA conducted re-verification surveys. These checks identified several service quality issues across different locations.
The affected indicators included call setup and completion rates. SMS success rates were also found below the required standards.
The surveys also assessed webpage loading times and network latency. Mobile signal strength was another indicator examined during the process.
Telenor was found non-compliant in Buner, Murree, Risalpur, Pindi Bhattian, and Matiari. The findings covered multiple service quality indicators.
Ufone was found to have fallen short of the required standards in Murree and Risalpur. Zong was also found non-compliant in several areas.
The affected areas for Zong included Buner, Murree, Pindi Bhattian, and Matiari. The findings were based on the QoS assessments conducted by the authority.
The telecom companies provided explanations for the identified service issues. They cited several operational and technical factors behind the results.
These factors included difficult terrain and power outages in some areas. The operators also referred to external interference and operational challenges.
Technical discrepancies were also cited while explaining some of the survey findings. However, PTA did not accept these explanations as grounds to remove the violations.
The authority stated that corrective measures taken after the surveys could be considered mitigating factors. However, such measures could not reverse violations already established through the assessments.
The three operators have also been directed to submit compliance reports. These reports must include appropriate technical evidence supporting their compliance.
The companies have been given 30 days to submit the required reports. PTA warned that failure to comply could result in further legal proceedings.
The latest action highlights the regulator’s focus on maintaining telecom service quality. It also places additional responsibility on operators to address identified network issues.
The penalties are linked specifically to the QoS violations identified through the surveys. The enforcement orders provide operators with a defined period for payment and compliance.
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PTA’s action follows its broader regulatory role in monitoring telecom services across Pakistan. Further action may be taken if the operators fail to meet the required obligations.
