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PTA’s Q2 2026 survey found SCOM leading major mobile network quality categories across surveyed areas of AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan, including coverage, download speed, latency, voice and SMS services.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has released the results of its second-quarter 2026 Quality of Service (QoS) survey covering selected areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), with SCOM recording leading results across the major mobile network quality categories assessed.
According to ProPakistani, SCOM ranked first in 4G coverage, download speed, webpage loading, latency, voice service and SMS service across the surveyed locations. The assessment covered SCOM alongside Jazz, Telenor, Ufone and Zong under the Cellular Mobile Network Quality of Service Regulations 2021.
The survey covered Muzaffarabad, Lower and Upper Plate and Assembly Hall Lower Chattar in AJK, along with Astore, Gorkot and Rattu in GB. PTA assessed voice calls, SMS, mobile broadband download and upload speeds, latency, webpage loading and 4G coverage.
The exercise included approximately 4,100 voice calls and SMS messages and 3,960 mobile broadband samples across the six high-altitude locations. Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported that PTA conducted wider Q2 surveys covering cities, focused and rural areas as well as AJK and GB.
SCOM met the required 4G coverage standard in all six surveyed areas. Its download speeds reached 43.5 Mbps in Muzaffarabad, 41.5 Mbps in Lower and Upper Plate and 62 Mbps at Assembly Hall Lower Chattar.
For upload speeds, figures were available only for Muzaffarabad. SCOM recorded 21.5 Mbps, followed by Zong at 19.6 Mbps, while all five operators exceeded the report’s 1 Mbps benchmark at that location.
SCOM also recorded compliant results across all six areas for latency and webpage loading. In voice services, it complied with all 30 measures assessed across the surveyed areas. For SMS services, SCOM complied with all 12 measures assessed.
The survey also identified differences in network performance among operators and locations. For example, Jazz recorded a latency of 1,788 milliseconds and webpage loading time of 13.4 seconds in Astore, while its SMS success rate at Assembly Hall Lower Chattar was 96%, below the report’s 99% benchmark.
PTA said its broader Q2 survey results highlighted “critical digital inclusion gaps” in rural areas, with challenges including load shedding, infrastructure theft and vandalism, fibre cuts, right-of-way constraints and security limitations in remote regions.
The latest findings provide a detailed snapshot of mobile network performance across some of Pakistan’s geographically challenging regions, while also highlighting continuing connectivity issues in underserved areas.
