Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
PTA has started issuing district-level class licences for internet services to boost broadband access and local entrepreneurship. The 10-year licences come with defined fees and align with wider government efforts to strengthen digital infrastructure and advance Pakistan’s digital transformation agenda.
Pakistan’s telecom subscriber base has reached 200 million, with broadband users crossing 150 million as sector revenues exceed Rs1 trillion. Strong investment, rising data usage, local handset manufacturing, and improved cybersecurity rankings highlight continued digital growth.
PTA has approved the PTCL–Telenor merger with strict conditions to prevent market abuse, banning cross-subsidisation, discriminatory pricing, and exclusive deals. PTCL and Ufone must remain separate legal entities, and the merged operator must join upcoming spectrum auctions. The decision aims to protect competition as PTCL becomes a larger market force.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority is upgrading its national firewall infrastructure in a Rs. 40–120 million project to enhance cybersecurity and strengthen protection against sophisticated digital threats across telecom and data networks.
Wateen Telecom has secured a 20-year renewal of its LDI license from the PTA after resolving APC-related issues. The move reinforces Wateen’s position as a key enabler of Pakistan’s digital infrastructure, supporting nationwide fiber expansion and 5G readiness through compliance, innovation, and operational excellence.
Zong 4G leads PTA’s Q3 2025 Quality of Service survey, ranking first in 4G coverage, voice quality, and broadband throughput, ahead of Jazz, Ufone, and Telenor.
PTA cautions Pakistanis against fake online job offers and free SIM card scams as cybercriminals exploit social media and biometric loopholes for identity theft and fraud.
PTA has denied reports of subscriber data leaks from telecom operators, stating the exposed datasets were aggregated from external sources. The authority blocked 1,372 online platforms trading personal data, while the Ministry of Interior launched a probe to identify leak origins and recommend corrective measures.
Pakistan produced 17.83m mobile phones in Jan–Jul 2025, with smartphones at 48% of devices on networks, down from 59% in 2023. Imports remain low due to restrictions, while 2G usage has increased to 52%, highlighting affordability pressures in the local mobile market.
Pakistan’s telecom operators invested Rs. 267.6 billion over three years, with Jazz leading at Rs. 95.45 billion, followed by Zong, Ufone, and Telenor. Despite this, service quality gaps persist, prompting PTA to issue warnings and show-cause notices. Over 65,000 complaints were filed, mainly about data services.