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 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.
Heavy rains in Sindh disabled over 2,500 telecom towers, cutting mobile and internet access for thousands of users. PTA restored 1,800 towers within 24 hours, with most of Karachi’s services back online. The incident underscores the risks posed to telecom infrastructure by extreme weather.
In the aftermath of devastating floods in KP, PTA and telecom operators swiftly restored 85% of damaged sites within 48 hours. To support affected residents, Jazz, Telenor, Zong, and Ufone launched free call and SMS offers, ensuring people remain connected with family and emergency services during recovery.
PTA is coordinating with authorities and operators to restore telecom services disrupted by floods in KP and other regions. Damage to cellular and fixed-line sites has impacted connectivity, but recovery efforts are underway to reestablish vital communication lines for rescue and relief operations.
Ufone and Jazz rank first in PTA’s Q2 2025 mobile coverage survey across 19 Pakistani cities, demonstrating the most reliable 4G/3G signal compliance. Zong follows closely, while Telenor lags with the highest non-compliance.
PTA partners with Opensignal to monitor telecom network performance and enforces new satellite internet regulations requiring licenses for foreign providers, aiming to enhance connectivity quality and security in Pakistan.
PTA Chairman visited Telenor Group in Norway to discuss digital transformation, 5G, AI use cases, and efficient spectrum management models, as part of Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to modernize its telecom sector.
The PTA, in collaboration with NCCIA, raided a telecom franchise in Islamabad involved in illegal SIM issuance. Authorities seized 30,000 SIMs, six BVS devices, and arrested two individuals. The operation is part of ongoing efforts to combat SIM-related fraud and misuse of biometric verification systems.