The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) conducted an independent Quality of Service (QoS) survey in the fourth quarter of 2025 across several cities in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK). The survey evaluated the performance of cellular mobile operators (CMOs) in key areas, including mobile broadband, voice, SMS, and 4G network coverage.
A total of 7,616 voice calls and SMS tests were carried out, along with 9,432 samples collected for broadband performance to assess overall service quality.
The survey focused on several QoS parameters such as mobile network coverage, data throughput, latency, webpage loading times, voice quality, and SMS delivery performance. The results showed clear differences among operators, including Jazz, Telenor, Ufone, Zong, and SCOM, with each ranking differently across various key performance indicators (KPIs).
Here are the results.
In terms of mobile network coverage, SCOM ranked highest, followed by Ufone and Zong, which also showed strong compliance in 4G/LTE signal strength. Jazz and Telenor faced challenges in maintaining consistent 4G signals, particularly in cities like Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot, where their performance lagged behind SCOM and Ufone.
For mobile broadband performance, Zong recorded the highest download speeds, followed by SCOM and Telenor. Ufone and Jazz showed lower download speeds across multiple cities. In upload speeds, Zong again led, followed by Ufone and Jazz, while SCOM and Telenor showed varying performance depending on location.
Latency, which affects how quickly data is transmitted, was another key metric. Ufone achieved the best results with consistently low latency across surveyed cities. In contrast, Zong and Jazz experienced higher latency in areas such as Muzaffarabad and Kotli, which negatively impacted user browsing and online experience.
Voice call quality was assessed using KPIs such as call setup success rate (CSSR), call completion rate (CCR), call connection time (CCT), and mean opinion score (MOS). Both Telenor and Ufone delivered the best performance with a perfect call completion rate and low connection times. Meanwhile, Jazz and Zong recorded slightly lower scores in voice quality.
In SMS performance, Ufone and Telenor led in success rates, with delivery times generally within acceptable limits. SCOM performed well in some areas but showed delays in SMS delivery in regions like Rawalakot, where it lagged behind competitors.
Webpage loading times were also evaluated as part of the user experience. SCOM ranked highest in this category, followed by Ufone and Zong.
Jazz and Telenor struggled to meet benchmarks for fast webpage loading, especially in cities like Kotli and Rawalakot.