Pakistan’s mobile internet performance showed steady but uneven progress in the last quarter of 2025, according to a new benchmarking report released by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in collaboration with Open-signal.
Based on real user data collected nationwide, the report shows how people actually experienced mobile internet while streaming videos, browsing, or gaming. The findings highlight clear gaps between cities and operators, despite overall stability in network availability.
The report covers the period from October 1 to December 29, 2025, drawing on over 1.25 billion data samples from smartphone users across 161 districts of Pakistan. Unlike traditional network testing, the data reflects real-world usage, collected throughout the day and across different locations, offering a picture closer to what consumers actually experience.
At the national level, average download speeds reached 18.60 Mbps, while upload speeds remained lower at 5.59 Mbps. Video streaming and mobile gaming experiences were rated moderate, suggesting that while connectivity is widespread, quality still varies depending on location and network conditions.
National Average Mobile Network Experience (Q4 2025)
| Metric | National Average |
|---|---|
| Download Speed Experience | 18.60 Mbps |
| Upload Speed Experience | 5.59 Mbps |
| Video Experience | 44.44 / 100 |
| Games Experience | 40.26 / 100 |
| Time on Network | 93.64% |
Network Experience Benchmarking- National
| Indicator | Details |
|---|---|
| Number of Samples | 1,253,388,642 |
| Data Collection Period | 1 October -29 December 2025 |
| Districts Covered (5,000+ samples) | 161 |
The findings are based on more than 1.25 billion real-user samples collected over three months across 161 districts, making it one of the most comprehensive mobile network assessments in the country.
Network Experience Benchmarking -City Results
City-wise results revealed noticeable differences. Islamabad and Rawalpindi recorded stronger performance in both download and upload speeds, while Lahore and Karachi showed relatively better scores in video and gaming experience. Smaller cities such as Quetta and Multan surprised with competitive download speeds, though overall experience still lagged behind larger urban centers.
Download Speeds
In terms of download speeds, Jazz emerged as a strong performer in several key cities. It ranked first in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Quetta, offering faster average speeds to users in these areas. Meanwhile, ZONG 4G led in Lahore, Karachi, and Multan, showing stronger performance in some of the country’s most densely populated and high-traffic urban centers.
Upload Speeds
Upload speed results showed a tighter race. Jazz and ZONG 4G frequently traded the top position, reflecting competitive performance across cities. Jazz ranked first in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Peshawar, while ZONG 4G led in Lahore, Karachi, and Multan, indicating that upload performance remains location-dependent rather than dominated by one operator nationwide.
Video Streaming
For users streaming videos on mobile data, Jazz ranked first in eight out of ten cities, including Islamabad, Karachi, and Peshawar. The results suggest a smoother video experience in most urban areas, an important factor as mobile video consumption continues to rise.
Mobile Gaming
A different picture emerged in mobile gaming. Ufone topped the rankings in nine out of ten cities, showing strong performance in latency-sensitive applications. The only exception was Lahore, where ZONG 4G ranked first, breaking Ufone’s otherwise consistent lead.
Network Ranking
| City | Jazz (%) | Telenor (%) | Ufone (%) | ZONG 4G (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islamabad | 92.64 | 92.70 | 89.18 | 96.44 |
| Rawalpindi | 92.99 | 92.75 | 89.83 | 96.58 |
| Lahore | 93.69 | 91.83 | 96.34 | 97.82 |
| Karachi | 92.48 | 92.81 | 97.23 | 97.74 |
| Peshawar | 90.96 | 92.76 | 88.09 | 94.94 |
| Quetta | 91.01 | 93.47 | 88.79 | 97.68 |
| Faisalabad | 93.15 | 91.18 | 91.51 | 97.04 |
| Multan | 94.80 | 95.41 | 94.95 | 97.18 |
| Hyderabad | 93.11 | 90.95 | 95.91 | 97.41 |
| Gujranwala | 94.93 | 93.91 | 95.84 | 97.09 |
PTA clarified that the benchmarking focuses on Quality of Experience (QoE), how users feel the network performs- rather than purely technical Quality of Service (QoS) measurements. As a result, the findings may differ from official network testing but provide valuable insight into consumer-facing performance.
