Cellular operators are rapidly accelerating the rollout of next-generation mobile services in Pakistan. Consequently, operators have more than tripled the number of operational 5G sites in Karachi. The total number of active sites jumped to 279 today, up from just 90 sites in July 2026.
Telecom Companies Add New 5G Sites in Karachi
According to a recent Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) document, telecom companies added exactly 189 new 5G sites in the city within months. Currently, cellular mobile operators offer 5G services in 23 cities. However, Karachi now records the highest number of deployed 5G sites nationwide. To put this infrastructure into perspective, the metropolis already hosts around 5,000 LTE and 4G sites.
Operators have split the current 5G deployment across three major networks.
| Telecom Operator | Operational 5G Sites in Karachi |
| Jazz | 130 |
| Zong | 122 |
| Ufone | 27 |
Phase 1 Rollout Targets (2026-2028)
The network expansion will continue to grow significantly over the next two years. Experts expect the number of 5G sites in Karachi to reach at least 1,000 by the end of the first rollout phase (2026 to 2028). Moreover, actual deployments could easily surpass this number. PTA set these targets as minimum licensing requirements rather than strict limits. Operators can deploy additional sites based on subscriber concentration, population density, traffic demand, and overall network use.
Under the first phase, PTA requires each cellular mobile operator to deploy 2,000 5G sites. Furthermore, operators must upgrade at least 20 percent of their existing 4G sites. This mandatory Phase 1 rollout covers six major cities: Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and Quetta.
Stricter Speed & Infrastructure Requirements
PTA is also enforcing strict infrastructure upgrades alongside the site deployments. Telecom operators must raise their fiber-to-the-tower ratio to 20 percent. Additionally, they must drastically improve general mobile broadband quality. Operators have to shift their networks from an average throughput of 4 Mbps to a much higher median speed of 20 Mbps.
Finally, the regulatory authority has set clear performance benchmarks for the 5G network itself. Operators must maintain a median baseline speed of 50 Mbps for 5G connections. Eventually, companies must hit a phased performance target of 100 Mbps to meet their licensing obligations.
