The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) recovered Rs. 13.6 million from telecom operators during the last five years. The amount came from penalties linked to poor service quality and regulatory violations. Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja shared the details in a written reply submitted to parliament.
The recovered amount accounts for nearly 19.7 percent of the total Rs. 68.9 million in penalties imposed by the telecom regulator during the period.
The minister informed the National Assembly that PTA issued 39 show-cause notices and 18 warning letters to telecom operators. These actions targeted companies that failed to meet quality of service standards and other regulatory requirements.
According to the parliamentary document, 11 cases remain sub judice. Meanwhile, PTA continued enforcement actions against cellular mobile operators through fines, warning letters, and compliance orders.
Official figures also showed that PTA conducted 379 quality of service surveys over the last three years. These surveys covered cities, highways, and railway tracks across the country. Out of the total, 136 inspections were based on consumer complaints. In several cases, operators faced regulatory action after authorities found service standards below the required level.
The government and PTA are also taking steps to improve telecom services nationwide. These measures include stricter enforcement of license conditions, wider network expansion, infrastructure sharing, national roaming, and the use of modern technologies.
In addition, PTA carried out surveys in major urban centers to monitor customer experience and overall network performance. The minister further revealed that Pakistan’s available telecom spectrum increased by 480 MHz. This expansion has more than doubled the country’s previous spectrum capacity.
The government believes the additional spectrum will significantly improve mobile broadband services. Officials expect average 4G speeds to rise from nearly 14 Mbps to around 120 Mbps. Future 5G services could deliver speeds of up to 150 Mbps.
PTA has also directed telecom operators to build 1,000 new sites every year. The expansion plan also includes underserved and remote areas to improve nationwide telecom coverage.
