Telecom investment vs service gaps: Rs267 billion spent in 3 years

Telecom investment vs service gaps is a growing concern in Pakistan. According to official data, telecom operators spent Rs. 267.61 billion in the last three years on infrastructure. Despite this huge investment, service quality has not improved as expected, leaving customers dissatisfied.

Among the operators, Jazz invested Rs. 95.45 billion, Zong Rs. 87.27 billion, Ufone Rs. 62.27 billion, and Telenor Rs. 22.62 billion. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) shared these figures while highlighting that despite major spending, many areas still face weak coverage and poor data services.

PTA conducted 438 quality surveys across cities, roads, and railway tracks. The results showed mixed performance. In many cities, operators received warning letters for poor service. Telenor even faced show-cause notices in cases where its performance fell below standards.

Consumers also raised their voices through PTA’s Complaint Management System (CMS). In the last three years, 65,846 complaints were lodged. The majority—39,736—were about poor data services. Other issues included service interruptions (8,890), weak coverage (7,941), and overall poor quality (9,279). PTA resolved 99.51% of these cases but acknowledged that more needs to be done.

The regulator stressed that continuous monitoring, strict action, and regular surveys are necessary. While the industry is investing billions, without better planning and execution, the gap between telecom investment vs service gaps will continue to affect millions of users across Pakistan.