Best Mobile Network in AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan: PTA's 2026 Test of 5 Networks

SCOM was the best mobile network in PTA's latest test in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. It passed every voice, SMS, coverage and latency check at all 6 sites and was fastest at 4. Jazz came last on download speed. In Gorkot and Rattu, only SCOM and Zong, or SCOM alone, had 4G.

PTA published the report on 18 September 2026. Its teams tested five networks, Jazz, Telenor, Ufone, Zong and SCOM, between April and June 2026. They made about 4,100 test calls and SMS and took 3,960 mobile internet samples at three sites in AJK and three in GB.

SCOM is the mobile brand of the Special Communications Organization, or SCO, which serves AJK and GB. Most people in the rest of Pakistan have never used it, which is why this result surprises visitors. We read the full PTA report. Below is what it found, site by site.

SCOM came first in coverage, voice, SMS and download speed

SCOM met PTA's 4G coverage target at all 6 sites and passed all 30 of its voice checks and all 12 SMS checks. It had the fastest download at 4 sites. Zong and Telenor shared second place on voice, and Telenor came second on download speed.

The voice totals differ because networks without service at a site were not tested there. SCOM was tested at all six. That is itself the main finding for remote GB.

Muzaffarabad: every network works, SCOM is far faster

All five networks passed PTA's 4G coverage target at the three Muzaffarabad area sites. On download speed, SCOM was well ahead at 41.5 to 62 Mbps. Zong and Telenor came next at about 8 to 17 Mbps. Jazz and Ufone were slowest, at 4.2 to 7.7 Mbps.

PTA's minimum download speed is more than 4 Mbps. Every network cleared it in Muzaffarabad, but only just in some places. Jazz reached 4.2 Mbps at the Assembly Hall, Lower Chattar site.

Speeds are in Mbps, megabits per second, from PTA's auto mode test. In that test the phone picks the best network type itself, as yours does. A higher number means faster video and downloads.

Astore, Gorkot and Rattu: check which network works at all

In Gilgit-Baltistan the question is coverage, not speed. In Rattu, SCOM was the only network PTA could test. In Gorkot, only Zong and SCOM had 4G. In Astore, Telenor was fastest at 13.2 Mbps, while Jazz reached 2.9 Mbps and missed PTA's 4G coverage target.

Jazz's Astore results were weak across the board. PTA measured a delay, or latency, of 1,788 milliseconds there, and a web page took 13.4 seconds to load. Its call connection time was 10.72 seconds, above PTA's limit of 7.5. Ufone's Astore latency was 716 milliseconds and its call connection time 12.3 seconds.

Zong's 20.66 Mbps in Gorkot was the fastest result any network got at any GB site. If you are travelling around Astore district, it is worth carrying a Zong or SCOM SIM as well as your usual one.

How to choose a SIM for AJK or Gilgit-Baltistan

Start from where you will actually be. PTA tested only six sites, so treat these results as a guide, not a promise for every valley. For travel in GB, two SIMs from different networks are the safest choice, and one of them should be SCOM or Zong.

1. Find the nearest tested site to where you will stay or work.
2. Pick the network that passed the 4G target there and was fastest.
3. For GB travel, add a second SIM from SCOM or Zong.
4. Buy the SIM only from the operator's own centre or franchise, with your CNIC and fingerprints.
5. Test calls and data at your destination before you rely on it.

SCOM SIMs are sold at SCO customer service centres and franchises in AJK and GB. SCO's helpline is 355 from a SCOM number, available 24 hours, and 111-726-726 from other phones. Complaints go to complaints@sco.gov.pk.

If your own network is weak at home, the steps to fix a weak mobile signal at home apply in AJK and GB too. If poor service continues, you can complain to PTA about slow internet after you have first complained to the operator. PTA says it has started legal action against operators that missed their licensed targets in this quarter's surveys, without naming them.

What PTA's AJK and GB survey does not tell you

PTA tested three sites around Muzaffarabad and three in Astore district. It did not test Mirpur, Kotli, Gilgit city, Skardu or Hunza in this round. The results cannot tell you which network is best there. For the main cities in the rest of Pakistan, PTA's separate 11 city network test has the figures.

Upload speed was measured at only one site, Muzaffarabad, where SCOM recorded 21.5 Mbps and Zong 19.6 Mbps. Telenor was slowest there at 3.0 Mbps. Results also change over time as towers are added, so check PTA's next quarterly report before you decide for the long term.

Common questions

Which is the best mobile network in Azad Kashmir?

SCOM, in PTA's April to June 2026 test. It was fastest at all three Muzaffarabad area sites, at 41.5 to 62 Mbps.

Which network works in Gilgit-Baltistan?

SCOM worked at all three GB sites PTA tested. Zong also had 4G in Gorkot, and Telenor was fastest in Astore.

Does Jazz work in Astore?

It works, but poorly in PTA's test: 2.9 Mbps, a missed 4G coverage target and 13.4 seconds to load a web page.

What is SCOM?

SCOM is the mobile service of the Special Communications Organization, which provides telecom services in AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan.

What is the SCOM helpline number?

Dial 355 from a SCOM number, 24 hours a day, or call 111-726-726 from any phone.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 9 October 2026. Results are from PTA's report "CMO Independent Quality of Service Survey in Pakistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, Second Quarter 2026", published with PTA's press release of 18 September 2026 on the PTA QoS survey page. SCOM helplines are from the SCO contact page. We did not run our own speed tests in AJK or GB.