Best Mobile Network in Your City: PTA's 2026 Test of 11 Pakistani Cities

In PTA's latest drive test of 11 Pakistani cities, Jazz had the fastest mobile download speed in 9 of them and Zong in the other 2, Abbottabad and Rawalpindi. Telenor's 4G signal fell below PTA's minimum in 6 cities, including Lahore and Islamabad. The tests ran from April to June 2026, and PTA published the report on 18 September 2026.

Choosing a SIM in Pakistan usually comes down to what a cousin says or which shop is closest. PTA's survey gives you something better: measured speeds, street by street, in your own city. We read the full city report on PTA's website on 9 October 2026 and pulled out the numbers that matter when you pick or switch a network.

One limit first. A drive test measures the main roads and busy areas of a city. Your street, your building and your floor can still be different, so use these results to narrow the choice, then test at home.

Jazz was fastest in 9 of 11 cities, Zong in 2

PTA's teams downloaded a large test file for three minutes on each network in each city. Jazz came first in Quetta, Peshawar, Multan, Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi West, Sukkur, Hub and Faisalabad. Zong came first in Abbottabad and Rawalpindi. Every network beat PTA's 4 Mbps minimum everywhere.

The table below shows the download speed each network reached in PTA's own test, in megabits per second (Mbps). A higher number means faster video, quicker downloads and smoother calls on WhatsApp.

Upload speed tells a slightly different story. PTA ranks Zong first for upload, ahead in 7 cities, with Jazz second. Upload matters if you send videos, back up photos or join video calls for work.

Karachi readers should note that PTA tested Karachi West only. East, Central and South Karachi were not in this round, so the Karachi row is a guide, not a verdict for the whole city.

Telenor's 4G signal missed the target in 6 cities

PTA requires a 4G signal of the right strength on at least 90% of the test route. Jazz, Zong and Ufone met that in all 11 cities. Telenor missed it in Quetta, Peshawar, Multan, Lahore, Islamabad and Sukkur, with Lahore lowest at 82.38%.

In the other five cities, Karachi West, Hub, Abbottabad, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi, all four networks passed. Zong in Islamabad passed by a whisker at 90.28%, which is worth knowing if you live on the edge of the city.

A weak 4G result does not mean no signal. It means more spots where your phone drops to a slower network or shows one bar. If you already use Telenor in one of these six cities and things work at home, there is no reason to panic.

Calls and SMS passed almost everywhere

Voice and SMS results were close across all four networks. PTA said compliance on calls and SMS was strong nationwide, while mobile internet showed the real gaps. So if you mainly make calls, any network will likely do, and data speed should decide.

Out of 132 checks per network, 12 measures in each of 11 cities, PTA counted these passes:

• Jazz: 130 of 132 passed
• Zong: 128 of 132 passed
• Ufone: 121 of 132 passed
• Telenor: 112 of 132 passed

One odd result stands out. Telenor's SMS success rate in Hub was 74.58%, far below the 99% target. Most other SMS results across networks sat above 97%.

Web page loading also varied. Ufone loaded PTA's test page in about a second or less in every city, and Zong did so in most. Jazz took longer than PTA's 5 second limit in Peshawar and Karachi West, even though its download speeds there were high.

How to use these results before you buy or switch a SIM

Start with your city's row, then test the shortlisted network in the rooms where you actually use your phone. A borrowed SIM for a day tells you more than any survey. If it works, you can keep your number and move networks.

1. Find your city in the speed table and note the two fastest networks.
2. Check the coverage table. Skip any network that missed the 4G target in your city.
3. Borrow a SIM from a friend or relative on your shortlisted network.
4. Run a speed test at home, at work and at the time of day you use data most.
5. If the new network is clearly better, move your number through mobile number portability, the process to change SIM network in Pakistan without losing your number.

Jazz's own help page says porting a prepaid number to Jazz costs Rs 300 and takes 4 working days, and the number must be at least 60 days old on its current network. Check the other networks' charges at their franchise before you go.

Speed tests on your phone help here too. The steps for checking Jazz internet speed work the same way on any SIM.

If your network is slow where you live, report it

A slow or patchy network is a complaint, not bad luck. Complain to your operator first and keep the reference number. If nothing changes, PTA takes complaints on its portal and its helpline, 0800-55055, and it says legal action has started against operators that failed this survey.

For a speed problem, the steps to complain to PTA about slow internet include what PTA's form asks for. For dropped calls and billing problems, the wider route to complain about your mobile network to PTA applies.

PTA's report also blames part of the problem on things outside the operators' control: long load shedding, theft of tower equipment, fibre cuts and slow permissions to lay cable. That explains some of the gaps. It does not change your right to complain about a service you pay for.

Common questions

Which is the best mobile network in Pakistan in 2026?

In PTA's April to June 2026 test, Jazz had the fastest downloads in 9 of 11 cities and passed 130 of 132 checks. Zong was close behind and led in Abbottabad and Rawalpindi. The best network still depends on your street.

Which network is fastest in Lahore?

Jazz, at 42.12 Mbps in PTA's test, with Zong second at 37.64 Mbps. Telenor reached 16.82 Mbps and Ufone 12.02 Mbps. Telenor also missed PTA's 4G coverage target in Lahore.

Which network is fastest in Islamabad and Rawalpindi?

Jazz was fastest in Islamabad at 38.09 Mbps. In Rawalpindi, Zong was fastest at 28.35 Mbps, ahead of Jazz at 22.20 Mbps. The two cities gave different winners.

Did PTA test all of Karachi?

No. The report lists Karachi West only. Results for other parts of Karachi may differ, so test at home before you switch.

How often does PTA publish these results?

Every quarter. The cities report for April to June 2026 was published on 18 September 2026, with separate reports for rural areas and for AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Does a failed result mean my SIM will stop working?

No. It means the network missed a quality target in PTA's test. PTA says it has started legal action against operators that failed, but your service carries on as normal.

How we verified this

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

Last checked on 9 October 2026. Sources: PTA's press release of 18 September 2026 on the Q2 2026 QoS survey, and PTA's report "Independent Quality of Service Survey in Pakistan, Cities, Second Quarter 2026", both on the PTA QoS survey page. Speeds are PTA's auto mode results. Porting charges are from Jazz's own FAQ page. We did not run our own speed tests for this page.