PTA Tests Mobile Networks in Islamabad and Rawalpindi on 5 November 2026: Results and How to Complain

PTA tested mobile calls and internet on the roads of Islamabad and Rawalpindi on 5 November 2026, and says the first results showed "excellent performance". It has not published any speed, call drop or signal figures yet. If your own signal is weak on those routes, you can still complain to your network first and then to PTA on 0800-55055.

We read PTA's press release of 5 November on pta.gov.pk. Three survey teams drove set routes at the same time, from the new Islamabad International Airport to T-Chowk, Constitution Avenue, Club Road, Murree Road, Rawal Road and the area around the old airport. Teams and media made live calls and used mobile data along the way. Below is what the survey covered, what it did not tell us, and what you can do about a bad signal at home or on the road.

What PTA tested in Islamabad and Rawalpindi

PTA ran a Quality of Experience (QoE) and Quality of Service (QoS) field survey on 5 November 2026. QoS means measured network performance, such as call setup and data speed. QoE means what a customer actually feels while using the service.

The exercise was led by PTA Chairman Major General (Retd.) Hafeez Ur Rehman. PTA's Members for Finance, Compliance and Enforcement, and Telecom joined, with enforcement officers, the Ministry of IT and Telecom, the mobile operators and media.

PTA has not released network by network results

The release does not name a best or worst network. It gives no download speed, no call success rate and no list of weak spots. It only says the survey aimed to find service gaps and areas that need improvement.

So "excellent" is PTA's own word for the routes it drove, not a ranking. Main roads and the airport usually have the most towers. A street in Bhara Kahu or an inner lane of Raja Bazaar can be very different. If PTA publishes detailed results later, they will matter more than this first line.

PTA's earlier city surveys did publish numbers. How the four networks compared in those is in the fastest 4G network in your city, and how a PTA drive test differs from a phone app survey is in PTA drive test vs app survey.

This survey is part of a run of PTA field checks

The 5 November survey is the latest in a string of PTA monitoring releases over the past six weeks. We read these titles and dates on PTA's press release page on 6 November 2026.

Power backup matters because towers go silent during load shedding when their batteries are weak. Why your signal drops when the power goes is explained in mobile signal down during load shedding.

How to check your own signal before you complain

A complaint with a place, a time and a test result is far harder to close without action. Spend five minutes collecting proof first.

1. Note the exact place, such as the street, sector or landmark, and the time.
2. Look at the network type next to your signal bars: 5G, 4G, LTE, 3G or nothing.
3. Run a speed test two or three times in the same spot and screenshot each result.
4. Make a test call and note if it fails, drops or sounds broken.
5. Restart the phone and try again, so the network cannot blame a stuck handset.
6. Check whether a friend on the same network has the same problem nearby.

Ufone says on its coverage page that you can dial *4# to check if you are in its 4G area and *3344# for its 3G area. What a normal speed looks like in Pakistan is in normal mobile internet speed. Problems only indoors usually need a different fix, covered in weak signal at home.

Where to complain about a weak network

PTA expects you to complain to your mobile company first. If the company does not fix it, or closes the complaint without a fix, you then go to PTA with the operator's complaint number.

The full PTA complaint route, with forms and timings, is in how to file a PTA telecom complaint. For slow internet in particular, see PTA complaint for slow internet.

Common questions about PTA's Islamabad survey

When did PTA test networks in Islamabad and Rawalpindi?

On 5 November 2026, by PTA's own press release.

Which roads did PTA test?

The new Islamabad International Airport, T-Chowk, Constitution Avenue, Club Road, Murree Road, Rawal Road and the area around the old airport, plus connecting roads.

Which network did best in PTA's 5 November survey?

PTA has not said. The release gives no network by network result, only that initial results were "excellent".

Will PTA publish the full results?

The release does not say. PTA has published detailed survey tables for earlier surveys, so it may.

What is PTA's complaint helpline number?

0800-55055, as printed on PTA's website. Complain to your operator first and keep its complaint number.

Can I complain to PTA directly without going to my operator?

PTA usually asks for the operator's complaint number first. Without it, your complaint may be sent back to the operator.

How we verified this

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

Last checked 6 November 2026. The survey details come from PTA's press releases page and its release "PTA Conducts QoE/QoS Field Survey in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to Assess Telecom Service Quality", dated 5 November 2026. The earlier release titles and dates come from the same page. Ufone's *4# and *3344# codes come from Ufone's coverage page. PTA's helpline is from the footer of pta.gov.pk.