‘Total cellular subscriber base declines for 3rd consecutive month’

ISLAMABAD: The country’s total cellular subscriber base witnessed a decline for the third consecutive month, coming down from 196.860 million in August 2025 to 196.194 million by the end of September 2025.

The total number of cellular subscribers was 197.804 million in June, after that it continues to decline, official data of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) revealed.

The total number of 3G and 4G users increased from 147.713 million by the end of August 2025 to 148.059 million in September, marking a net addition of over 0.346 million users within a month.

Simultaneously, the Next Generation Mobile Service (NGMS) penetration rate rose from 59.56 percent to 59.6 percent, reflecting a steady climb in broadband adoption among the population.

The teledensity, which measures the number of mobile connections per 100 people, remained almost the same at 80.04 percent in September.

Among the telecom operators, Jazz’s 3G user base remained at zero; its 4G users witnessed a slight decline from 55.094 million in August to 55.077 million by the end of September.

Zong registered an increase in 4G subscriptions, rising from 41.062 million to 41.152 million, while its 3G users declined from 1.749 million by the end of August to 1.744 million by the end of September.

Telenor Pakistan witnessed a similar trend: a reduction in its 3G subscribers from 1.045 million to 1.011 million, and an increase in its 4G base from 26.964 million to 27.064 million by the end of September.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025