NA committee rejects PTA’s ‘99% satisfaction’ claim as govt targets 5G auction

ISLAMABAD: Amid mounting public frustration over deteriorating mobile service quality, the auction advisory committee on Tuesday reviewed the latest position ahead of the country’s long-awaited 5G spectrum auction, with the government now targeting the first quarter of 2026 to go under the hammer.

Chaired by federal minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb, the committee meeting was attended by Federal minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and other relevant stakeholders.

Officials briefed the committee on auction readiness, spectrum availability and market conditions amid mounting public frustration over deteriorating mobile service quality.

A briefing to the Deputy Prime Minister is scheduled for Wednesday, to be followed by a briefing to the Prime Minister the next day, as the process enters a decisive phase.

PTA unveils sweeping 5G security guidelines

Despite surging demand, a significant 600 MHz of spectrum remains idle, even as consumers grapple with dropped calls, slow data speeds and network congestion.

Only 274 MHz of spectrum is currently available to serve around 200 million subscribers, underscoring the strain on existing networks.

The comparison with regional peers was stark. Bangladesh has allocated about 700 MHz of spectrum for 173 million subscribers, highlighting the scale of the capacity gap and raising questions about policy delays and allocation strategy.

Officials acknowledged that unlocking idle spectrum is critical to improving quality of service and enabling next-generation networks.

The planned 5G auction is expected to be a key inflection point, but stakeholders warned that further delays could deepen service degradation and blunt digital growth.

With top leadership set to be briefed this week, the coming days will be watched closely for signals on timelines, reserve prices and the release of dormant spectrum—decisions that could determine whether consumers see relief before 2026 or continue to endure subpar connectivity.

The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on IT and Telecom on Tuesday expressed “no confidence” in the country’s internet and telecom services.

During a heated meeting chaired by Amin-ul-Haque, committee members slammed the PTA for the widening gap between official reports and ground reality.

While official documents suggest stability, the committee observed that services are actually deteriorating every day.

The central conflict of the meeting arose when the PTA submitted its Quality of Service (QoS) report. The regulator claimed a 99% satisfaction rate regarding mobile signals.

The committee unanimously rejected this figure. Members argued that the country is facing typical internet slowdowns and weak mobile signals, making the 99% claim “incomprehensible”.

Committee members expressed deep reservations regarding the data, labelling the report “ridiculous” and criticized the obvious disconnect.

Questions were also raised about how the PTA gathers its data. Committee member Sharmila Faruqui grilled the regulator on its survey methodology.

She asked specifically where these surveys are conducted to achieve such high satisfaction numbers. Faruqui stated: The 99% satisfactory rating in the PTA’s report is beyond comprehension.

She subsequently demanded that future QoS surveys be conducted by an independent third party, rather than the PTA itself, to ensure transparency.

The frustration was not limited to statistics. Member Pullain Baloch voiced the concerns of the common citizen, asking a simple question: If the PTA cannot provide basic mobile signals, where are people supposed to go for help?

The meeting concluded with a clear message that the NA committee is displeased.

While the regulator insists everything is fine on paper, the ongoing signal drops and slow

internet speeds tell a very different story.