Pakistan telecom operators' revenue per user jumps 11% to Rs346
- Sustained rise in ARPU is expected to improve their capacity to expand network
Pakistan's cellular operators achieved a record Rs346 average revenue per user (ARPU) in Q1 2026, driven by mobile data monetization and increased spending, strengthening revenues for network expansion.
- Record-high average revenue per user (ARPU) in Pakistan.
- Mobile data monetization driving ARPU growth.
- Telecom sector's capacity for network expansion.
Pakistan’s cellular mobile operators have pushed average monthly revenue per user (ARPU) to an all-time high of Rs346 during the January-March 2026 quarter, reflecting aggressive monetisation of mobile data services and higher spending by subscribers despite persistent economic pressures.
Official industry data shows monthly voice and data ARPU climbed to Rs346 in Jan-Mar 2026, up from Rs326 in Oct-Dec 2025, registering an increase of around 6.1 percent quarter-on-quarter. On an annual basis, ARPU surged by nearly 11 percent from Rs312 recorded in Jan-Mar 2025.
The latest figures indicate a steady upward trend in operators’ earnings per subscriber over the past three years.
ARPU increased from Rs244 in Apr-Jun 2023 to Rs346 in Jan-Mar 2026, underscoring the telecom sector’s growing dependence on data consumption and premium digital services to offset slowing subscriber growth.
The sustained rise in ARPU is expected to strengthen telecom operators’ revenues and improve their capacity to finance network expansion, including fibre deployment and next-generation digital infrastructure, even as the industry continues to grapple with rising operational costs and heavy taxation.
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