PTA inspects 115 mobile sites in a week, then orders operators to fix faults in six areas
Two successive field drives by the regulator's zonal offices, ending on 14 October, checked calls, data and coverage, and operators were told to fix the problems found.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority ran two field drives between 30 September and 14 October to check how mobile networks perform on the ground, and told operators to fix the faults it found within set deadlines.
From 30 September to 7 October, teams from its zonal offices inspected 115 telecom sites. Lahore accounted for 39 of them, Karachi 17, Sukkur 16, Multan 14, Rawalpindi 14, Quetta 8, Abbottabad 4 and Gilgit 3. Inspectors checked network performance, voice and data quality, coverage and backup power, and looked at call connection failures, dropped calls, slow mobile internet and coverage gaps. They also reviewed consumer complaints and feedback, and engaged local administrations, elected representatives and community members to resolve problems. The PTA said service quality improved in several of the inspected areas, without giving figures.
Where faults turned up at sites or towers, the PTA directed the mobile operators concerned to take corrective action. The authority said it would keep strengthening field monitoring and inspections of mobile network infrastructure across the country.
A second drive across six areas
Officials identified consumer facing problems with coverage, calls and internet, and the operators were told to resolve them within specified deadlines. The PTA said an issue involving the closure of a telecom site in Faisalabad had been resolved.
The authority did not say which operators had the faults in either drive, or how many faults it found. It said it will continue working with operators, relevant organisations and local administrations to improve network performance and reliability.
Calls from lawmakers
Parliament has pressed the same point. On 10 September a National Assembly committee chaired by Syed Amin ul Haq decided to summon Jazz, Zong and Ufone to explain continued network failures, and directed the IT ministry and the PTA to play a more effective role in resolving connectivity problems. On 19 September the PTA gave operators until October to fix coverage in the twin cities.
