Islamabad, Feb 10: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has proposed installing express feeders to address Karachi’s telecom network disruptions caused by frequent power outages. In a written response to the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT and Telecom, PTA highlighted that prolonged load-shedding is a key factor affecting network availability in the city.
Earlier, the committee recommended a thorough assessment of Karachi’s telecom issues, urging immediate solutions to enhance service quality. PTA’s findings confirmed that while voice and data services met regulatory Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), network stability remained a challenge due to extended power failures.
A detailed survey conducted across major districts—including Central, East, South, West, and Malir—revealed that existing backup power solutions, typically lasting 2 to 4 hours, were insufficient to maintain uninterrupted service during prolonged outages.
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To mitigate these challenges, PTA suggested that the government facilitate express feeders, ensuring continuous commercial power supply to telecom towers. This initiative would significantly enhance network uptime and improve overall service reliability in the region.
Additionally, PTA informed the committee about an ongoing telecom performance survey along the Karachi-Hyderabad Expressway, scheduled for completion in Q1 2025. The regulator also analyzed system parameters (OSS KPIs) for Q4 2024, indicating that Zong and Ufone maintained downtime within acceptable limits, while Jazz experienced outages in the Malir district. However, call completion rates and 4G data speeds remained above regulatory benchmarks, despite power-related disruptions.
Independent Quality of Service (QoS) evaluations conducted in Malir (February 12-14) and Keamari (May 14-17) in 2024 further validated that overall voice and data services across all mobile operators were satisfactory. Among them, Telenor recorded the highest network availability at 99.40%, while Ufone had the lowest at 97.70%. In terms of 4G throughput, Telenor led with an average speed of 11.59 Mbps, followed by Jazz (6.92 Mbps), Zong (6.21 Mbps), and Ufone (5.92 Mbps).
PTA assured the Standing Committee on IT and Telecom that efforts to improve Karachi’s telecom infrastructure would persist in the coming years. The regulator emphasized that resolving power supply challenges remains a top priority for achieving long-term network stability and service excellence.
