ISLAMABAD: The number of 3G and 4G users in Pakistan reached 84.81 million by end-August, compared to 82.76 million by end-July, registering an increase of 2.05 million, said the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

Number of mobile phone users in Pakistan reached 168.97 million by end-August compared to 168.04 million by end-July, which registered an increase of 0.95 million, during the period under review.

Monthly Next Generation Mobile Service (NGMS) penetration increased from 39.25 percent in July to 40.95 percent in August 2020.

Jazz's total count for 3G users stood at 10.247 million by end August compared to 10.480 million by end July, registering a decrease of 0.233 million.

Jazz 4G user numbers jumped from 19.982 million by end July 2020 to 21.068 million by end August 2020.

Zong 3G subscribers decreased from 6.314 million by end-July 2020 to 6.118 million by the end-August, while the number of 4G users jumped from 18.131 million by end July 2020 to 18.777 million by end August.

The number of 3G users of Telenor network decreased from 6.790 million by end-July to 6.665 million by end August.

The number of 4G users jumped from 11.583 million by end July 2020 to 12.250 million by end August.

Ufone 3G users decreased from 5.258 million by end July to 5.148 million by end August.

The number of 4G users of Ufone increased from 4.221 million by end July 2020 to 4.534 million by end August.

Teledensity for cellular mobile increased from 79.21 percent by end July to 79.65 by end August.

The broadband subscribers increased from 83.17 million by end June 2020 to 84.82 million by end July 2020.

The PTA received 8,961 complaints from telecom consumers against different telecom operators including (cellular operators, the PTCL, the LDIs, the WLL operators, and the ISPs) as of August 2020.

The PTA said it was able to get 8,807 complaints resolved i.e. 98 percent.

According to the PTA data, Jazz leads the chart with 2,949 complaints, and Zong at second position as the most complained telecom operator with 2,373.

Cellular mobile subscribers constitute major part of overall telecom subscriber base, therefore, maximum number of complaints belong to this segment.

Total number of complaints against CMOs by August stood at 8,086.

In terms of the segregation of complaints on operator basis, a total of complaints were received against Jazz, which is 36.47 percent of the total CMO-related complaints.

Zong stood second with 2,373 complaints i.e. 29.34 percent of the total complaints.

Telenor, which has the second largest number of consumers, was third with 1,554 i.e. 19.21 percent complaints were received against it.

Ufone had 1,172 complaints against its various services, which make up 14.49 percent of the total CMO-related complaints.

The PTA also received 186 complaints against basic telephony, where 176 were addressed during August 2020.

Further 676 complaints were received against the ISPs, where 615 were addressed.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020