ISLAMABAD: Cellular Mobile Operators (CMOs) have missed SMSes and voice Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and are found below the licensed threshold in some areas, revealed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

The PTA conducted quality of services (QoS) Survey in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.

The PTA has carried out an independent QoS survey in 18 cities and eight motorways/highways/intercity roads of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan in order to measure the performance and quality of CMOs’ services being provided to their customers.

During the survey, the licensed KPIs of voice, network coverage, SMS and mobile broadband/data were checked using state-of-the-art automated QoS Monitoring and Benchmarking Tool.

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The drive test teams selected survey routes in such a manner to cover main roads, service roads, and majority of sectors/colonies in surveyed areas.

Based upon the compliance level of each KPI against threshold defined in the respective licenses and QoS Regulations, CMOs have been ranked between 1st to 4th position in each category, ie, mobile network coverage, voice, and SMS services in surveyed cities and motorways/highways.

Further in mobile broadband speed segment, the ranking is with respect to the highest data download speed. The survey results revealed that CMOs are compliant with respect to broadband services to a great extent, while SMS and voice KPIs have been found below the licensed threshold in some areas.

Eventually, necessary instructions have been issued to the operators for taking corrective measures so as to ensure improvement in the service quality up to the licensed standards.

The service quality monitoring activity is being carried out by the PTA field teams with the ultimate aim to pursue the operators for provision of better mobile services and to promote a healthy competition among the operators.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021