According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) Mobile Network Experience Benchmarking Report, the average download speed during the second quarter of 2026 for Pakistan’s early 5G network rollout was 127.74 megabits per second (Mbps).
According to the survey, the average 5G upload speed was 12.7 Mbps, and the video experience rating was 67.33 out of 100. The average score for the gaming experience was 62.05 out of 100.
Users were connected to 5G networks for only 3.95% of the observed time, even though they offered noticeably better speeds. PTA explained that the time-on-network indicator should not be read as a gauge of geographic network coverage, but rather as the percentage of time customers spend with a mobile data connection in places they often visit.
The regulator pointed out that 5G implementation in Pakistan was still in its infancy, with comparatively few customers and restricted coverage. Therefore, according to PTA, the results are suggestive and shouldn’t be regarded as a definitive evaluation of the performance of 5G networks nationwide.
The results were based on independent measurements taken over ninety days from actual smartphone users by Opensignal.
In contrast, high-end smartphones reported an average of 31.3 Mbps, while the national average 4G download speed across all devices was 18.9 Mbps. 5.32 Mbps was the average 4G upload speed.
Although more widespread 5G coverage and increased user acceptance will be required for a more representative evaluation of the technology’s national performance, the numbers demonstrate the significant speed differential between Pakistan’s emerging 5G services and current 4G networks.
