Pakistan
Opensignal is the independent global standard for analyzing consumers' connectivity experiences. Our industry reports are the definitive guide to understanding what happens when people use their mobile and broadband connections in their daily life.
Pakistan
Opensignal is the independent global standard for analyzing consumers' connectivity experiences. Our industry reports are the definitive guide to understanding what happens when people use their mobile and broadband connections in their daily life.
Key Findings
Zong is top for Video, Games and Voice App Experience
Our Zong users continue to observe the best quality of experience while streaming on-demand videos, playing multiplayer mobile games and using over-the-top (OTT) voice services on mobile voice apps in Pakistan. As a result, Zong is the outright winner of the Video, Games and Voice App Experience awards with scores of 48.8, 48.5 and 70.2 points on 100-point scales, respectively.
Zong users enjoy the most consistent experience
Zong wins our Consistent Quality award with a score of 36.9%, slightly ahead of Ufone in second place with 35.1%. This indicates that Zong users see the greatest proportion of tests that meet the minimum thresholds to support more demanding commonly used mobile applications, such as video calling or uploading an image to social media.
Jazz and Zong are top for Live Video Experience
Jazz and Zong share Opensignal's first award for Live Video Experience in Pakistan, which quantifies the quality of real-time video streamed to mobile devices by measuring video streams over an operator's network. Jazz and Zong win on this measure with statistically tied scores of 39.3-39.5 points (on a 100-point scale).
Zong users continue to see the fastest average download speeds in Pakistan
Zong is the outright winner of the Download Speed Experience award, as Zong users experience the fastest overall mobile download speeds in Pakistan, 17.2Mbps on average — 17.7% (2.6Mbps) faster than Jazz users, 76.7% (7.5Mbps) faster than Ufone users, and almost 3.7 times faster than those on Telenor.
Users on Jazz witness notable improvements in mobile speeds
Compared to the last report, two mobile operators — Jazz and Zong — have seen increases in both the speed categories — Download and Upload Speed Experience. However, our Jazz users witnessed the biggest improvements across both categories. Their average upload speeds have increased by 26.2%, compared to a 20.7% rise seen with Zong. As a result, both operators are joint winners of the Upload Speed Experience award, with statistically tied scores of 5.7-5.8Mbps. Likewise, the average download speeds with Zong are 10.4% faster now, while those with Jazz are 19.4% faster — up from 12.2Mbps to 14.6Mbps.
Jazz continues to lead on 4G Availability
Our Jazz users in Pakistan continue to spend the greatest proportion of time with 4G in Pakistan — 90.2%. By virtue of this, Jazz is the outright winner of the 4G Availability award. However, when we look at overall Availability — the proportion of time users connect to a 3G or better cellular signal — Zong leads the pack with a score of 95.6%, slightly ahead of Jazz and Ufone with 94.5-94.7%.
Mobile Experience Awards
Market Overview
In Opensignal's latest analysis of the mobile network experience in Pakistan, Zong remains the dominant operator in the country, winning all six Overall Experience award categories — either outright or jointly. Zong wins outright in Video Experience, Games Experience, Voice App Experience, and Download Speed Experience. Zong also shares the podium with Jazz for our first Live Video Experience in Pakistan, as well as Upload Speed Experience.
Additionally, regarding the consistency of mobile experience, Zong beats the competition and wins the Consistent Quality award outright. Zong is also the winner when comparing the proportion of the time that users are connected to a 3G or better cellular signal (Availability) — the operator leads with a score of 95.6%.
Jazz is the only other operator to win an award outright, with users reporting the highest 4G Availability in Pakistan, spending the largest proportion of their time our 4G users are connected to 4G services — 90.2% on average. Furthermore, Jazz users have experienced the biggest improvements in their mobile download and upload speeds. Compared to the previous report, the Download Speed Experience on Jazz is 19.4% faster, and the Upload Speed Experience is 26.2% faster. As a result, Jazz has chipped away at Zong's lead in Download Speed Experience from 27.5% to 17.7% and is now deadlocked with Zong in Upload Speed Experience for the top spot.
In this report, we have analyzed the mobile network experience of Pakistan's four national operators — Jazz, Telenor, Ufone and Zong — in the 90 days starting on April 1, 2023, and ending on June 29, 2023, to see how they compare on different aspects of mobile network experience.
Overall Experience
National Analysis
Opensignal analysis of the quality of experience while streaming on-demand video content on smartphones shows that Zong users have the best Video Experience in Pakistan. Zong wins the Video Experience award with an overall score of 48.8 points on a 100-point scale — a lead ranging from 3.8 points over second-placed Jazz and 18.1 points over last-placed Telenor. As a result, Zong earns a Fair (48-58) rating, while Jazz, Ufone and Telenor rate Poor (under 48) — one category lower. A Fair rating means that our users are, on average, able to stream video at 720p or better with satisfactory loading times and substantial stalling.
Definitions
Opensignal’s Video Experience quantifies the quality of video streamed to mobile devices by measuring real-world video streams over an operator's networks. The metric is based on an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach, built upon detailed studies which have derived a relationship between technical parameters, including picture quality, video loading time and stall rate, with the perceived video experience as reported by real people. To calculate video experience, we are directly measuring video streams from end-user devices and using this ITU approach to quantify the overall video experience for each operator on a scale from 0 to 100. The videos tested include a mixture of resolutions — including Full HD (FHD) and 4K / Ultra HD (UHD) — and are streamed directly from the world’s largest video content providers.
In addition to Video Experience, we report on the following metrics related to video experience:
- 5G Video Experience: The average Video Experience of Opensignal users when they were connected to an operator’s 5G network.
- Video Experience – 5G Users: The average Video Experience of Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator's networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G video experience along with the availability of each technology.
- 4G Video Experience: The average Video Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 4G network.
- 3G Video Experience: The average Video Experience of Opensignal users on an operator’s 3G network.
National Analysis
Jazz and Zong are joint winners of the Live Video Experience award with statistically tied scores of 39.3-39.5 points. This means our Jazz and Zong users enjoy the best quality of experience in Pakistan while streaming live video over cellular connections.
Definitions
Opensignal’s Live Video Experience quantifies the quality of real-time video streamed to mobile devices by measuring video streams over an operator's network. The metric extends the existing International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach used for Opensignal's on-demand Video Experience metric, built upon detailed studies which have derived a relationship between technical parameters, including live playback offset, picture quality, video loading time and stall rate, with the perceived live video experience as reported by real people. To calculate live video experience, we are directly measuring live video streams from end-user devices and using this extension of ITU's approach to quantify the overall live video experience for each operator on a scale from 0 to 100. The videos tested include a mixture of resolutions and are streamed directly from the world’s largest video content providers.
National Analysis
Opensignal's analysis shows that Zong outshines the competition in multiplayer mobile gaming. Zong wins the Games Experience award outright with 48.5 points (on a scale of 0-100) — 9.2 points greater than second-place occupier Ufone. Meanwhile, Jazz and Telenor follow with scores of 37.3 and 34.2, respectively.
Definitions
Opensignal’s Games Experience measures how mobile users experience real-time multiplayer mobile gaming on an operator’s network. Measured on a scale of 0-100, it analyzes how our users’ multiplayer mobile gaming experience is affected by mobile network conditions including latency, packet loss and jitter.
Games Experience quantifies the experience when playing real-time multiplayer mobile games on mobile devices connected to servers located around the world. The approach is built on several years of research quantifying the relationship between technical network parameters and the gaming experience as reported by real mobile users. These parameters include latency (round trip time), jitter (variability of latency) and packet loss (the proportion of data packets that never reach their destination). Additionally, it considers multiple genres of multiplayer mobile games to measure the average sensitivity to network conditions. The games tested include some of the most popular real-time multiplayer mobile games (such as Fortnite, Pro Evolution Soccer and Arena of Valor) played around the world.
Calculating Games Experience starts with measuring the end-to-end experience from users’ devices to internet end-points that host real games. The score is then measured on a scale from 0 to 100.
In addition to Games Experience, we report on the following metrics related to games experience:
- 5G Games Experience: The average Games Experience of Opensignal users when they were connected to an operator’s 5G network.
- Games Experience – 5G Users: The average Games Experience of Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator's networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G games experience along with the availability of each technology.
- 4G Games Experience: The average Games Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 4G network.
- 3G Games Experience: The average Games Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 3G (e.g. UMTS/HSPA or CDMA 1X EV-DO) network.
National Analysis
Zong wins the Voice App Experience award outright with a score of 70.2 points (on a 100-point scale). This means that our users on Zong perceive the best available experience while using over-the-top (OTT) voice app services such as WhatsApp, Skype and Facebook Messenger.
Definitions
Opensignal's Voice App Experience measures the quality of experience for over-the-top (OTT) voice services — mobile voice apps such as WhatsApp, Skype and Facebook Messenger — using a model derived from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach for quantifying overall voice call quality and a series of calibrated technical parameters. This model characterizes the exact relationship between the technical measurements and perceived call quality. Voice App Experience for each operator is calculated on a scale from 0 to 100.
In addition to Voice App Experience, we report on the following metrics related to voice app experience:
- 5G Voice App Experience: The average Voice App Experience of Opensignal users when they were connected to an operator’s 5G network.
- Voice App Experience – 5G Users: The average Voice App Experience of Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator's networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G voice app experience along with the availability of each technology.
- 4G Voice App Experience: The average Voice App Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 4G network.
- 3G Voice App Experience: The average Voice App Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 3G (e.g. UMTS/HSPA or CDMA 1X EV-DO) network.
National Analysis
Zong users experience the fastest overall download speeds in Pakistan, clocking in at 17.2 Mbps on average — 17.7% (2.6Mbps) faster than Jazz users, 76.7% (7.5Mbps) faster than Ufone users, and almost 3.7 times faster than those on Telenor. These scores show that Zong is the Download Speed Experience award winner.
Since the last report, our users on three out of four networks experienced an improvement in their overall average download speeds. Our Jazz users saw the biggest uplift of 2.4Mbps, followed by those on Zong (1.6Mbps) and Telenor (0.3Mbps). Comparatively, Ufone users did not see a statistically significant change.
Definitions
Measured in Mbps, Download Speed Experience represents the typical everyday speeds a user experiences across an operator’s mobile data networks.
In addition to Download Speed Experience, we report on the following metrics related to download speeds:
- 5G Download Speed: The average download speed observed by Opensignal users with active 5G connections.
- Download Speed Experience – 5G Users: The average download speeds experienced by Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator’s networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G download speeds along with the availability of each technology.
- 4G Download Speed: The average downlink speed observed by Opensignal users when they were connected to 4G.
- 3G Download Speed: The average downlink speed observed by Opensignal users when they were connected to 3G (e.g. UMTS/HSPA or CDMA 1X EV-DO).
National Analysis
Jazz and Zong are joint winners of the Upload Speed Experience award with statistically tied scores of 5.7-5.8Mbps. This is a change from the previous report when Zong was the outright winner. Since then, Jazz users have seen an improvement of 26.2% in their average upload speeds, while Zong users have seen a 20.2% increase. On the other hand, Ufone and Telenor users have seen a decline of 5.4% and 7%, respectively, with upload speeds now averaging 4.2Mbps and 2.1Mbps.
Definitions
Upload Speed Experience measures the average upload speeds for each operator observed by our users across their mobile data networks. Typically upload speeds are slower than download speeds, as current mobile broadband technologies focus resources on providing the best possible download speed for users consuming content on their devices. As mobile internet trends move away from downloading content to creating content and supporting real-time communications services, upload speeds are becoming more vital and new technologies are emerging that boost upstream capacity.
In addition to Upload Speed Experience, we report on five supporting metrics related to upload speeds:
- 5G Upload Speed: The average upload speed observed by Opensignal users with active 5G connections.
- Upload Speed Experience – 5G Users: The average upload speeds experienced by Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator’s networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G upload speeds along with the availability of each technology.
- 4G Upload Speed: The average uplink speed observed by Opensignal users when they were connected to 4G.
- 3G Upload Speed: The average uplink speed observed by Opensignal users when they were connected to 3G (e.g. UMTS/HSPA or CDMA 1X EV-DO).
Coverage
National Analysis
Our Zong users spend the highest proportion of their time connected to a 3G or better cellular signal — 95.6%, on average. Zong is therefore the outright winner of the Availability award.
Definitions
Our availability metrics are not a measure of a network’s geographical extent. They won’t tell you whether you are likely to get a signal if you plan to visit a remote rural or nearly uninhabited region. Instead, they measure what proportion of time people have a network connection, in the places they most commonly frequent — something often missed by traditional coverage metrics. Looking at when users have a connection rather than where, provides us with a more precise reflection of the true user experience.
We also keep track of the instances that leave mobile users most frustrated: when there is no signal to connect to at all. The most common dead zones users struggle with occur indoors. As most of our availability data is collected indoors (as that’s where users spend most of their time), we’re particularly astute at detecting areas of zero signal.
Our availability metrics take a user-centric, time-based approach that complements the user-centric and geographical-based methodology used by our reach metrics.
Availability shows the proportion of time all Opensignal users on an operator’s network had either a 3G, 4G or 5G connection.
National Analysis
4G users enjoy the highest 4G Availability in Pakistan when connected to Jazz. As a result, the Jazz wins the award for this measure outright with a score of 90.2%. This means, on average, our 4G users on Jazz's network spent 90.2% of their time connected to 4G services. On the other hand, Zong users observe the second-highest 4G Availability with a slightly lower score of 88%, and Telenor was further away at 85%. Meanwhile, Ufone brings up the rear with a 4G Availability score of 77.1%.
Definitions
Our availability metrics are not a measure of a network’s geographical extent. They won’t tell you whether you are likely to get a signal if you plan to visit a remote rural or nearly uninhabited region. Instead, they measure what proportion of time people have a network connection, in the places they most commonly frequent — something often missed by traditional coverage metrics. Looking at when users have a connection rather than where, provides us with a more precise reflection of the true user experience.
We also keep track of the instances that leave mobile users most frustrated: when there is no signal to connect to at all. The most common dead zones users struggle with occur indoors. As most of our availability data is collected indoors (as that’s where users spend most of their time), we’re particularly astute at detecting areas of zero signal.
Our availability metrics take a user-centric, time-based approach that complements the user-centric and geographical-based methodology used by our reach metrics.
4G Availability shows the proportion of time Opensignal users with a 4G device and a 4G subscription — but have never connected to 5G — had a 4G connection.
Consistency
National Analysis
Zong wins the Consistent Quality award with a score of 36.9%. This indicates that Zong users see the greatest proportion of tests that meet the minimum thresholds to support more demanding commonly used mobile applications. Ufone is second with a slightly lower score of 35.1%, followed by Jazz with 32%, while Telenor lags significantly behind at 23.9%.
Definitions
Consistent Quality measures if the network is sufficient to support common mobile application requirements at a level that is ‘good enough’ for users to maintain (or complete) various typical tasks on their devices.
We combine different experience indicators such as download speed, upload speed, latency, jitter, packet discard, and time to first byte to calculate Consistent Quality. These components are evaluated against thresholds recommended by various more demanding common applications used for a range of common tasks.
To calculate the metric value, the proportion of tests that pass the requirements of Consistent Quality is multiplied by the test success ratio, which is the proportion of completed tests to all tests conducted. Tests that pass indicate that activities such as video calling, uploading an image to social media, or using smart home applications will be possible without noticeable lag or slowdown.
Related Analysis
Our Methodology
Collecting billions of individual measurements daily from over 100 million devices globally, Opensignal independently analyzes mobile and broadband user experience on every major network operator around the globe.
About Opensignal
Opensignal is the leading global provider of independent insights into consumers' connectivity experiences and choice of carrier. Our proprietary insights into mobile and broadband networks give operators the solutions they need to profitably compete and win, from executive level scorecards and public validation to pin-point level engineering analytics and consumer decision dynamics.
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Confidence Intervals
For every metric we calculate statistical confidence intervals indicated on our graphs. When confidence intervals overlap, our measured results are too close to declare a winner. In those cases, we show a statistical draw. For this reason, some metrics have multiple operator winners.
In our bar graphs we represent confidence intervals as boundaries on either sides of graph bars.
In our supporting-metric charts we show confidence intervals as +/- numerical values.
Why confidence intervals are vital in analyzing mobile network experience