How Did Pakistan’s Fixed-line Broadband Perform in 2024? Q1 vs. Q2 Analysis

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) conducted Fixedline Quality of Service (QoS) surveys across Q1 (January-March) and Q2 (April-June) of 2024 to assess the performance and reliability of fixed-line broadband services in Pakistan. These surveys, governed by the Fixed Broadband Quality of Service Regulations, 2022, evaluated various Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ensure quality internet services for users. Here is a detailed analysis of the performance of Pakistan’s Fixed-line broadband in both quarters of 2024, focusing on compliance and performance trends.

How Did Pakistan’s Fixed-line Broadband Perform in 2024? Q1 vs. Q2 Analysis

Survey Scope and Methodology

The surveys targeted 20 major Broadband Service Providers (BSPs) across 14 cities in Pakistan, including Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and others with high subscriber density. Parameters such as bandwidth utilization, network availability, latency, and jitter were monitored using real-time data collected at BSPs’ Network Operation Centers (NOCs).

Key Parameters and Results: A Comparative Overview

1. Bandwidth Utilization

• Benchmark: Utilization should be less than 80%.
• Q1 Findings: Majority of BSPs exceeded the benchmark, including PTCL (Rawalpindi), Nayatel (Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Faisalabad), and others.
• Q2 Findings: Similar trends persisted, with operators such as CyberNet (Peshawar, Abbottabad), Fiberlink (Karachi), and Satcomm (Karachi) also failing to comply.

Impact: High bandwidth utilization caused reduced download/upload speeds during peak hours, adversely affecting user experience.

2. Network Availability

• Benchmark:
  • Core Nodes: > 99.9%
  • Access Nodes: > 99%
• Q1 Findings:
  • Core Nodes: PTCL and NTC in Gwadar, Hazara Communication (Abbottabad), and New Millennium (Haripur) fell below the threshold.
  • Access Nodes: PTCL and NTC in Gwadar, and others like Hazara Communication and New Millennium failed to meet the benchmark.
• Q2 Findings: The same operators showed non-compliance in both categories, indicating persistent issues.

Impact: Frequent downtimes disrupted connectivity, especially in Gwadar and Abbottabad.

3. Latency / Round Trip Time (RTT)

• Benchmark: Low RTT is essential for seamless communication.
  • Local Network RTT: RTT from local nodes should remain minimal.
  • International RTT: RTT to international servers such as Google was assessed.
• Q1 Findings: PTCL and NTC in Gwadar failed in both local and international RTT benchmarks.
• Q2 Findings: No significant improvements were observed, as the same operators continued to underperform.

Impact: High latency led to delays in data transfer, affecting real-time applications like video conferencing and gaming.

4. Jitter

• Benchmark: < 15 milliseconds (ms).
• Q1 Findings: NTC and Bliss Communication in Faisalabad exceeded the threshold.
• Q2 Findings: No improvements, with the same operators failing to meet the benchmark.

Impact: High jitter caused packet delivery issues, impacting audio and video streaming quality.

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Comparative Insights

Persistent Non-Compliance

Across both quarters, several operators, including PTCL, Nayatel, CyberNet, and NTC, consistently failed to meet the benchmarks for bandwidth utilization, network availability, and latency. This highlights systemic issues in infrastructure and resource management.

Regional Disparities

• Gwadar: Consistently underperformed across all parameters, indicating critical gaps in network maintenance and capacity.
• Abbottabad and Faisalabad: Faced recurring issues with jitter and bandwidth utilization.

Lack of Improvement

Despite being notified of their shortcomings after Q1, most BSPs showed little to no improvement in Q2. This raises concerns about enforcement and accountability mechanisms.

Recommendations and Way Forward

• Infrastructure Upgrades: BSPs must enhance bandwidth capacity and optimize resource allocation, particularly in underserved areas like Gwadar.
• Monitoring Mechanisms: PTA should introduce stricter monitoring and penalties for repeated non-compliance.
• Transparent Reporting: Regular publication of results can incentivize operators to improve performance through competition.
• Regional Focus: Special attention must be given to cities with persistent non-compliance to address specific local challenges.

Conclusion

The PTA’s QoS surveys for Q1 and Q2, 2024, revealed critical shortcomings in Pakistan’s fixed-line broadband services, with minimal progress between quarters. Persistent issues such as high bandwidth utilization and poor network availability highlight the need for systemic reforms. By addressing these challenges, Pakistan can pave the way for a more reliable digital infrastructure, crucial for economic growth and technological advancement.