Pakistan’s Cellular Subscribers Decline for Third Straight Month Despite 4G Growth
Pakistan’s total cellular subscriber base has continued its downward trend for the third consecutive month, falling from 196.860 million in August 2025 to 196.194 million by the end of September, according to the latest data released by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
The report shows a sustained decline since June 2025, when the total subscriber count stood at 197.804 million, indicating a gradual reduction in active SIMs across networks.
In contrast, the number of 3G and 4G users saw a marginal increase during the same period. The total broadband user base rose from 147.713 million in August to 148.059 million in September, marking a net addition of around 0.346 million new users. This uptick also pushed the Next Generation Mobile Services (NGMS) penetration rate slightly upward, from 59.56 percent to 59.6 percent—suggesting continued demand for mobile broadband services.
Meanwhile, teledensity, which measures the number of mobile connections per 100 inhabitants, remained largely stable at 80.04 percent.
Among individual operators, Jazz’s 3G user base remained at zero, while its 4G subscribers dipped marginally from 55.094 million to 55.077 million. Zong recorded a modest increase in 4G users, growing from 41.062 million to 41.152 million, though its 3G base slightly declined from 1.749 million to 1.744 million.
Telenor Pakistan followed a similar trend, with 3G users dropping from 1.045 million to 1.011 million, while 4G subscriptions rose to 27.064 million. Ufone, on the other hand, saw its 3G base shrink from 1.618 million to 1.448 million, accompanied by an increase in 4G customers—from 18.359 million to 18.742 million by the end of September.
Despite the steady adoption of 4G services, the continued decline in the overall cellular base suggests market saturation and reduced SIM activity, a trend that industry experts believe may persist until new services such as 5G or enhanced digital ecosystems drive renewed user growth.
Also read:
Pakistan Adds 1.38 Million New 3G/4G Users in June 2025: PTA Report
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