Web Desk: Mobile package prices in Pakistan have increased by as much as 22% over the past year, while telecom operators are warning that sharply higher infrastructure charges could put further pressure on the cost of internet and communication services.
A written response submitted to the Senate by the minister in charge of the Cabinet Division said tariffs for leading mobile packages rose between 12% and 22% from June 2025 to June 2026.
The disclosure came in response to a question from Senator Sehar Kamran about repeated increases in mobile package prices.
According to the government response, an analysis of the 10 most subscribed packages offered by Jazz, Telenor, Zong and Ufone showed average tariff increases ranging from 12% to 22% during the 12-month period.
The figures translate into an average monthly increase of roughly 1% to 2%, the response said.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said it was aware of tariff adjustments by mobile operators but found no evidence to support claims that companies were increasing prices by 10% to 20% every month.
The government said the regulator is required to balance consumer protection with operators’ need to earn a reasonable return on their investments.
Meanwhile, telecom operators have raised concerns over substantial increases in the cost of installing and maintaining telecommunications infrastructure at the Quaid-e-Azam Industrial Estate in Punjab.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Access Providers Association (PTAPA) has approached provincial and federal authorities, arguing that revised charges imposed by the estate’s management could increase the cost of providing connectivity.
Under the revised schedule, the annual rental charge for aerial telecom cables has risen from Rs50 to Rs300 per metre, representing a sixfold increase.
Charges for underground infrastructure have also increased. The one-time right-of-way fee for buried cables has climbed from Rs300 to Rs1,000 per metre, while annual rental charges have risen from Rs100 to Rs300 per metre.
The one-time supervision fee has increased from Rs80 to Rs250 per metre.
PTAPA said these increases conflict with the federal government’s Public and Private Right of Way Policy Directives.
The association has urged authorities to apply the federal right-of-way policy, arguing that charges imposed by public bodies should follow a no-profit, no-loss principle.
It said such fees should reflect the actual cost of providing the relevant service rather than becoming a source of commercial income for public authorities.
PTAPA also objected to additional permission and no-objection certificate charges for telecom operators that already pay approved tariffs to electricity distribution companies for access to utility poles.
The association has called for urgent intervention over what it described as delays in granting permissions for new telecom infrastructure.
It warned that restrictions on infrastructure deployment could slow network expansion and ultimately affect internet and communication services available to businesses operating in the industrial estate.
The government said the PTA regulates tariffs charged by Jazz because the company is classified as a Significant Market Power operator.
Ufone and Telenor remain subject to regulatory arrangements established under a merger order issued on Nov. 30, 2025, while Zong, classified as a non-SMP operator, can revise its tariffs based on commercial considerations.
However, the PTA retains powers under the Mobile Tariff Regulations, 2025 to intervene if pricing practices are found to harm consumers.
The regulator also considers inflation, broader economic conditions, competition and consumer interests when approving tariffs for operators under its direct pricing oversight.
The government said the PTA conducts anonymous billing verification exercises to check whether customers are being charged according to approved tariffs.
Consumers who encounter differences between advertised and charged prices can submit complaints through the PTA’s Complaint Management System, its mobile application or helpline.
The regulator then takes up eligible complaints with the relevant operator for resolution under the applicable legal framework.
The latest developments point to two sources of pressure on Pakistan’s telecom sector: rising consumer tariffs and increasing costs associated with network infrastructure.
While the government says mobile package prices rose gradually rather than through the steep monthly increases alleged by some consumers, operators are warning that higher right-of-way and infrastructure charges could add to their operating costs.
PTAPA has therefore asked authorities to review the revised charges and bring them into line with the federal right-of-way policy.
For consumers, the outcome could have broader implications as Pakistan increasingly relies on mobile internet for business, education, digital payments and everyday communication.
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