Zong recorded the fastest national 4G download speed in Pakistan during the second quarter of 2026, but its video experience score declined sharply compared with the previous quarter.
According to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Opensignal reports, Zong’s national 4G download speed stood at 18.55 Mbps in Q2 2026, slightly below 18.62 Mbps in the first quarter.
The operator also recorded the highest upload speed among the four networks, with performance improving from 7.65 Mbps to 7.81 Mbps.
Zong Leads on Speed and Network Availability
Zong’s time-on-network score reached 96.59% during the second quarter, the highest among the four operators measured.
Its gaming performance also improved, rising from 44.37 in Q1 to 47.28 in Q2. However, this placed Zong second behind Ufone, which recorded a score of 50.08.
The results show that Zong maintained a strong position across several everyday network performance measures despite the decline in its video score.
Video Quality Falls Despite National Lead
The biggest quarter-on-quarter change came in video performance.
Zong’s video score dropped from 47.06 in Q1 to 41.66 in Q2.
Despite the decline, Zong remained marginally ahead of Jazz, which recorded 41.51. Both operators saw their scores fall from roughly 47 in the first quarter.
The narrow gap between Zong and Jazz means the operator retained the national lead on video, but with considerably less separation than in the previous quarter.
What the Opensignal Video Score Measures
The PTA’s Opensignal data is designed to reflect everyday mobile network experiences rather than relying solely on controlled drive tests.
Video experience takes into account factors such as picture quality, video loading or start time and freezing during playback.
This means download speed and video experience do not necessarily move together. A network can deliver high speeds in a test while users may still encounter interruptions or delays when streaming video.
Zong Remains Near the National 4G Average
Across all operators, national 4G download speed averaged 18.9 Mbps during the second quarter.
High-end smartphones recorded a much higher average of 31.3 Mbps.
Zong’s 18.55 Mbps therefore placed it close to the overall national 4G average, while remaining below the performance recorded on high-end devices.
Jazz followed with a national download speed of 17.61 Mbps, while Ufone recorded 12.82 Mbps.
Telenor remained behind the other operators on both speed and video performance.
Zong Shows Stronger Results in Major Cities
Zong’s performance was particularly strong in several major cities.
In Lahore, the operator recorded a download speed of 21.26 Mbps, alongside a video score of 48.89, gaming score of 53.56 and time-on-network score of 98.18%.
Its download speed in Multan reached 21.6 Mbps.
Zong also led Karachi in download speed at 18.27 Mbps and upload speed at 9.15 Mbps.
However, Jazz recorded a stronger video experience in Karachi, with a score of 47.18 compared with Zong’s 39.1.
Zong Records Multiple City-Level Download Leads
Beyond Lahore, Multan and Karachi, Zong also recorded download-speed leads in Gujranwala, Sialkot, Chakwal, Khairpur and Gwadar.
In Mirpur, Skardu and Muzaffarabad, Zong led download performance among the operators measured, including areas where SCO is also part of the comparison.
The city-level results reinforce the broader national picture: Zong maintained a strong position on network speed even as its video score weakened.
Q2 Results Show a Mixed Network Picture
The second-quarter results present a mixed performance for Zong across different network experience metrics.
The operator ranked first nationally on download speed, upload speed and time-on-network. Its video score also remained marginally ahead of Jazz.
However, Ufone recorded the highest gaming score, while Zong’s video score declined significantly from the previous quarter.
The data therefore shows that no single performance metric fully captures the user experience of a mobile network.
5G Remains a Small Part of the Overall Picture
Nationally, 5G download speeds averaged 127.74 Mbps during the second quarter, with users connected to 5G for 3.95% of the time.
For Zong, however, the second-quarter performance remained primarily a 4G story, with its national 4G results continuing to account for the bulk of the comparison.
Zong’s Q2 2026 Network Performance at a Glance
| Metric | Q1 2026 | Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 4G Download Speed | 18.62 Mbps | 18.55 Mbps |
| 4G Upload Speed | 7.65 Mbps | 7.81 Mbps |
| Video Score | 47.06 | 41.66 |
| Games Score | 44.37 | 47.28 |
| Time-on-Network | — | 96.59% |
The figures indicate that Zong’s download speed remained broadly stable while upload and gaming performance improved. The most notable movement was the decline in video experience.