PTA flags peak-hour slowdown risk as several ISPs, including Gerry’s IT, breach utilisation cap

Several fixed broadband operators breached the 80 percent bandwidth utilisation threshold in Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) third-quarter 2026 network-end quality-of-service survey, raising the risk of slower speeds for subscribers during peak hours.

Among the highest recorded levels were Khyber Internet Services Provider in Mardan at 99.16 percent, Gerry’s Information Technology in Karachi at 96.7 percent, Multinet Pakistan in Rawalpindi at 92.75 percent, Pace Telecom and Broadcasting in Swat at 90.62 percent, and Wavecomm in Usta Muhammad at 90 percent. The Fixed Broadband Quality of Service Regulations, 2022, require operators to keep peak utilisation at or below 80 percent to maintain service quality.

PTA’s survey covered 23 unique operators across 21 cities and 28 locations. While most providers met latency and data-throughput benchmarks, the bandwidth breaches stood out as the most widespread compliance gap. Sustained utilisation above the limit can constrain available capacity and reduce download and upload speeds when demand rises, particularly in the evenings and during working hours.

Operators that exceeded the threshold included both smaller providers and those serving major urban centres. The findings point to uneven capacity planning, with some networks operating close to or beyond their designed limits. PTA has called on non-compliant operators to enhance capacity and bring utilisation within the prescribed range to ensure continued adherence to the regulations.

The survey results underscore that bandwidth congestion remains a key challenge for fixed broadband services even as other technical parameters largely stayed within limits.