Pakistan Records Average 5G Download Speed of 127.74 Mbps

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s early 5G network tests recorded an average download speed of 127.74 Mbps during the second quarter of 2026, according to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) latest Mobile Network Experience Benchmarking Report.

The report showed that the average 5G upload speed was 12.7 Mbps, while users recorded a video experience score of 67.33 out of 100. The average gaming experience score stood at 62.05 out of 100.

5G Availability Remains Limited

Despite offering significantly higher speeds than 4G, users were connected to 5G networks for only 3.95% of the measured time.

PTA clarified that the time-on-network figure reflects the share of time users had a mobile data connection in locations they commonly visited. It does not indicate the geographical coverage of a network.

The regulator also noted that 5G deployment in Pakistan is still in its early stages. Limited coverage and a relatively small number of users mean that the current results provide an initial indication rather than a complete picture of nationwide 5G performance.

5G Compared With 4G

The findings were based on independent measurements collected by Opensignal from real smartphone users over a 90-day period.

For comparison, the national average 4G download speed was 18.9 Mbps across all devices. On high-end smartphones, the average 4G download speed reached 31.3 Mbps.

The average 4G upload speed was recorded at 5.32 Mbps, considerably lower than the download speeds measured on the emerging 5G network.

As Pakistan’s 5G rollout expands and network availability increases, future measurements are expected to provide a broader picture of real-world 5G performance across the country.