ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) received formal requests from telecom companies in Pakistan to raise their mobile and internet service package rates.
The industry reported that its operations faced severe challenges during the first week of April 2026 because of the substantial increase in fuel and energy prices.
The proposals state that increasing expenses will create a danger that service quality and infrastructure upkeep will suffer permanent damage. The telecom sector suffers from high vulnerability to fuel price changes because its diesel power generators operate as essential equipment.
The generators provide network service to thousands of cell sites, which operate in areas without electrical power or in remote locations. The first week of April 2026 experienced a diesel fuel price increase, which reached a record price of Rs. 520 per litre due to worldwide market volatility.
Companies report that their fuel expenses grew by almost 80%, which created severe financial pressure on their operating budgets. Telecom industry sources predict a 10% to 15% tariff increase if the PTA approves the current tariff adjustment requests.
The Mobile Tariff Regulations 2025 require operators to manage tariff changes according to their standard quarterly review cycle, but operators requested the authority to grant them permission for immediate tariff changes.
Executives stated that network upgrades and 5G deployment costs would not be commercially feasible without the needed changes. The PTA is examining the submitted data and proposals to determine their actual financial effect on the industry.
The government provided some assistance through diesel price reductions, which brought the price down to approximately Rs. 353 per litre by late April, but operators maintain that their overall business expenses continue at elevated levels.
