Telecom Revenues Plunge 16% in FY25 Despite Record Data Usage

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s telecom giants bled 16% in FY25, with revenues crashing from Rs955 billion to Rs803 billion—a brutal Rs152 billion wipeout—even as 200 million users devoured 27,897 petabytes of data and broadband hit 150 million, PTA data reveals.

ARPU collapsed under inflation, dollar-linked costs, spectrum fees, and tax hammer while opex skyrocketed. Yet the sector coughed up Rs271 billion to the exchequer—39% more than last year.

Cell sites climbed to 58,423, broadband penetration 60.8%—massive infrastructure push on empty wallets.

Industry screams: “Revenue compression + tax onslaught = death spiral.” Voice dead, price wars savage, SIM taxes choke growth. Without tax relief and digital policy oxygen, 5G, coverage, and quality upgrades will die on the vine.