Pakistan to get 5G by 2022-23
This pandemic taught us that how much the internet matters in our lives because after February 2020, nearly everything shifted to the web and many apps developed. Zoom app earned the most profit out of all this situation. Many other apps were developed to ease the lives of people which prompted the use of the internet in a better way such things developed the need for 5G in Pakistan.
Good News for Pakistan
According to reports in the air, Pakistan is doing complete homework to increase the speed of the internet. It is in anticipation that Pakistan will be in the list of countries with 5G internet by the end of 2022. In the fiscal year of 2023 Pakistan has a complete road map to provide 5G services. As the annual reports of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) suggest that they are targeting at auctioning ‘spectrum for 5G services in the fiscal year 2023’ according to reports of Express Tribune. The experience of the siege on the stage to guide by the side in the form of online classes where the practical work increased in the form of projects rather than just cramming the theory.
Aminul Haque statement
According to the statement of Syed Amin Ul Haque, Pakistan is planning to launch 5G services by December 2022. The Minister made a video call to china in order to check the 5G quality after the test his stance was positive. The quality of voice and video was comparatively excellent because it was clearer than before according to the international outlet. The thing is there are also some misconceptions in the surrounding because people are claiming that Pakistan will take a longer time than two years to launch the next generation in the stream, because it needs investments and a lot of preparation to introduce next generation technology.
Covid-19 a blessing in disguise
It is very obvious that the digital economy widened multifold during pandemics and increasing every single day. And it was such a blessing in disguise for Pakistan that we moved towards digital currency in these hard situations and there was a need to improve digital infrastructure. So, it incited regulators and stakeholders to works for its betterment to get a plethora of benefits.
Economic development
The federal Minister IT Syed Amin Ul Haque claims that once Pakistan get 5G services its economy will flourish because it will pave way for modern technology to operate in Pakistan. Many estimations have been made and according to GSM estimations, the mobile industry will make progress by leaps and bounds and its progress will contribute to the economy of Pakistan. It will contribute 6.6% in domestic growth and the mobile industry will contribute $24 billion in the economy.
Spectrum Master Plan and Rolling Strategy
Pakistan government is planning to declare spectrum master plan and rolling strategy, which will be beneficial for the investors to help them in investing the money. It will also open doors of opportunities to small and big businesses. This plan will work on the new technologies and innovations to be implemented in the spectrum of 5G services.
Mobile usage in Pakistan
The recent data shows that about 98% of Pakistani households own mobiles. The data reveals that by the end of October 2020, the penetration of mobile usage reached 81.1% with 172.3 million subscriptions. In the reports of the fiscal year, 2020 broadband subscription reached 17% and subscriptions reached 90.1 million and the 4G subscription reached 60% growth in 2020. The final reports show that broadband penetration reached 42.4% by the end of the fiscal year 2020. There was 77% increase in the data usage after expansion of 3G and 4G services.
3G and 4G spectrum in GB/AJK
The higher authorities are planning to have an international consultant market survey and gearing up for the auction of 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz in Pakistan and also in Gilgit Baltistan and Azad and Jammu Kashmir. According to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority
“The availability of additional spectrum in 1,800 MHz will also enable operators to expand their existing 4G operations and transition to advanced technologies.”
The aims of auctions are to proliferate the LTE and VoLTE services in the fiscal year of 2021 and 5G services in the fiscal year 2023, there are also plans to reframe the spectrum allocated to the WLL operator, to make the spectrum available in 5G services. The estimation of the government is to raise the Rs 27 billion through auction of spectrum in the fiscal year 2021.
Tests for 5G services
As it is mentioned earlier the Minister made a video call using 5G services to check the quality of the video and audio and he was much contented with the result. Prior to that in 2019 and 2020 non-official tests were conducted to check the speed and Pakistan stands as the first country in the South Asia to test 5G services and gearing up to launch it in 2023 fiscal year.
