Federal IT and Telecommunications Minister Aminul Haq said that by December 2022, the government plans to introduce 5G technology, but experts in various fields are doubtful, claiming that the country will take a much longer time and will need to make rigorous efforts to carry out the next generation of technology entirely. They were both, however, of the unanimous opinion that 5G would give Pakistan’s economy massive benefits.
“Initially, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Information Technology, has to act fast and ramp up 4G to reach the tipping point of over 50% 4G penetration in the country,” commented the ICT expert Parvez Iftikhar as reported by The Express Tribune.
Iftikhar is part of a committee set up in Pakistan by the IT ministry for the introduction of 5G. Former Secretary General Shehryar Hydri of the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) said the government might be able to roll out 5G in restricted areas by2022, but it would take three to five years to spread new technology across the world.
Further elaborating, Hydri said that the telecom companies require the need to invest in licences along with massive network upgrades for 5G. He also explained, “Consumers will also have to wait for a few years for budget 5G-compatible phones, hence, it may take five to seven years before a proper rollout.”
Tahir Abbas, Head of Research of Arif Habib Limited, was of the opinion that a lot needed to be built on the technology front to set up the 5G network. He expressed his view, “We have already seen the transformation of the 4G network in Pakistan. With 80% teledensity and 40% of population using 3G/4G networks, there is immense potential in this field and 5G will further transform the digital landscape.”
Ehsan Saya, Managing Director of Daraz Pakistan, expressed optimism about the launch of 5G, saying it would not only support the digital platform, but would also help thousands of sellers meet a wider customer base on the platform.
According to him during the current unprecedented periods, increasing internet access and high smartphone penetration should be the government’s top priority. He was optimistic that the Digital Pakistan vision would soon become a reality if the country concentrated on these two fields. He also added, “With new and advanced technology being made accessible for the masses, we are looking forward to an increased number of people shifting to e-commerce and online buying and selling of merchandise.”
A spokesperson for Careem stressed that improved internet infrastructure would provide better access to weak coverage areas, leading to customer location accuracy.
Sindh’s Abadgar Board Senior Vice President Mahmood Nawaz Shah shared how he believed that 5G would significantly benefit e-learning in the farming segment saying that “Through better and high-speed connectivity, offsite information availability will improve in the agriculture sector.”
Systems Limited CEO Asif Peer recognized that 60% of Pakistan’s population fell under 30 years of age. He also explained that the broadband subscriber base exceeds 70 million. He shared his belief that the innovation opportunities under 5G are those that 3G and 4G technologies do not provide. He also believed the role of the government to be critical in creating a regulatory environment and framework that encouraged the Internet of Things to encourage businesses to tap more customers, propagate business processes, innovations, and opportunities for entrepreneurship.
Reference links: tribune.com.pk
