Two additional businesses have received Internet of Things (IoT) licences from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
Details indicate that Infostructure Pakistan (Private) LTD and Kwick High Tech & Solutions Pvt. Limited have received licences from PTA. Both businesses have received five-year permits that can be renewed after they expire.
PTA officials claim that there are now six Internet of Things (IoT) operators as a result of the licencing of these two businesses. Four businesses—Noby Solutions (Private) LTD, IoT Technologies (SMC-Private) LTD, LCC Pakistan (Private) LTD, and WeatherWalay (Private) LTD—had previously received IoT licences from the PTA.
According to Section 5 of the Pakistan Telecommunication Act of 1996 and the PTA Regulatory Framework for Short Range Devices (SRD) & Terrestrial Internet of Things (IoT) Services, the telecom regulator has granted IoT licences to these operators. In order to provide LPWAN Services in Pakistan, these businesses have been granted licences to develop, maintain, and operate IoT Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LPWAN) networks. These two operators received IoT licences from the government after meeting all criteria outlined in the checklist.
PTA claims that these businesses have offered a succinct overview of the IoT Application and the network topology, which includes endpoints, gateways, and a centralised network server. Additionally, these businesses have provided an overview of end-to-end security amongst key network components (end devices, Gateways, Data Platform, and Application).
The operators are obligated to give PTA reports on any network expansions, including the installation and addition of Gateways, as well as any other information that PTA may occasionally request. IoT solution providers typically rely on the connectivity of current cellular mobile carriers, therefore they are not required to set up any more base stations.
In contrast, if the operator must deploy the new base station for any technical reason, this base station will be registered with the Frequency Allocation Board (FAB) through PTA, and the business is required to obtain PTA approval before installing the new Gateways.
In February of this year, PTA released a Regulatory Framework for Terrestrial Internet of Things (IoT) Services and Short Range Devices (SRD). The framework offers a structure for industry regulation to support the growth of Pakistan’s IoT ecosystem.
IoT, one of the key technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, powers digital services like smart homes, smart meters, transportation, and smart city systems.
