By Aitizaz Hassan

The Ministry of Information and Technology is set to roll out 5G service in three big cities of Pakistan by the end of the current year, reports WealthPk.

Experts say 5G coverage needs very big cell site networks, as they cover internet service to a very limited area due to low latency and high-speed bandwidth.

A key telecom operator in Pakistan has pointed out that the 5G service will not be viable for the industry because the country currently needs optimum utilization of 4th Generation (4G) technology.

Talking to WealthPK, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jazz Aamir Ibrahim said he believed Pakistan should not jump on the 5G bandwagon right away because a vast telecom infrastructure was needed and the business use cases were premature to act upon. Regarding the consumers, he said if the companies’ demand was a faster speed, it could be provided through a more robust 4G infrastructure.

“I firmly believe that the ecosystem needs further nurturing and areas of policy developed to entice the operators. 5G requires fundamental changes in both investment strategy, spectrum policy and deployment. Its implementation requires much higher upfront investment costs,” he said.

The Jazz CEO said adopting and implementing a 5G network required a concerted effort from all stakeholders to overhaul the outdated policies, ensure availability of affordable smart devices, strike partnerships, garner investments, release spectrum, develop digital skills, create demand, and foster innovation.

The countries that have commercially launched 5G services have achieved close to 70% or more 4G penetration first. As per the latest figures, Pakistan’s 4G penetration stands at 43% presently, while around 45% of the current subscriber base does not use mobile broadband and 15% of the population lives without any telecom coverage, Aamir Ibrahim said.

According to the Pakistan National ICT whitepaper released by the Ministry of IT and Telecom, as of 2020, 92 countries/regions have released a 5G development strategy/plan. Some countries conducted 5G spectrum auction, while few decided 5G spectrum auction/allocation timetable.

As many as 135 operators in 52 countries/regions have launched commercial 5G services. In the coming years, there will be widespread deployment and adoption of the technology around the world, including in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs).

The whitepaper says the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) has projected that more than 50% of users will have a 4G connection in Pakistan by 2022.

These projections are accurate but remain three years later than the trajectory of the global average. Compared with the world average, the percentage of 4G connection in Pakistan is significantly smaller than the rest of the region, but it is expected to grow at a faster pace and continue to grow beyond 2023. 5G is projected to pick up from 2023, but continue to account for a very small proportion of connections in the following years.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk