The timely deployment of 5G mobile phone connectivity is dependent on political stability in the country, which has already squandered two months and may cause service delays.
Top officials from the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) verified this in an exclusive interview.
The previous government had planned to auction the 5G spectrum in the country by March 2023 at the earliest, with a pilot program in the country’s major cities.
Political unrest, on the other hand, squandered over two months and jeopardized the initial plan, which was confirmed by the Federal Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunications, Syed Amin Ul Haque.
When asked if 5G would be available by the end of March 2023, he stated the auction would take place before the country’s general elections.
The question of the timing for the 5G auction should be referred to the MoITT, according to top officials at the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
The official further stated, “if it is a priority item for the new government and the telecom industry, then the Authority can do the spectrum auction before the election.”
Aamir Ibrahim, CEO of Jazz, stated that 5G will be difficult to justify in the next two years because only 1% of local consumers can purchase such devices.
People believe that better internet will be offered until 5G is deployed across the country, but he claims that government initiatives might supply 4G right now for broader spread.
According to the government, 4G coverage is a requirement for the introduction of 5G, and 5G services can be delivered in places where 4G services are currently available.
According to Ibrahim, 15% of the population now has no access to telecommunications services, which should be prioritized.
The government intends to introduce 5G in the country, according to official papers, and the MoITT is in the process of completing 5G policy guidelines in cooperation with the PTA/Frequency Allocation Board (FAB) and other stakeholders. However, no technical experts have been sought for this purpose thus far.
The documents also revealed that the PTA had not spent any money because no consultancy services had been obtained thus far.
In the first quarter of 2023, the former government expected to offer 5G services in the country. The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications (MoITT) has assessed seven bands for the implementation of 5G services in the country.
According to official records, it is now evaluating the various options for a timely introduction of 5G services in Pakistan.
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