Dr. Umar Saif, the Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications, stated that 5G services in Pakistan would be available by July-August 2024.
Pakistan Mobile Summit
Addressing the Pakistan Mobile Summit, the country’s first mobile conference, Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications Dr. Umar Saif announced that a 300MHz spectrum would be auctioned off.
“Before the launch of 5G services, the optic fiber network has to be enhanced. Currently, only 6,000 mobile towers are related to optic fiber cables (OFC), out of around 56,000 towers across the country,” he added.
According to the IT and Telecommunications Minister, in order to promote the local mobile industry, the federal government has decided to grant mobile manufacturers a three percent (3%) Research and Development (R&D) allowance.
Dr. Umar Saif stated that the decision will be implemented beginning in the next fiscal year. He stated that the R&D allowance will be increased from 3 to 8% in the coming years.
Dr. Umar Saif stated that the decision is intended to encourage and support local mobile manufacturers in their research and development efforts.
“The move aligns with the government’s broader strategy to boost the technology sector and promote self-sufficiency in the production of electronic devices within Pakistan,” the official said.
9 million mobile phones of $1.5 billion
The IT and Telecommunications Minister stated that the country had produced approximately 9 million mobile phones worth approximately $1.5 billion over the last two years.
He stated that currently, approximately 35 different mobile phone brands are actively contributing to the local mobile phone manufacturing industry.
Dr. Umar Saif stated that the country has exported nearly 250,000 mobile phones and earned approximately $200 million in foreign exchange.
He also informed the audience about local efforts to prepare some components, with the ultimate goal of manufacturing fully assembled phones in the country.
The IT and Telecommunication minister said that Pakistan is the 7th largest market of cellular users in the world with 191 million cellular connections.
“We import most of our mobile phones. We need to manufacture them locally and develop an industry to export made-in-Pakistan phones” he added.
He said that Pakistani government has played a pivotal role in supporting the growth of this industry by offering various incentives.”
To read our blog on “3G/4G users in Pakistan increased by 1.44 million in Dec,” click here
