Syed Aminul Haque, Federal Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunications (MoITT), stated on Thursday that the strategy for 5G launch, price determination, and spectrum allocation will be based on current socioeconomic dynamics and ecosystem to create a win-win situation for the industry, citizens, and the government.
The minister made these remarks during a virtual meeting with Julian Gorman, Head of Asia Pacific (APAC), GSMA, to discuss Pakistan’s telecom industry’s financial health and sustainability.
The minister discussed the government’s readiness for the commercial launch of 5G in Pakistan, including tangible steps taken by the ministry following extensive consultation with the World Bank, the telecom industry, and international stakeholders.
The minister promised all possible assistance and measures to help the telecom industry, 5G strategy, and preparation for the upcoming spectrum auction.
He also stated that significant progress has been made in finalizing the telecom infrastructure and spectrum sharing framework.
Omar Malik, Member Telecom, provided an update on 5G readiness, ecosystem scale-up, and smart device manufacturing progress.
Long-distance international fiberization regimes, Internet of Things (IoT) licensing, and the emerging Wi-Fi 6E framework were also discussed.
GSMA commended Universal Service Fund (USF) CEO Haaris Mahmood on the fibre optic projects led by USF under MoITT.
Gorman expressed solidarity in the aftermath of the devastating floods and praised the IT ministry’s efforts to restore connectivity in the affected areas.
He praised the ministry’s leadership in promoting the health and sustainability of the telecom industry. He also invited the minister and his team to attend the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in 2023.
DG Telecom Jahanzeb Rahim, GSMA Head of Public Policy APAC Jeanette Whyte, and GSMA Pakistan Country Lead Saira Faisal Syed also attended the meeting.
To read our blog on “Ericsson’s largest consumer study shows 5G is already paving the path to the metaverse,” click here
