The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications has published the “National Broadband Policy 2021,” which aims for a $5 billion investment and $20 billion revenue contribution from digital/broadband development by 2025.
In the following four years, the draught policy anticipates a contribution of up to 8% to GDP from digital/broadband development.
One of the draught policy’s goals is to ensure that everyone in tier-2/3 cities has access to high-speed internet, with an average per-user internet speed of 50Mbps in large cities, and to provide digital bank accounts to 75 percent of internet users by 2025.
The proposed policy tries to address some of the specific issues:
- The need for affordable access to broadband for all;
- To address the challenges concerning the digital divide especially in unserved and underserved areas nationwide;
- Overcoming the challenges in rolling out the required digital infrastructure and related financing models including extensive fiberization and efficient spectrum management;
- Harmonization of existing tax regime on telecommunication services;
- Stimulating the development of local and relevant content and services;
- The need for improved and consistent broadband quality of service;
- Urging the importance of digital trust over telecommunication networks to promote wider use of digital technologies in all spheres of life; Understanding the impact of the internet in terms of socio-cultural developments, economic growth, and environmental sustainability;
- Lowering barriers for investments applied on existing licensees and for new investors in telecommunication sector and promoting public-private partnerships; and
- Challenges vis-à-vis accelerated evolution towards adoption of Xth Generation technologies and fiberization, necessary for improving the state of broadband infrastructure.
The policy envisioned to support the “Digital Pakistan” effort is critical in forming a policy vision that is user-centric, market-oriented, simple to govern, and all-inclusive in nature, creating a strong foundation for quickly addressing lingering challenges and exploring new prospects.
The National Broadband Policy-2021 aims to; “revitalize the state of telecommunication by accelerating the efforts for digital inclusion of every citizen in any corner of the country to gain universal access to high-speed affordable internet, enhance the use of digital space by providing equal opportunity for socio-economic wellbeing in a safe, responsible and healthy environment through evolving policy and regulatory measures required for timely and sustainable adoption of cutting edge technologies and digital infrastructure”.
To read our blog on Broadband and connectivity are becoming engines of economic growth in Pakistan, click here.