Major General (R) Hafeezur Rehman, Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), has revealed that 5G services will be launched in Pakistan by April 2025. The announcement was made during a meeting of the NA Standing Committee on IT and Telecom in Islamabad.
The PTA is actively working to attract new companies to participate in the auction and expand the market, with the aim of enhancing competition and providing better services to consumers. Despite current challenges, including the ongoing recovery of the submarine cable, the planned system upgrades are not expected to cause further disruptions to internet services.
The regulator plans to make an additional 567 MHz available for 5G services, on top of the 265 MHz currently utilized by telecom companies. Efforts are being made to persuade the government to offer this spectrum at a lower cost, with the aim of keeping the cost of spectrum low to benefit local consumers.
The Chairman noted that Saudi Arabia sold its spectrum at $90,000 per megahertz, while Pakistan previously sold 4G spectrum at $29 million per megahertz. The PTA is working to ensure that the cost of spectrum is reasonable, allowing telecom companies to provide affordable services to consumers.
The launch of 5G services is expected to bring numerous benefits to Pakistan, including faster internet speeds, improved connectivity, and increased economic opportunities. The technology is expected to have a significant impact on various sectors, including healthcare, education, and agriculture.
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