Islamabad: The launch of 5G in Pakistan within the next 10 months is highly unlikely due to various factors. The economic uncertainty and the consistent devaluation of the Pakistani currency against the dollar, along with the lack of technology to support the 5G spectrum, are key reasons why local mobile operators are not prepared to purchase 5G licenses.
The federal Ministry of IT and Telecommunication has not yet introduced any 5G technology for the auctioning of licenses for the spectrum. Despite earlier announcements by Umer Saif, after a meeting with Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, there are significant challenges that need to be addressed before a launch can occur.
A source within the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has stated that the launch of 5G within 10 months may be nearly impossible as local mobile operators are not ready to invest in the necessary licenses. The Ministry of IT has not issued a 5G licensing strategy, and local network operators are not interested due to the absence of the required technological infrastructure.
Additionally, there are concerns about the affordability of 5G-compatible smartphones for consumers, as well as the need for local operators to upgrade their networking platforms for the introduction of 5G, which is currently not possible due to import restrictions and limitations on LCs.
The CEO of Jazz Networks, Aamir Hafeez Ibrahim, has also expressed similar concerns, highlighting the challenges faced in Pakistan, including taxation and teledensity.
In past years, the Pakistani government generated substantial revenue through the auction of 3G/4G licenses to various mobile networks. However, the current challenges surrounding the launch of 5G in Pakistan indicate that significant hurdles need to be addressed before its introduction.
