Pakistan to launch 5G internet network in 2022-23, reports say

Pakistan is planning to roll out the most advanced 5G internet in 2022-23 which will accelerate the download speed 10 times to one gigabit per second (Gbps) and widen economic activities in the country, a media report said on Sunday.

Pakistan is said to have been developing a comprehensive roadmap for 5G technology readiness in the country. It is aimed at auctioning spectrum for 5G services in the fiscal year 2023, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said in its annual report 2020.

The Express Tribune, to this end, reported Pakistan has kick-started its journey to make the most advanced 5G internet commercially available to consumers in 2022-23.

The tested speed stands 10 times higher compared to 100 megabits per second (Mbps) on 4G internet in the world.

Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Aminul Haque said the government had planned to launch 5G technology by December 2022, but experts are still sceptical, believing the country will take a much longer time (5-7 years) to roll out the next-generation technology.

Haque made a test video call through 5G to China and said it was a wonderful experience. The voice was loud and clear, and the video quality was also wonderful, the report said.

Earlier, mobile phone service providing firms successfully conducted a test trial of 5G services under a limited environment and on non-commercial basis in 2019 and 2020.