Pakistan is planning to launch 5G services in Pakistan by 2023 to increase connectivity for the people of the region.
In the recent years the telecom industry of Pakistan has grown to a significant $16.9 billion after attracting $1.2bn in foreign direct investments. To increase the market share and to introduce the latest technologies in the country the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom is aiming to roll out 5G in 2023.
In this regard the Universal Service Fund (USF) has taken many steps to provide connectivity to backward areas and increase the user base of internet services. During the period 2018-22 more than 10,000 km optical fibre cable has been laid across the country providing high speed internet to 1,175 towns and the union councils. USF projects have covered over 1,800km of unnerved road network including highways and motorways in Balochistan.
While commenting over the importance of the deep fiberisation project, Minister for IT and Telecom Syed Amin ul Haq said that the government was banking heavily on increasing exports of IT services up to $5bn by the end of 2022-23.
“We will ensure affordable and high speed internet to people in small towns and I am sure even girls from KP and GB region will excel as freelancers, while working from their local areas,” the minister said. The export of IT services grew 47pc to $2.1bn in 2020-21.
Eight software technology parks have already been established, the PSEB plans to establish 32 more in secondary and tertiary cities under public- private partnership mode that will help development of software development industry. It has been highlighted that up till now around 40 IT companies have been listed at the Pakistan Stock Exchange.
