Comment by Riaz Haq on January 23, 2017 at 9:20pm

90% of popultion in #Pakistan to have #3G, while 80% to have #4G access by 2020: GSMA #Broadband https://propakistani.pk/?p=117786 via @ProPakistaniPK

The Global System Mobile Association (GSMA) has estimated that 90% of Pakistani population will have access to 3G networks while 80% population will have access to 4G services by 2020.

Following heavy investments, 3G coverage in Pakistan — from all operators combined — reached 65% of population by the end of 2015, while it stretched to just under 75% of the Pakistani population by mid-2016, said the report that’s available with ProPakistani.

Key findings of report are:

3G coverage reached 75% of Pakistani population by mid-2016
4G coverage reached 18% of Pakistani population by mid-2016
There were 90 million unique subscribers in Pakistan by mid-2016, accounting for 47% of the population.
29% of Pakistani population use mobile internet (2G, 3G or 4G)
Mobile broadband uptake has been slow, mainly due to the fact that many citizens either cannot afford or do not know how to use the devices and services that deliver mobile broadband.
Pakistan still ranks low (as compared to neighbors) on enablers of mobile internet connectivity: infrastructure, affordability, consumer readiness and content
With time, Mobile broadband (3G and 4G) users in Pakistan are estimated to grow to 60 million by 2020
With continued investment – it is estimated that investments for 3G network expansion will reach $2.8 billion over the next four years (not including any additional spectrum costs) – and it will enable around 90% of the population with 3G access by 2020, said the report.

With only two operators, 4G rollout has expanded rather slowly and reached just 18% of the population by mid-2016. However, with Mobilink acquiring Warid and Telenor beginning 4G rollout in August 2016, 4G coverage will rapidly increase to 80% of the population by 2020.

Pakistan has an emerging digital industry, with mobile penetration and internet usage lower than many of its regional and economic peers. By mid-2016, there were 90 million unique subscribers in Pakistan, accounting for 47% of the population.

This is among the lowest penetration levels in South Asia, ahead of only India and Afghanistan. Further, less than 30% are users of the mobile internet (2G, 3G or 4G), ahead of only Afghanistan.

The report states that Pakistan has an emerging mobile industry: there are approximately 90 million unique subscribers in the country, accounting for 47% of the population. However, the enablers of mobile internet connectivity: infrastructure, affordability, consumer readiness and content, all rank low in Pakistan relative to its neighbors.

These enablers are critical to creating the right conditions of supply and demand for mobile internet connectivity to flourish. Pakistan therefore has one of the lowest penetration rates in South Asia, maintained in the report.

Comment by Riaz Haq on April 23, 2017 at 4:17pm

Army seeks fibre optic cables along CPEC
https://www.dawn.com/news/1310593

A top military official on Tuesday said some incoming and outbound internet traffic landed in India before being routed to its destinations, posing a security risk for Pakistan.

“The network which brings internet traffic into Pakistan through submarine cables has been developed by a consortium that has Indian companies either as partners or shareholders, which is a serious security concern. We would like to propose a new alternative network system to be set up in Gwadar for the flow of internet traffic,” Director General Special Communications Organisation (SCO) Maj-Gen Amir Azeem Bajwa informed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology during a briefing.

Mr Bajwa was seeking approval for the establishment of a cross-border optic fiber connectivity network under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

The project will include laying of over 800 kilometres fibre optic cables along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) starting from Khunjerab to Rawalpindi to Gwadar and finally terminating in Karachi.

He explained to the lawmakers that a consortium - without Indian partners - would be engaged to lay the network along the CPEC.

“Security of CPEC and its related projects is of utmost priority for Pakistan,” Mr Bajwa said.

According to the general, the new network will link Pakistan with the outside world through China. It will also reduce Pakistan’s dependency on submarine cables that are often damaged, disrupting internet services in the country.

After the army officer convinced the members on the strategic importance of the project, the committee approved it and directed the Ministry of Information Technology (IT) and the SCO to work together on the plan.

The committee expressed displeasure over the failure of government departments and divisions to switch to an automated office environment.

The e-office project was started in 2007 and revised in 2011-12. The project deadline is set for June 2017. The committee felt that the project had been prolonged.

After the Ministry of Information Technology spent $480 million and trained more than 7,000 government employees on e-office, only a handful of offices such as the Establishment Division and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the commerce ministry switched to the paperless environment.

Minister of State for IT Anusha Rehman said her office had done its part to train government employees on the computerised systems.

“However, most ministries and divisions are unwilling to adopt the new advanced mechanism and resisting the change. We proposed to the prime minister twice to make it mandatory for all offices to switch to the automated office environment at the earliest,” said Ms Rehman.

Realising that the automated system would ensure transparency and efficiency, the committee chairman, MNA Mohammad Safdar of the PML-N, directed the state minister to take up the matter with the prime minister in the next cabinet meeting.

MNA Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari of the PML-N suggested discussing the matter in the National Assembly to emphasise the importance of e-office.

Comment by Riaz Haq on June 12, 2017 at 7:42pm

Data from Pakistan Telecom Authority as of April 2017


Total broadband subscriptions in Pakistan: 43 million including 3G/4G mobile broadband subscriptions 

Telecom service companies 2015-16 annual revenue: Rs. 456 billion ($4.5 billion) 


http://www.pta.gov.pk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&am...

Comment by Riaz Haq on June 20, 2017 at 10:43am

Tuesday, 20 June 2017 | MYT 11:10 PM
Axiata's unit expands tower business in Pakistan with RM386mil purchase

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2017/06/20/axiata-...

KUALA LUMPUR: Axiata Group Bhd’s wholly owned subsidiary edotco Group Sdn Bhd is boosting its telecommunication tower infrastructure operations in Pakistan by buying another industry player for US$90mil (RM385.6mil).

In a filing with Bursa Malaysia, Axiata said edotco signed an agreement on Tuesday to acquire 100% of Tanzanite Tower Pte Ltd from Tower Share (Pte) Ltd.

The purchase is an important strategic development to edotco’s existing operations in Pakistan and allows edotco to expand its presence in Pakistan with a sizeable portfolio of about 700 towers providing tenancies to all major mobile operators in Pakistan.

Ninety-seven percent of the towers are in the urban areas.

“This opportunity is in line with edotco’s plans to scale up its Pakistan operations and makes it the largest independent tower company in the country,” it said.

The transaction is scheduled to be completed only on receipt of relevant regulatory approvals. 

Axiata said the proposed acquisition was expected to complete in the third quarter of 2017.

Edotco has a regional portfolio that includes over 25,000 towers across Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Pakistan and Myanmar.
Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2017/06/20/axiata-...

Comment by Riaz Haq on June 24, 2017 at 10:37am

#Pakistan adds over 1 million #3G/#4G subscribers in May 2017 to reach 41.72 million. #broadband #Internet #mobile https://www.telecompaper.com/news/pakistan-adds-more-than-1-mln-3g4... …

Pakistan added 1.15 million 3G/4G subscribers in May, ending the month with over 41.72 million 3G/4G subscribers, up from 40.56 million in April, according to a report from Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA). Mobilink (Jazz) led the 3G/4G market with over 13.40 million subscribers, followed by Telenor (10.98 million 3G and 4G subscribers), CMPak (12.49 million 3G and 4G subscribers), and Ufone (4.83 million 3G subscribers).

Comment by Riaz Haq on June 29, 2017 at 6:52am

Pakistan gets new undersea 40Tb/sec Internet cable -- doubling Pakistan's existing Internet bandwidth ... https://propakistani.pk/2017/06/29/pakistan-gets-new-submarine-cabl... …

Pakistan is now connected with a new submarine cable system with design capacity of at least 40 Terabits per second across 5 fiber pairs as AAE-1 (also called Asia-Africa-Europe-1) announced the commencement of its operations just moments ago.

AAE-1 is worlds largest submarine cable spanning over 25,000 KMs and is one of the first cable system to connect Hong Kong, Singapore, Middle East with Africa and Europe.

AAE-1 consortium, that coordinated efforts to complete the project in 10 years, include China Unicom, CIL (HyalRoute), Djibouti Telecom, Etisalat, GT5L, Mobily, Omantel, Ooredoo, OTEG, PCCW, PTCL, Reliance Jio, Retelit, Telecom Egypt, TeleYemen, TOT, Viettel, VNPT and VTC.

In Pakistan, the cable will be operated and managed by PTCL.

AAE-1 will immediately increase Pakistan’s international bandwidth pipe multiple-folds and will make country’s international connection more redundant.

New submarine cable will also help Pakistan meet its bandwidth needs as the internet usage in the country is on the rise.

Pakistan’s current international links and bandwidth capacity include:

TW1 with design capacity of 1.28Tbps
Sea-Me-We-3 with 480 Gbps with two fibre pairs
Sea-Me-We-4 with design capacity of 1.28Tbps
I-ME-WE with Design Capacity of 3.86Tbps
AAE-1 with design capacity of 40Tbps
Sea-Me-We-5 with design capacity of 24Tbps
Following international links with landing points in Pakistan are under construction:

Silk Route Gateway-1 with design capacity of 20Tbps
Pakistan-China Fiber Optic Back-Haul

Comment by Riaz Haq on July 3, 2017 at 4:42pm

#India's #4G download speed is 5.14 Mbps, about half of those in #Pakistan, #SriLanka http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/4g-download-speed-in-... … via @IndiaTodayTech

n Wednesday, a New York-based wireless coverage mapping company -- OpenSignal reported that India ranks 15 in terms of 4G network availability out of some 75 odd countries. And that's with no doubt is because of the buzz that Reliance Jio created with unlimited data and free calls, some reports claimed. But, even after that, India still stands at the 74th position out of 75 countries in 4G download speed. The report comes from OpenSignal again.

OpenSignal releases a report of 75 countries with the most to least 4G download speed. And, to our surprise India stands at 74. Which shouldn't be the case after all the buzz that Jio created. Where is the Jio effect now? However, taking a closer look at the report, it highlighted that our neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Sri Lanka has almost two times more 4G download speed when compared to India. Singapore tops the list with 45.62 Mbps 4G download speed, while it ends with Costa Rica which could manage a 4G download speed of only 5.14 Mbps, similar is the case for India as well.

This is pretty much apparent, as even today, when a minister was seen climbing a tree to get better mobile signal. What else can we even expect? With such a situation, Modi's dream to make India go digital seems a distant dream at the moment.

After Jio was introduced back in September 2016, India witnessed a major telecom war, with other competitive telecom operators coming up with value for money tariff plans, offering free calls, unlimited data and so much more. This was all because of the Jio effect. The new OpenSignal report shows India with 5.14 Mbps 4G download speed, while Singapore that tops the list has a download speed of 45.62 Mbps, almost 9 times more than India. While on the other hand, the neighbouring countries like Pakistan is said to have a 4G download speed of 11.71 Mbps and Sri Lanka also managed to have a download speed of 10.42Mbps.

Comment by Riaz Haq on October 1, 2017 at 7:05am

Exclusive: The CPEC plan for Pakistan’s digital future
A new, upgraded cross-border fibre optic cable will address multiple challenges faced by China and Pakistan.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1361176

A radical overhaul of Pakistan’s communications framework appears to be on the cards — or at least that is what Beijing and Islamabad have envisioned under their Long Term Plan (LTP) for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

A closer examination of the LTP document obtained in June by Dawn reveals intentions for a revamped communications framework, which includes components such as a fibre optic cable connecting Pakistan and China, a new submarine landing station for internet traffic flow, and digital TV for all.

The roadmap, which was developed from November 2013 to December 2015 by officials and experts from both countries, contains a detailed 21-page outline specific to communications – a plan envisioned to span up to 15 years, starting in 2016 and concluding in 2030.

The most critical component is a new, upgraded fibre optic cable network which spans Pakistan and crosses the border to connect directly with China.

As outlined in the master plan, the cross-border fibre optic cable will address multiple challenges faced by China and Pakistan.

Firstly, it says it will handle the anticipated increase in communication between the two countries. With “deepening comprehensive strategic cooperation” comes the need to establish fast, reliable connectivity – and perhaps most critically – communication that is not routed through Europe, the United States or India.

China also has in mind its own increasing international telecommunications service demands which, if not addressed, may end up exposing “a huge gap” in China’s international bandwidth.

If actualised according to the LTP, the new network will be beneficial to Pakistan by improving internet penetration and increasing speed, especially in Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan, regions where internet connectivity has ranged from poor to non-existent. It should also reduce the cost of internet connections.

Additionally, linking with the rest of the world through China will help reduce Pakistan’s dependence on undersea cables that carry the country’s internet traffic. In cases where the undersea cables develop a fault — as has occurred in the past — the document says another route would be in place.

More broadly, the new network would provide landlocked central Asian states a new, shorter and more cost-effective route for connectivity.

The existing fibre optic network through which Pakistan connects to the world has been developed by a consortium that has Indian companies either as partners or shareholders.

This is viewed as a security concern e.g. when it comes to surveillance of communication. As recently as January this year, Director General Special Communications Organisation (SCO) Maj Gen Amir Azeem Bajwa informed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology that some incoming and outbound internet traffic landed in India before being routed to its destinations, posing a security risk for Pakistan.

It appears that by routing through China, the state is planning to reduce such security risks related to India. This would however increase the same risks from China itself. The Chinese model of internet regulation could potentially also impact freedom of speech and access to information for Pakistani users.

Comment by Riaz Haq on July 13, 2018 at 10:17pm

Slow Internet Hurting China's Silk Road Ambitions in Pakistan
Faseeh MangiJuly 12, 2018, 4:00 PM EDT
Gwadar port seeks to pip Iran’s Chabahar for Afghan business

https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2018-07-12/slow-interne...


A port in Pakistan’s Gwadar is a linchpin in China’s plan to revive the old Silk Road linking Asia to Europe and Africa, but a slow Internet line is causing it to lose business.

The customs authority’s failure to fully address issues with Internet speed and reliability has meant the port, operated by a Chinese state-owned company, is functioning at less than capacity, Dostain Khan Jamaldini, chairman of the Gwadar Port Authority, said in an interview.


“About four cargoes of sea food go daily from here to Karachi,” Jamaldini said, referring to the jetty next to the port where customs clearance is done manually. “We are not proactive, we are reactive. It’s a systematic flaw.”

The deep-sea port in Pakistan represents a geopolitical tension point with neighboring arch-rival India, which is financing an Iranian port about 76 nautical miles away. India sent its first wheat consignment to Afghanistan through Iran’s Chabahar port in October.

Bandwidth Issues
The customs authority’s online system is riddled by delays due to a slow internet connection and an alternative wireless system installed by the Chinese too is facing bandwidth problems, according to Jamaldini.

Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue Member Customs, Muhammad Zahid, wasn’t available for comment. Jamaldini feels time is of essence, as Gwadar is better positioned geographically and economically for trade with Afghanistan .

“Chabahar port does not have that potential, the route is longer and more expensive,” he said, adding “state policy can force traders temporarily but not forever, they will work where they make more money.”

What used to be a small fishing town on the southwestern corner of Pakistan is giving way for construction of roads and buildings to house banks, insurance and clearing agents. China Overseas Port Holdings, the port’s operator, has separately spent $250 million to add five new cranes, construct a building in less than six months by importing ready made parts and create space for a free zone.

Read more: China’s Big Political Gambit Hinges on a Remote Arabian Sea Port

Five manufacturers have signed agreements to build factories at the economic free zone, including for electric motorcycles, edible oil and a fish processing plant, said Jamaldini.

China is making a big bet on Pakistan and Beijing’s financing has brought power plants and infrastructure projects valued at about $60 billion. The nation’s economic growth rose to the highest in more than a decade and power blackouts have been curbed, helping trigger a wave of expansion in cement and steel companies.

However, the increased imports has also lead to Pakistan’s current financial deterioration, with a current-account deficit that has increased by 45 percent to $16 billion in eleven months ended May. There are also concerns over the viability of the port itself.

Gwadar “can potentially serve a role to provide additional port capacity for Pakistan itself, for Afghanistan, as a complement and trans-shipment hub for Chabahar, as a location for the Chinese to ship materials and so on,” said Andrew Small, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States and an author of a book on China-Pakistan relations. It “isn’t really envisaged as the beginning or end of a transit route for China.”

Comment by Riaz Haq on July 14, 2018 at 10:18pm

Optic #fiber cable connecting #Pakistan, #China inaugurated. #CPEC #Internet

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1756458/2-optic-fibre-cable-connecting...

Pakistan and China will inaugurate on Friday an optic fibre cable that has been laid to provide direct link between Pakistan, the Middle Asia and East Asia.

Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk, Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing, Special Communications Organisation (SCO) director general and Huawei Middle East Region President Charles Yang will be present at the inauguration ceremony that will be held in Islamabad.

The cable connects Rawalpindi with Khunjerab on the Pakistan-China border at an altitude of 4,700 meters, the highest fibre cable project in the world. Later, the cable will be extended to Gwadar, which will fully connect Pakistan and China.

It is the first project under the early harvest programme of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the only information and communication technology (ICT) project under CPEC.

Total cost was estimated at $44 million and Exim Bank of China provided 85% of loan at a concessionary rate.

The project is owned by SCO and its engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor was Huawei.

Construction work on the project started in March 2016 and ended in June 2018. The cable covers an area of 820 km. There are 26 microwave transmission nodes from Rawalpindi to Karimabad and 171 km of aerial fibre cable from Karimabad to Khunjerab as a back-up.

After two years of hard work by SCO and Huawei, the project stands complete and ready for commercial use.

The optic fibre cable will provide direct connection between Pakistan, the Middle Asia and East Asia and minimise the risk of disruption to international traffic. It will also provide multiple international links with the new Gwadar landing station in order to reduce discontinuity issues.

The project will help improve the telecom and ICT industry of Pakistan, promote tourism and create trading opportunities for northern areas of the country. It will also provide the ICT infrastructure for 3G/4G services in the northern areas and enhance communication security with an alternative fibre route.

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