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Fiber Bandwidth Growth in Pakistan
A $44 million 820 kilometer fiber optic cable being laid between Pakistan and China will be the 6th high-speed connection to add redundancy and to cater to rapidly growing Internet traffic from-to Pakistan. It is part of the $46 billion Pak-China Economic Corridor project recently agreed between the two neighbors.
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Undersea Fiber Connectivity:
Pakistan is currently connected with the world through four undersea fibre optic cables. These include India-Middle East-Western Europe (I-ME-WE), Southeast Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 3 (SEA-ME-WE-3) and Southeast Asia-Middle-East-Western Europe 4 (SEA-ME-WE-4), operated by Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) and TWA-1, which is owned by Trans-World Associates. A fifth undersea cable called South East Asia-Middle East-Western Europe (SEA-ME-WE)-5 is being laid to connect Pakistan with the rest of the world, according to Pakistani media reports.
Overland China-Pakistan Fiber:
The overland fibre optic cable is being laid by Chinese company Huawei between Rawalpindi and Khunjarab Pass on Pakistan-China border, a distance of 820 kilometers, according to media reports.
When completed, this project will provide Pakistan with a direct telecom access to China and the Central Asian States, and from there to Europe and the United States.
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Internet Traffic Growth:
The launch of 3G and 4G networks has accelerated the growth of Internet users in Pakistan. More than a million subscribers are signing up every month since the 3G and 4G rollout in the country last year. These new users are generating more and more data traffic requiring rapid increases in available bandwidth.
Pakistan ended March 2015 with over 12.07 million 3G/4G subscribers, up from 10.34 million in February, according to data from Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA). Telenor led the 3G/4G market with over 3.53 million subscribers, followed by CMPak (2.95 million 3G/4G subscribers), Mobilink (2.86 million 3G subscribers), and Ufone (2.66 million 3G subscribers). Warid had 66,140 LTE network subscribers at 31 March.
Thousands of kilometers long fiber network is currently in place to deal with the growing domestic bandwidth demand. Several projects are underway to grow this network further.
Redundancy and Reliability:
Pakistan needs multiple fiber connections to the outside world to prevent the kind of major Internet outages the country has suffered periodically for the last decade.
For example, a major disruption occurred in June 2005 when ALL Internet access from Pakistan was lost due to damage to the lone undersea fiber optic cable in the Arabian Sea connecting the nation with the rest of the world. There were satellite links but these links have very limited bandwidth. Even though the number of Internet users in Pakistan was relatively small at about 15-20 million, the impact on business was disproportionate. Traders on KSE reported as much as 80% drop in trading volume from this outage. All call center activities and other BPO vendors were severely affected.
Then there were more episodes of severe disruptions in 2008 when several undersea cables were cut. The Maldives were 100 percent down, followed by India, which had 82 percent disruption. Qatar, Djibouti and the United Arab Emirates were the next most widely affected areas with about 70 percent service interrupted. Disruptions for Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Pakistan ranged from 51 percent to 55 percent.
The increasing number of external fiber connections will help minimize disruptions in Internet connectivity and help deal with its impact on Pakistan's businesses, industry and security.
Summary:
High-speed Internet connectivity is at least as essential as other forms of communication, if not more so. Pakistan is investing in it for its economic and national security. Investments in this area need to be continuously boosted as the user base grows in the country.
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Views: 2208
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Comment by Riaz Haq on May 7, 2019 at 1:12pm
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‘Digital Silk Road’ project is one of 12 sub-themes agreed to at the recently concluded Belt Road Forum 2019 (BRF19) in Beijing. This state-of-the-art information superhighway will involve laying fiber optic cables in Pakistan which will connect with China in the north and link with Africa and the Arab World via undersea cable to be laid from Gwadar Deep Sea Port built as part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The global project will include 5G wireless networks deployment in BRI (Belt Road Initiative) member nations.
The laying of 820 kilometer long China-Pakistan fiber optic cable has already been laid between the city of Rawalpindi, Pakistan in the south and the Khunjerab Pass, China in the north and operational since July, 2018.
By 2020, the 6,299 kilometers of underwater cables will extend to Djibouti from Gwadar and form the Digital Silk Route between Asia and Africa. At the same time, a space-based Silk Road will provide satellite navigation support to all BRI countries. The first Beidou base station of the Space Silk Road is already operational in Pakistan since 2017. BeiDou is making rapid progress with 30 BRI countries already linked up.
When completed, the ambitious global initiative would use an exclusive satellite navigation system, BeiDou, fiber networks and 5G on land and submarine cables to create a multi-dimensional digital mega-project across land, sea and space.
https://www.riazhaq.com/2019/05/digital-bri-china-and-pakistan-buil...
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Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has transformed 13 more exchanges in 7 cities as part of its Network Transformation Project (NTP).
https://www.urdupoint.com/en/pakistan/pakistan-telecommunication-co...
The upgraded exchanges include: Ghakhar, Vaniawala and Pasroor Road exchanges in Gujranwala, Shahdara, Egerton Road and Bahria Town exchanges in Lahore, Chaklala & Islamabad Town exchanges in Islamabad, Charsadda Road & Cantt. exchanges in Peshawar, Sargodha Road exchange in Faisalabad, Wah Cantt.exchange in Rawalpindi and Kharian exchange in Kharian.
Through PTCL's new network, customers can experience a faster and more reliable internet based on the company's enhanced copper network, along with a new fiber network. The upgraded exchanges under NTP have already resulted in a 40% reduction of customer complaints.
Jahanzeb Taj, Chief Business Operating Officer, PTCL,said, "Under NTP, PTCL has invested considerably in transforming and upgrading its top 100 exchanges, which have the highest number of customers in major cities. As a result, customers can now experience a quality network that offers high speed unlimited internet, state-of-the-art technology, seamless surfing and unlimited data streaming, all of which is vital in today's digitally connected world." PTCL customers can view the upgraded exchanges through company's official website and subscribe to 8, 15, 25, 50 and 100 mbps unlimited internet packages offered in transformed exchanges with free PTCL calls, unlimited downloads, free PTCL Smart TV & Smart TV App and free Wi-Fi router, said a press release issued here on Thursday.
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PAKISTAN –Way Forward 5G
https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Regional-Presence/AsiaPacific/SiteAsse...(Pakistan)-Workshop-on-Internet-Access-and-Adoption/5G%20%26%20Digital%20Divide%20-%20Challenges%20and%20Opportunities.pdf
• A PTA- FAB – MoIT&T - Operator – Vendor- Academia based
Working Group is being established. Consultations to be started
soon.
• Pakistan to participate with Standardization bodies especially in
WRC-19
• 5G Trials will be offered. Test & Trial Framework in progress
• Permission for trials will be granted as per applications received.4.5G LTE-Advanced (Rel. 12 and above) can be utilized as a bridge
towards 5G Networks.
• For conducting Pre-5G trial, Hot Spots can be set-up using Fixed
Broadband Network based on TDD-LTE technology (Rel 12 at
least)
• Trial conditions can be better met in an Indoor Network because it
allows better control on SINR conditions thus resulting in
utilization of higher modulation schemes (64 & 256 QAM) and
support high order MIMO (4x4 and above)
• User Equipment (UE) of Category 16 or above to be used to
ensure Gbps DL speed is supported.
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USF Universal Service Fund #Pakistan approves Rs. 1.89 billion fund for improving #Telecom infrastructure throughout the country. Will provide coverage to segments of the #highways which don’t have any #connectivity yet such as N10, N25, N50, N65 and N70
https://www.techjuice.pk/usf-approves-rs-1-89-billion-fund-for-impr...
Universal Service Fund of Pakistan has approved around Rs. 1.89 billion for improving the telecom and IT infrastructure of the country. The fund is aimed at the development of various projects such as Broadband for Sustainable Development (BSD) Program, Next Generation BSD Program and more. These projects once completed will help improve connectivity across the country.
Taking a look at these projects, first up we have Broadband for Sustainable Development (BSD) which will target around 12,000 districts in all provinces of the country and will connect them with rest of the world. The minimum bandwidth being offered as per this project will be 256 kbps. Currently, 30 major projects are underway through this plan and another grant of Rs. 192 million has been awarded to further increase the reach of this plan to 401 unserved districts of North Waziristan, Bannu and Lakki Marwat.
Second up we have Roaming Facility for National Highways and Motorways which will help provide coverage to segments of the motorway which don’t have any connectivity yet such as N10, N25, N50, N65 and N70. This project was first started off in 2018 and since then, the 694 km long Coastal Highway which connects Karachi and Gawadar has broadband connectivity. As of right now, around 7700 km of roads are not covered.
Thirdly, we have the Next Generation BSD Program for Unserved Population which aims to provide high-speed connectivity to 46 districts with a minimum data rate of 512 kbps. Through this, around 30 million people will have better connectivity. Tender notices have also been released to cater to 3052 unserved or underserved districts of Matiari, Hyderabad, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Badin, Sujawal, Bahawalpur, Rahimyar Khan and Bahawalnagar.
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#UAE to boost #internet speed in #Pakistan with new 1,300km cable undersea connecting #Karachi and #Gwadar in Pakistan, and #Kalba in UAE. Wi-tribe Pakistan, a group company of HB International Investments Ltd and the EITC will be the UAE landing party. .https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/telecom/uae-to-boost-internet...
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#Pakistan's Zong launches fibre-to-the-home #FTTH #internet services to initially deploy #fibre connections in select areas of #Karachi. Pakistan ended June with 161.02 million mobile users, and 71.24 million #broadband subscribers. #telecom #technology https://www.telecompaper.com/news/zong-4g-launches-ftth-internet-se...
Pakistani operator Zong 4G has launched fibre-to-the-home internet services on the local market. Zong Fiber will initially deploy fibre connections in select areas of Karachi, ProPakistani reports. Zong will provide free installation for the first 100 subscribers.
According to a report from the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA), Pakistan ended June with 161.02 million mobile users, and 71.24 million broadband subscribers. Zong had 34.71 million mobile customers at end-June, of which around 9 million are 4G subscribers.
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PTCL to build #Pakistan’s first high-perf #telecom 200G #network with #Nokia. PTCL CTO: “We have enhanced the existing capacity from 100G optical network to 200G to take care of the growing traffic in these cities (#Karachi, #Lahore, #Islamabad)” #fiber
https://www.developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/optical-fixed...
Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has deployed Nokia’s technology to expand the capacity of its recently installed 100G transport network to 200G optical network for both domestic and international traffic.
This capacity expansion has been carried out in the major cities of Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi to keep pace with the growing demands for capacity from both individuals as well as enterprises.
The deployment makes PTCL the first operator in Pakistan to deploy high-performance 200G 8 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM), an optical long-haul technology offering more capacity at lower cost. The upgrade of its optical network allows PTCL to address the growing demands of bandwidth, enabling its enterprise and individual users in Pakistan’s largest cities to use high-bandwidth services and applications such as HD and 4K video.
In addition, the network upgrade allows PTCL to enhance network capacity with the Software Defined Network (SDN) capabilities of Nokia’s optical solution. Further, the unique flexgrid technology will enable PTCL to upgrade to 300G or 400G in the future over the same installed base.
Saad Muzaffar Waraich, Chief Technology & Information Officer, PTCL, said: “We have enhanced the existing capacity from 100G optical network to 200G to take care of the growing traffic in these cities.”
Carlo Corti, Director of the Optics Business Development, MEA, Nokia, said: “Our field-proven technology enables PTCL to provide the best-in-class network experience to its subscribers. With our 200G technology, PTCL is now in a position to cost-efficiently address the ever-growing demand for capacity.”
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Pakistan Telecommunication authority is expected to issue 5G licences this year. This will pave the way to officially launch 5th generation service of mobile cellular communications in the country, which has a subscriber base of more than 161 million as of June 2019.
Khaleej times reports that the 5G service in Pakistan will be 100 times faster than the current levels, while network will be 10 times faster than existing broadband connections available in the country. 5G home routers speed has been recorded at 4 gigabytes per second, which means that it can download a 50gb file in just two minutes.
https://www.globalvillagespace.com/benefits-and-expected-release-da...
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#Pakistan #Telecommunication Company Limited has deployed Nokia’s technology to expand the capacity of a 100G transport network to 200G optical network for domestic and international traffic to meet growing demand. #4G #5G #mobile #Broadband | Nasdaq
https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/whats-in-the-cards-for-nokia-nok-th...
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The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication was informed by a representative of Special Communications Organisation (SCO) that the organisation was required to provide telecom services in areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B).
He said first phase of the fibre optic cable from Khunjerab to Rawalpindi had been completed under CPEC, adding that traffic tests yielded positive results and the project would help generate a lot of revenue for the government. The official said the government was working on the second phase of the optic fibre cable to extend the network along three routes of CPEC. “Sites have been identified,” he said.
The project had been envisaged in 2017 and its PC-I was sent to the Planning Commission, he said. However, it has not been approved so far. The official said the National Highway Authority (NHA) and Pakistan Railways were also working on laying the fibre optic cable on motorways and Pakistan Railways’ ML-I project.
However, SCO had proposed to merge this project into the second phase of fibre optic cable. He said NHA, Pakistan Railways and the Planning Commission deputy chairman had reached an agreement in that regard, adding that the CPEC Authority chairman had held a meeting and asked for a joint proposal.
The official shared that the first phase had been executed by Huawei and the same high technology would be used for the second phase. “We are following the same standards,” he said. The second phase of the project will cost Rs29 billion and SCO has demanded an allocation of Rs5.19 billion for the year 2020-21.
He pointed out that SCO wanted to enforce the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 and mobile certification system in AJK and G-B. “We are asking for funds worth Rs235 million in this regard,” he said, adding that mobile devices would be registered in AJK under the project.
The parliamentary panel was informed that the IT ministry had demanded Rs32.9 billion in the last five years but the government allocated Rs12 billion for IT-related projects in the country. It was informed that the IT ministry was seeking allocation of Rs34.6 billion for 16 new and 15 ongoing IT-related projects in the year 2020-21.
Another official told the panel that attempts had been made to hack WhatsApp of officials in the country and there was a plan to replace the network. He said the cabinet had written a letter that no government officer would use third-party communication apps but there was no alternative platform.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2160351/2-pakistan-plans-second-phase-...
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#5G to boost #Pakistan's economic growth: Shift to #cloud, IoT, and better integration of #AI into the public #health response and use of #technology for smart service #delivery. #Covid_19 #Lockdown #education #WorkFromHome #ecommerce https://tribune.com.pk/story/2254455/5g-ecosystem-will-boost-growth...
We foresee our 5G ecosystem to serve as the bedrock of sustainable socio-economic development in Pakistan, said Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Amir Azeem Bajwa.
Addressing the SAMENA Telecommunications Council Leaders’ Summit, he said that deployment of this transformative technology should be precisely timed, supported by intelligent regulatory initiatives, enabled by adequate spectrum resources, under favourable market conditions, and with consensus of all stakeholders.
“I believe that readiness of our telecom infrastructure will be sufficient to support 5G networks and services across the country.”
Telecommunications leaders and experts from Pakistan and across the world recently gathered at the summit to review plans for unleashing the potential of 5G networks to boost economies and societies in a post Covid-19 environment.
The event, held virtually for the first time, was hosted by Huawei for the seventh successive year.
Also speaking on the occasion, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Digital Pakistan Tania Aidrus said, “We have to really think of the internet as one of the most democratising forces. How do we ensure that we are helping young people come out, apply their skills, apply their knowledge, and apply their creativity to innovate for the country? And really, a government’s job here is to clear the path.”
Meanwhile, Huawei Middle East President Charles Yang said that the outbreak has led to increased demand for ICT solutions specifically in areas like 5G amid a boost in network usage and 5G 2B innovations.
“Meeting that demand will require new forms of public-private partnerships based on open collaboration, supporting strong industry policies that will enable social value, economic development, and provide enhanced service experiences to consumers across the region,” he added.
The summit was held under the theme ‘5G+X: Harnessing 5G across industries for investment revival’ and highlighted how technology and ICT infrastructure play a significant role in our societies and economies.
The Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated the need to strengthen digital infrastructure to better prepare societies for future crises and to make systems more resilient and sustainable, guaranteeing a better and more effective outcome.
A shift to cloud, IoT, and better integration of AI into the public health response was also spotlighted, in addition to harnessing of other technologies for smart service delivery, which should be a key priority moving forward.
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