Dr. Umar Saif, the Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, has announced that Pakistan is gearing up for the launch of 5G services around July-August 2024. This announcement came during the Pakistan Mobile Summit, where the minister revealed plans to auction a 300MHz spectrum for the 5G launch.
However, Dr. Saif stressed the importance of bolstering the optic fiber network before the 5G rollout, highlighting that only about 6,000 out of 56,000 mobile towers in the country are currently connected to optic fiber cables.
In a bid to boost the local mobile industry, the federal government has decided to grant a 3% Research and Development (R&D) allowance to mobile manufacturers, effective from the next fiscal year. Dr. Umar Saif mentioned that this allowance would gradually increase from three to eight percent in the coming years, providing incentives for local manufacturers in their research and development activities.
This initiative aligns with the broader government strategy to promote the technology sector and achieve self-sufficiency in electronic device production within Pakistan.
Dr. Saif also highlighted the significant progress in local mobile phone manufacturing, indicating that over the last two years, approximately 9 million mobile phones worth around $1.5 billion were assembled in the country.
Currently, 35 different mobile phone brands actively contribute to the local manufacturing industry. Additionally, efforts are underway to prepare components locally, with the ultimate goal of manufacturing fully assembled phones within Pakistan.
