Exciting news echoes through the tech landscape as Pakistan gears up to launch 5G services by July-August 2024. Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Dr Umar Saif, made this announcement at the first-ever Pakistan Mobile Summit, a groundbreaking mobile conference in the country.

Dr Umar Saif shared insights into the upcoming 5G launch, revealing that a substantial 300MHz spectrum will be up for auction. Emphasizing the need for an enhanced optic fiber network before the 5G rollout, he highlighted that only 6,000 out of 56,000 mobile towers in the country are currently linked to optic fiber cables (OFC).

Pakistan to Launch 5G Services by Mid-2024: Boosting Local Mobile Manufacturing

In a move to bolster the local mobile industry, the federal government has decided to grant a 3% Research and Development (R&D) allowance to mobile manufacturers. Dr Umar Saif stated that this decision, effective from the next fiscal year, aims to support research and development efforts. The R&D allowance is slated to increase from three to eight percent in the coming years, aligning with the government's broader strategy to boost the technology sector and promote self-sufficiency in electronic device production within Pakistan.

Highlighting the recent achievements in local mobile manufacturing, Dr Umar Saif mentioned that Pakistan assembled approximately 9 million mobile phones, valued at around $1.5 billion, in the last two years. Currently, 35 different mobile phone brands actively contribute to the local mobile phone manufacturing industry. Additionally, the country exported nearly 250,000 mobile phones, earning approximately $200 million in foreign exchange.

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Dr Umar Saif underlined the government's crucial role in supporting industry growth by offering various incentives. As the 7th largest market of cellular users globally, with 191 million cellular connections, Pakistan is poised to transform its mobile industry landscape, emphasizing the need for local production and future exports. The upcoming 5G launch is a significant step toward aligning Pakistan with global technological advancements.