Fast emerging 3g and 4g services in Pakistan

Published on 1st June, Edition 22, 2015

 

Worldwide IT spending has grown every year since 2005 and it was projected to increase further this year as it was raised last year. Of the US$3,673 billion spent on IT during 2013, US$922 billion was spent in the IT services industry and US$300 billion was spent on enterprise software. However, the enterprise software industry is predicted to increase more with revenue predicted to hit US$344 billion by 2015. The telecom service industry is the segment of the IT industry, which produces the most revenue as investing in this industry stood US$1,624 billion during 2013. This fact is predicted to grow more US$1,668 billion by 2015. Of this predicted telecom spending during 2015, approximately 1,100 billion would be invested in the wireless sector.

Important expansion is also predicted in the devices market where spending is predicted to rise from US$677 billion during 2013 to US$725 billion during 2015. Overall IT spending is predicted to increase 2.1 percent during 2014 and 3.7 percent a year later. Spending in IT support services is also predicted to increase in the next years. The spending in this industry reached at US$158.6 billion during 2013 and this is because of touch US$180.5 billion by 2018.

In the developing countries like Pakistan, it is predicted that IT industry has seen immense development over the previous eras with over 30 million Internet users – the 27th uppermost in the globe – and one of the global’s uppermost Internet development rates. In the country, various firms have progressed due to well communication services, facilities, and applications like e-commerce, online portals, Internet banking, and blogs. These tools have emerged to offer users with the facility of unlimited knowledge and access to several resources at the simple press of a button. While it was inconceivable perhaps 3-decade ago, a majority of Pakistani schools and homes are linked to a computer and have Internet access. The same applies to the country’s businesses/offices that utilize communication software/applications and other equipments to manage and organize their businesses.

Another life-changing breakthrough in the IT industry is the accessibility of the Internet and all linked services by cellular devices. Social media websites, online portals, blogs, and many other applications are all obtainable on mobile devices 24/7 and 3G/4G Internet services are offered by most mobile carriers in the country.

 

The telecom operators in Pakistan have added over 9.07 million 3G users till January 2015 revealing a reasonable development in latest mobile broadband services with each passing month. The operators also added 49,100 4G or LTE (Long Term Evolution) subscribers to their network till January 2015.
Experts have reported that all four 3G operators added some 3.3 million users on to their networks in January this year with Telenor leading the charts that added 472,374 users to its 3G network during the recorded month. Mobilink shifted 381,984 subscribers to 3G while Zong’s 189,023 subscribers and Ufone added 301,572 subscribers on its 3G network in January this year. With 2.74 million 3G subscribers, Telenor reached at number one slot with Ufone at second position with its 2.25 million 3G users. At the close of January, Mobilink had 2.18 million 3G customers while Zong closed the month with 1.85 million 3G customers. This count of 3G customers is probable to increase more (coming weeks) with launching of mobile broadband dongles, WiFi devices from telecom operators in present weeks.

Furthermore, Zong approximately doubled its 4G customers in January to take the total count of its 4G subscriptions to 5,023 4G customers from 2242 in December 2014. On the other hand, Warid posted 44,075 LTE subscribers in January 2015 to outrun Zong. With combined subscription count of both the operators, the country has presently almost 50,000 4G/LTE customers in Pakistan. Meanwhile, as predicted, the rollout of 3G and 4G services has concluded in spike of demand for tablets and smartphones that support 3G, as semi-urban and rural users take benefit of enlarged services. The adepts also have stated implications of 3G connectivity are immense across a wide spectrum of sectors. The 3G has brought the globe closer together, and the country is no different.

Use of facts intensive apps would grow as the 3G and 4G market matures. More recently Ministry of IT stated to all telecom operators to launch 5G service in Pakistan. It is relevant to mention here the 5G telecom service is not yet introduce in most of the states and Pakistan has introduced 3G and 4G service.

3G/4G SUBSCRIBERS
Operator	Technology	14-Aug	14-Sep	14-Oct	14-Nov	14-Dec	15-Jan	15-Feb	15-Mar
CMPak	3G	682,397	947,363	1,222,641	1,534,920	1,661,286	1,850,309	2,116,616	2,921,021
	4G	1	26	744	1,437	2,242	5,023	7,261	31,582
Mobilink	3G	706,000	730,000	1,081,133	1,443,527	1,795,549	2,177,533	2,600,904	2,860,079
Telenor	3G	388,337	650,094	923,783	1,182,548	2,268,860	2,741,234	3,147,117	3,530,421
Ufone	3G	1,285,123	1,365,259	1,497,438	1,611,369	1,952,584	2,254,156	2,470,293	2,662,310
Warid	LTE	.	.	.	.	.	44,075	60,923	66,140
Total		3,061,858	3,692,742	4,725,739	5,773,801	7,680,520	9,072,330	10,342,191	12,071,553