The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology (IT) and Telecom was informed on Thursday about the difficulties the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is facing in the rollout of 5G services. The briefing, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, highlighted that while the launch of 5G is on the horizon, the transition would not be immediate, and 4G and 3G services would see improvements in speed alongside the 5G upgrade.
Officials explained that the auction of the 5G spectrum required more bandwidth and a government policy directive. They also pointed out that an advisory committee on 5G had been formed, and a consultant’s report had been submitted to guide the process. PTA will take the decision on the spectrum auction while considering the needs of market players.
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The meeting also discussed that while 5G would bring faster speeds, it wouldn’t see an immediate mass shift from existing subscribers. Instead, the rollout will happen gradually, benefiting current 4G and 3G users with enhanced performance.
In addition to 5G, the committee reviewed the Universal Service Fund’s (USF) progress in delivering telecom services to rural and remote areas. USF officials reported that they had completed 63 projects in the past three years, despite facing challenges in some regions, particularly Balochistan, due to security concerns.
The committee also addressed concerns about internet disruptions on the motorway. USF officials assured the committee that PTA was actively working to resolve the issue.
