Govt aims to introduce 5G internet services by middle of 2025: IT official

The government aims to launch 5G services in Pakistan by the middle of the year, announced Parliamentary Secretary for IT Sabreen Ghori on Wednesday. 

Addressing today's National Assembly session, Ghori further assured lawmakers that the prevailing internet speed issue will be resolved and people will see improvement by the middle of the year. 

The IT official added that "there are several reasons for internet slowdowns" as she further elaborated on connectivity and speed issues being largely faced by the people. 

The lawmakers maintained that at times internet speeds suffer. "No videos can be downloaded, the internet does not work at all at times," said PPP's Agha Rafiullah.

MPA Shagufta Jumani said PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto was correct when he questioned "which fish are these that only chew Pakistan's internet cables?"

This promise of 5G internet, however, comes after the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in its annual report for 2024 stated that even with rising broadband penetration, Pakistan will have a difficult transition to 5G, The News reported last year in December.

There are worries over the financial difficulties associated with Pakistan's transition to 5G wireless technology, even as the country's use and penetration of wireless telecommunication services, such as broadband and mobile, continue to grow.

Investment in Pakistan's telecom industry has decreased from a peak of about $1.6 billion in 2021–2022 to $765 million in 2023–2024 as a result of the global transition to 5G. Additionally, average income per user has apparently dropped in dollar terms as compared to other comparable nations, yet continuing to increase in rupee terms.

The PTA report also acknowledged the significant financial burden that the 5G transition will place on telecom operators, pointing out that the return on significant upfront capital investments may be gradual and cause telecom businesses to become cautious.