Pervez Ifthikar is a passionate commentator on telecom issues in Pakistan. A knowledgeable commentator and as the founding CEO of the universal service fund (one of the best in the world in his time), one who has to be taken seriously.
Irrespective of the on-going, completely unnecessary, “controversy” surrounding auction of 3G in Pakistan, allotting 3G frequencies to telecom operators is extremely urgent and essential for Pakistan. We have already been left behind by others who used to be our followers in 2G. Mobile broadband – or 3G – should have been introduced here already four years ago. The delay has made us lose huge opportunities relating to job creation, international trade, economic growth and Foreign Direct Investment (Telecom FDI 2007: US$1,824 mil and 2011: US$ 79 mil). Not to mention letting the technology gap between the advanced countries and us widen even more, despite the fact that more than 70% of our population is below 35 – normally considered early adopters of modern technology.
Read his full statement.
3 Comments
abdussamad
The govt is highly incompetent and won’t go ahead with the 3G auction any time soon. They can’t stop revising the auction rules! And once the auction does take place its highly likely that the supreme court will get involved and start interfering. That is because the auction is likely to be very corrupt indeed. But the worst point is that 3G is obsolete. We need to jump straight to 4G or not at all. What’s the point going after black and white TV in a colour TV world?!
Rohan Samarajiva
There is the small matter of availability and cost of handsets that might temper the enthusiasm for leap frogging into 4G.
abdussamad
Well if you are going to import handsets isn’t it better to import 4G ones rather than waste valuable forex on 3G ones that are already obsolete? Anyway the latest is that this auction has been delayed as expected.
Frankly I don’t like the idea of auctioning spectrum at all. It’s just a money grabbing exercise by the govt.
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