The Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Major General (Retd) Hafeez Ur Rehman recently addressed key concerns regarding the internet and telecommunications in Pakistan. Interviewing the journalists, Rehman explained several problems and discussed the actions taken by the PTA to resolve the issues.
Internet Shutdowns and upgrades within the network architecture
Rehman discussed the contentious issue of internet shutdowns saying that, although Pakistan had seven shutdowns in 2023, India had 116. He pointed out that while the PTA does not support such interruptions, there is nothing more important than the security of a nation. He gave the recent example of the 10th of Muharram where mobile services were least disturbed and restricted only in certain areas and at some times for security issues. Rehman also recalled similar shutdowns in Bangladesh during elections; emphasizing that the security concerns differ by country.
Responding to a common complaint made by internet users regarding slow connections, Rehman said that improvements are coming soon. He announced that the PTA is in the process of upgrading its Web Management System, locally known as the Internet firewall, which will enhance the data capacity from 5 terabytes to 8 terabytes. This upgrade aimed at being completed before the end of October has been cited as the primary reason for the current slow internet speeds across the country.
Spectrum Congestion and the Rollout of 5G
Rehman also discussed some issues of Pakistan’s spectrum saying that the population of Pakistan is 242 million and the spectrum capacity in the country is 274 MHz which is now congested. Compared to India’s fiberization investment of $13bn in the last five years, he said that he is hopeful that with the introduction of 5G and infrastructure development, these problems will be solved. He also said that the much-awaited 5G auction will be held on April 25th and it would enhance the quality of 4G services and cut down the call drop problem.
Social Media Regulation and Compliance
The PTA chairman also expressed his views on the recent action of the federal government to ban the social media site X. He pointed out that compliance is at only 27% while other social media networks have 93% compliance. The matter is still in the Sindh High Court, where PTA will present a report regarding non-compliance of X. The chairman urged social media firms to employ AI technology to screen out the prohibited materials.
Mobile Services and Regulatory Challenges
Rehman acknowledged the poor quality of GSM services, attributing part of the problem to spectrum shortages. He also pointed out that PTA had been against the FBR’s order to suspend SIMs, a task that telecom operators performed on their own. He also pointed out that a call for a shutdown of mobile services during the MDCAT exams has been turned down by the PTA, which he said pointed toward the desire of the authority to ensure that service provision is not a hindrance to necessary regulation.
Overall, Rehman was fairly positive about the future of telecommunications in Pakistan saying that the current infrastructure projects and the arrival of 5G would solve many of the problems that consumers are facing currently.
