Pakistan Planning to Test 5G Network by 2020

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) recently circulated handouts regarding the plans to start testing the 5G network by the year 2020. 5G is the next frontier in network services after 4G.

At the moment, PTA is laying the groundwork for the testing of the network before rolling it out at the end of testing period. PTA is also allowing mobile phone network providers to apply for the 5G spectrum. PTA is working with Qualcomm for the Technology Evolution & Roadmap to 5G workshop which was held in Islamabad. Qualcomm is one of the biggest technology companies in the world and such a partnership is destined to bring quick and reliable results.

PTA Chairman Dr. Syed Ismail Shah said, “The government would facilitate all existing as well as new companies to test 5G in Pakistan. The facilitation would be in the form of free test license and spectrum. Harmonized spectrum for 5G is [available] in the 3.5 GHz band. An EOI [Expression of Interest or invite for applications] would be floated at a suitable time to gauge interest in conducting a trial before the standard is finalized in the year 2020.”

According to the MoIT (Ministry of Information and Technology) Anusha Rahman, Pakistan will be the first nation is South Asia to launch the 5G technology. Even more notable is the fact that Pakistan will be among the first countries to launch the 5G network in 2020 alongside China, UK, US and South Korea. The next three years will offer various countries a chance to test out the capabilities of the network before rolling it out. Given that a lot has to be improved over the current 4G network, the three years will be filled with a lot of tests and runs and, hopefully, by 2020, the network will be available.

Although AT&T has touted what it calls 5G Evolution, it is simply an upgraded version of the 4G network. AT&T has stated that it will be rolling out its network over 20 cities by the end of the year.

The 5th generation in mobile broadband technology will be launched with an effort from the whole technology industry with firms such as Qualcomm, ZTE, Intel and many others throwing in their immense contribution.