When asked regarding the possibility of Elon Musk’s Space Link entering the competitive landscape in Pakistan, Aamir Ibrahim, CEO Jazz, responded, “Projects like Space Link are game-changers and I admire people like Elon Musk who think differently and are not afraid to challenge every aspect of our knowledge. Maybe Space Link coming to Pakistan will cause some disruptions, but it will also give us the opportunity to watch, learn and grow with the competition’

These views were shared by Aamir at the ‘Internet for All’ webinar hosted by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, in which industry leaders discussed the challenges and solutions for seamless provision of connectivity in Pakistan.

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Citing the example of the local automobile industry’s inability to innovate, Dr. Nadeem-ul-Haque, who was acting as the moderator for the discussions, raised a concern over Pakistan’s sluggish evolution towards fifth- generation technology. Amir debated, “We need to stop chasing the 5G dream while we are still struggling with the technology we currently have. Instead of comparing our technological landscape with our neighbors, we need to prioritize policies that are relevant with our country. We cannot leapfrog towards 5G, when about half of Pakistan’s population is still using 2G-only handsets, and these hand-sets make the majority of phones being locally produced”

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He added that both the industry and policymakers need to bring special attention towards those users who were connected to cellular networks but not using internet, to be able to make a substantial transition towards a smart society envisioned under ‘Digital Pakistan’ initiative. He suggested that the government should cut the cord on both the import and local production of 2G phones to expedite Pakistan’s digital journey and prioritize local assembly of 4G-enabled quality handsets which will help boost digital adoption and unlock tremendous socio-economic opportunities for masses.

Discussing the obstacles faced by telecom providers, Aamir stated, “We have customers complaining about internet unavailability or poor service, and the reasons for that lie in the limited resources that have been made available to us. The revenue-maximizing approach that the government takes leads to telco operators dealing with sky high spectrum prices, unreasonable taxation and duties on essential equipment. We are left with little choice but to overspend in these areas and we fail to invest in our goals of providing customers with better quality internet, higher speeds, and rollout obligations” 

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Aamir discussed the need to change the nomenclature and start viewing the situation as a digital emergency. “Half of Pakistan is currently offline including 15% population living without any telecom coverage. This gives root to a massive digital divide. If we do not act immediately and decisively, Pakistan will be left behind in the race towards global relevance. We need to provide consumers with the right balance of data and the services they need beyond simple connectivity, only then will we start reaping the economic benefits of internet”

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Jazz has been working towards a digitally progressive and inclusive Pakistan by extending its support in improving digital infrastructure, enhancing connectivity, investing in digital skills and literacy, enhancing digital financial inclusion, and promoting entrepreneurship and innovation. During the last two years, Jazz invested USD 462 million in expanding 4G coverage and has seen the number of its 4G users increase from 6.6 million in 2018 to 28 million in 2021. 

 

With an ambitious focus towards 4G expansion in rural and semiurban areas, Jazz has also collaborated with the USF on 13 projects. These projects will see Jazz install 458 new cell sites and upgrade more than 500 cell sites to connect additional 10 million Pakistanis to high-speed internet.  Moreover, Jazz is playing its role to improve access to affordable internet-enabled devices through Jazz Digit 4G smart feature phones