Soaring broadband subscriptions in Pakistan have helped drive a whopping 35X increase in Internet data usage since January 2014.
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| Rapid Rise in Broadband Subscription in Pakistan |
As the number of broadband subscriptions in Pakistan crossed 38 million in October 2016, the internet data usage jumped from 1,243 terabytes in January 2014 to 45,672 terabytes in September, 2016, according to
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.
A lot of new data traffic is being driven by 3G/4G equipped smartphones running a variety of applications ranging from social media to consumer and business apps.
Mobile Broadband:
Mobile broadband (3G/4G) subscriptions have jumped from almost zero in 2014 to 34 million as of September, 2016. It has been accompanied by corresponding increase in the number of
smartphones which is expected to cross 40 million mark this year.
Applications:
Growth of 3G/4G networks and smartphones has spawned a variety of applications from social media apps to business, education and entertainment apps. Use of Facebook, Twitter and Youtube has soared.
E-commerce is growing.
Taxi-hailing service Uber has arrived in the country. Netflix has entered the Pakistani market. Government is making use of the
Internet applications to deliver services.
Digital Cable, DTH:
Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) is pushing all cable service providers to support digital television. PEMRA is also auctioning Direct-to-Home (DTH) service which is digital. Both of these mediums will help increase internet broadband penetration in the country and bring more and more people on line.
Internet Infrastructure:
Rapid growth of data is driving infrastructure improvements in Pakistan.
Tens of thousands of kilometers of fiber is being laid to cope with rising Internet traffic. Universal Service Fund (USF) alone has installed
5,500 kilometers of fiber in underserved areas of the country to increase
digital inclusion.
Pakistan currently has
16 data centers: 8 in Karachi, 5 in Lahore and 3 in Islamabad. The numbers are expected to grow significantly with growing demand.
Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) has set up the first
Internet Exchange Point (IXP) in Islamabad and more are planned for other major cities. IXPs connect Internet Service Providers (ISPs) with Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) like Amazon and Akamai to facilitate faster delivery of web pages and other content to users.
Digital Inclusion:
Beginning in October 2016, Pakistani government is giving away five million smartphones to farmers in the country in an effort to improve knowledge of modern farming techniques, according to the
BBC. Large numbers of farmers in countries such as India and Kenya have also recently experimented with smartphone technology.
In addition, the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) has announced plans to give away 30,000 smartphones with 3G subscriptions funded by Universal Service Fund (USF) to low income Pakistanis on BISP. Each smartphone will have Rs. 250 balance per month. It is intended to enhance digital and
financial inclusion, according to a report in
Pakistan Observer.
The objective of giving away smartphones is to help increase
farmers' productivity.
Digital access is is expected to reduce poverty in rural and semi-urban areas of Pakistan by supporting micro and small enterprises. Market access to the products of marginalized segments will improve their welfare and at the same time boost the national economy.
Lack of financial inclusion and the growing digital divide are known impediments to progress of the low-income and poor segments of the population. Any effort by the government to remove such impediments will help Pakistan's economy by making more people more productive.
Summary:
Internet data usage is soaring with rapidly rising broadband penetration and smartphone ownership in Pakistan. Infrastructure is being improved to cater to the
digital data explosion taking place in the country. Universal Service Fund (USF) is playing its part to support this effort in underserved areas.
Related Links:
Haq's Musings
Bridging Digital Divide in Pakistan
Fiber Connectivity in Pakistan
Pakistan Government Apps
Data Boom in Pakistan
Pakistan 2.0: Technology Driving Productivity
Uber in Pakistan
E-Commerce in Pakistan
