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{{Short description|Overview about the Internet in Pakistan}}
{{Short description|Overview about the Internet in Pakistan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
The ''' Internet in Pakistan''' has been available since the early 1990s. Pakistan has about 130 million internet users, making it the [[List of countries by number of Internet users|7th-largest population]] of internet users in the world.<ref name=PTD>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pta.gov.pk/en/telecom-indicators|title=Telecom Indicators &#124; PTA|website=www.pta.gov.pk}}</ref><ref name="The Express Tribune">{{cite news |title=Country's internet penetration stands at 54% |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2312994/countrys-internet-penetration-stands-at-54 |access-date=7 September 2021 |work=The Express Tribune |date=30 July 2021 |language=en}}</ref> [[Information and communications technology]] (ICT) is one of the fastest growing industries in the country. In 2001 just 1.3% of the population used the Internet. By 2006 this figure had grown to 6.5% and in 2012 to 10.0%. As of July 2021; the percentage of internet users in Pakistan is 54%, which translates into approximately 118 million citizens having access to internet.<ref name="The Express Tribune"/> Inadequate infrastructure is adversely impacting Internet speeds, encompassing technology, available backhaul, and international Internet bandwidth. This is the primary reason why Pakistan's Internet speed lags behind that of neighboring countries and even some less developed nations worldwide.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ahmadani |first=Ahmad |date=2021-02-28 |title=Why is Pakistan's internet so slow? |url=https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2021/02/28/why-is-pakistans-internet-so-slow/ |access-date=2023-09-19 |website=Profit by Pakistan Today |language=en-US}}</ref>
The ''' Internet in Pakistan''' has been available since the early 1990s. Pakistan has over 130 million internet users, making it the [[List of countries by number of Internet users|7th-largest population]] of internet users in the world.<ref name=PTD>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pta.gov.pk/en/telecom-indicators|title=Telecom Indicators &#124; PTA|website=www.pta.gov.pk}}</ref><ref name="The Express Tribune">{{cite news |title=Country's internet penetration stands at 54% |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2312994/countrys-internet-penetration-stands-at-54 |access-date=7 September 2021 |work=The Express Tribune |date=30 July 2021 |language=en}}</ref>


[[Information and communications technology]] (ICT) is one of the fastest growing industries in the country. In 2001 just 1.3% of the population used the Internet. By 2006 this figure had grown to 6.5% and in 2012 to 10.0%. As of July 2021; the percentage of internet users in Pakistan is 54%, which translates into approximately 118 million citizens having access to internet.<ref name="The Express Tribune" />
==Status==
[[File:TWA-1-route.png|thumb|right|alt=A map showing the route of the TWA-1 telecommunication cable.|[[TWA-1 (cable system)|TWA-1 telecommunications cable]] linking the [[United Arab Emirates]], [[Oman]], and [[Pakistan]].]]


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In 2015 Government of Pakistan (GoP) recognised that Telecommunication has become one of the dominant sectors in the economy, contributing to the well-being of society and a major contributor to GDP thus introduced a Telecommunication Policy 2015. The Telecom Policy 2015 aims to facilitate the attainment of an all-embracing national agenda and to transform Pakistan into an economically vibrant, knowledge-based, middle-income country by 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MINISTRY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATION |url=https://moitt.gov.pk/Detail/ZTA5MTI4ZWUtMzdhMS00ZDRhLWE0YmUtZjJjNThhYTdjNzdl |access-date=2020-08-25 |website=moitt.gov.pk}}</ref>
* [[List of countries by number of Internet users|Internet users]]:130 Million broadband subscribers as of September 2023,<ref name=PTA1>{{cite web |url=https://www.pta.gov.pk/en/telecom-indicators |title=Telecom Indicators |publisher=[[Pakistan Telecommunication Authority]]}}</ref> 8th in the world; 54% of the population.<ref name="http://www.pta.gov.pk/index.php?Itemid=599">[http://www.internetlivestats.com/internet-users-by-country/ "Percentage of Individuals using the Internet 2000-2012"], International Telecommunication Union (Geneva), June 2016, Retrieved 31 May 2016</ref><ref name="NIUCalc">Calculated using penetration rate and population data from [https://www.census.gov/population/international/data/idb/rank.php "Countries and Areas Ranked by Population: 2012"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329060848/https://www.census.gov/population/international/data/idb/rank.php|date=29 March 2017}}, Population data, International Programs, U.S. Census Bureau, Retrieved 26 June 2013


== Statistics ==
Taken from https://www.internetworldstats.com/stats3.htm</ref>
* [[List of countries by number of broadband Internet subscriptions|Fixed broadband]]: 2,374,355 subscribers as of September 2023,<ref name=PTA1 /> 28th in the world; 1.7% of the population, 128th in the world (2012).<ref>http://www.pta.gov.pk/index.php?Itemid=599 , Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE, [[International Telecommunication Union]]. Retrieved on 1 June 2016.</ref>
* [[List of countries by number of Internet users|Internet users]]: 135 million broadband subscribers as of March 2024<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=1 January 2024 |title=Telecom Indicators {{!}} PTA |url=https://www.pta.gov.pk/en/telecom-indicators |access-date=10 February 2024 |website=Pakistan Telecommunication Authority}}</ref>
* [[List of countries by number of broadband Internet subscriptions|Mobile broadband]]: 126,930,301 subscriptions as of September 2023,<ref name=PTA1 /> 10th in the world; 16% of the population, 13th in the world (2012).<ref name=NIUCalc/><ref>[http://www.pta.gov.pk/index.php?Itemid=599 "Active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2012"], Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE, [[International Telecommunication Union]]. Retrieved 29 June 2013.</ref>
* [[List of countries by number of broadband Internet subscriptions|Fixed broadband]]: 2.7 million subscribers as of March 2024<ref name=":0" />
* [[List of countries by number of broadband Internet subscriptions|Mobile broadband]]: 132 million subscribers as of March 2024<ref name=":0" />
* [[Top level domain]]: [[.pk]]<ref name=CIA-WFB-Pakistan>[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/pakistan/ "Pakistan Country Report"], ''The World Factbook'', Central Intelligence Agency, United States, 14 June 2011.</ref>
* Operational [[Internet service provider|ISPs]]: 176 as of April 2024<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2024-04-03 |title=List of FLL Operators |url=https://www.pta.gov.pk/assets/media/sr8_fll_lic_pak_03-04-2024.pdf |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=[[Pakistan Telecommunication Authority]]}}</ref>
* Domains registered under the .pk domain: ~30,000 (2012).<ref name=ISPAK-Facts/>
* [[List of countries by number of Internet hosts|Internet hosts]]: 365,813 hosts, 57th in the world (2012).<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070613003750/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2184rank.html "Internet hosts"], ''CIA World Factbook'', U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, 2012, accessed 17 June 2013</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070613003851/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2119.html Population], [[The World Factbook]], [[United States]] [[Central Intelligence Agency]]. Accessed on 2 April 2012. Note: Data are mostly for 1 July 2012.</ref>
* [[Top level domain]]: [[.pk]]<ref name="CIA-WFB-Pakistan">[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/pakistan/ "Pakistan Country Report"], ''The World Factbook'', Central Intelligence Agency, United States, 14 June 2011.</ref>
* [[List of countries by IPv4 address allocation|IPv4]]: 5.2 million addresses allocated, 0.1% of the world total, 27.2 addresses per 1000 people (2012).<ref>[http://www.countryipblocks.net/country-blocks/select-formats/ Select Formats] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20090513033601/http://www.countryipblocks.net/country-blocks/select-formats/ |date=13 May 2009 }}, Country IP Blocks. Accessed on 2 April 2012. Note: Site is said to be updated daily.</ref>
* International bandwidth: ~78 Tbit/s combined from [[PTCL]] and [[TWA-1 (cable system)|TWA]] (2017).<ref name=ISPAK-Facts>[http://www.ispak.pk/index.php "Internet Facts"], Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan, October 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2014.</ref>
* [[List of international submarine communications cables|Undersea telecommunications cables]]: Six, [[SEA-ME-WE 3]], [[SEA-ME-WE 4]], [[I-ME-WE|IMEWE]] and [[AAE-1]] operated by [[PTCL]] and [[TWA-1 (cable system)|TWA-1]] and [[SEA-ME-WE 5]] operated by [[Transworld Associates]] (2012).
* Operational [[ISP]]s: ~50 (2012).<ref name=ISPAK-Facts/>
* ISPs providing [[DSL]] services: Ten (2012).<ref name=ISPAK-Facts/>
* ISPs providing [[broadband cable]] services: Five (2012).<ref name=ISPAK-Facts/>
* ISPs providing [[Fiber to the Home]] (FTTH) services: [[Nayatel]] (2006), [[Transworld Associates|Transworld Home]] (2017), [[PTCL]], [[Special Communications Organization|SCO]], [[Multinet Pakistan]], [[StormFiber]], [[Fiberlink]], [[Optix]], [[WorldCall]] (2021) and [[Satcomm]]
* Domestic fiber backbones: [[PTCL]], [[Wateen Telecom|Wateen]], [[Mobilink]], and Multinet (2012).<ref name=ISPAK-Facts/>

==History==

The first [[dial-up]] [[e-mail]] service was introduced by Brain net Limited in 1992–93. The also first dialup internet service started in Pakistan in 1994, by Brain Net Pakistan, sharing a 128K link established at LUMS - Lahore.PAK DATACOM Engineer Muneer Ahmed Khan, was the first engineer who installed and commissioned the first-ever internet link Through VSAT in 1994 at Lahore University of Management Sciences -LUMS using NEC vsat equipment and became the first person in Pakistan to experience online internet browsing.

The state-owned [[Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd]] (PTCL) started offering access via the nationwide local call dialup network in 1995. The country has been pursuing an aggressive IT policy, aimed at boosting Pakistan's drive for economic [[modernization]] and creating an exportable software industry. In 2001 Micronet Broadband launched the first [[DSL]] service. By the end of 2001, there were as many as 50 [[Internet Service Providers]] in the country.<ref name="dawn.com">{{cite web |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/517152/technology-evolution-of-the-internet-in-pakistan |title=Technology: Evolution of the internet in Pakistan |website=www.dawn.com|date=30 January 2010 }}</ref>

Pakistan's getting its submarine [[optic fiber]] in 2000 also helped the [[ISP]] market flourish like never before.<ref name="dawn.com"/> Pakistan had almost 128 ISPs in 2007, with customers concentrated in the areas of [[Islamabad]], [[Karachi]], and [[Lahore]]. PTCL offers free dial-up Internet service to all its [[landline]] subscribers.

In 2006 NayaTel began to offer [[Ftth|Fiber to the User]] (FTTU) triple-services in the capital city of [[Islamabad]].

In 2005 Telekom Malaysia acquired 78 per cent equity in Multinet Pakistan,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Multinet Pakistan|url=https://multinet.com.pk/|access-date=2020-08-25|language=en-US}}</ref> and announced the launch of 'Project Ittehad.' The blueprint of the project suggested that the company would lay down 4,500-km of fiber optic cables, which would link 77 cities of the country. The project was estimated to be completed in 14 months and resulted in a highly accessible, fully redundant and resilient DWDM backbone with 20 gigabytes per second operational capacity and 48 cores of dark fiber. Multinet has a 12,000&nbsp;km long self-healing and scalable optical fiber network covering over 120 cities of Pakistan.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dark Fiber Connectivity – Multinet Pakistan|url=https://multinet.com.pk/dark-fiber-connectivity/|access-date=2020-08-25|language=en-US}}</ref>

Broadband access is available in major cities, wireless broadband Internet has been introduced by the [[Wireless local loop]] (WLL) networks in many major cities, and [[WiMAX|Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access]] (WiMAX) networks are being deployed. Most Pakistani companies, educational institutes, and government departments maintain web sites, which has further increased the demand for Internet access.<ref>[http://www.ispak.pk/internet_pakistan.php "History of the Internet in Pakistan, 1992-2007"], Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan. Retrieved 7 December 2013.</ref>

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==Language==
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Most Internet usage in Pakistan is still in English. Many [[Urdu]] based newspapers maintain an Urdu presence on the web, however, common usage is often done in [[Roman Urdu|romanized Urdu]].<ref>[http://dawn.com/2012/08/29/urdu-on-the-internet/ "Urdu on the internet"], Ammara Khan, ''Spider Magazine'', reprinted by ''Dawn News'', 29 August 2012.</ref>


==Broadband==
==Broadband==


There are over 150 operational internet service providers in Pakistan<ref name=":1" /> offering broadband either over [[Digital subscriber line|DSL]] or [[Fiber to the x|FTTH]]. Fiber based home broadband has seen rapid adoption in Pakistan, with less than 70,000 subscribers in 2018, that number has grown to 1.4 million as of March 2024.<ref name=":0" />
⚫
Pakistan's Government definition of Broadband is contrary to the definition of Broadband in the industrialized world. For example, Pakistan defines broadband as always on 128 kbit/s, while US FCC defines broadband as 20 Mbit/s. Or a difference in speed of 159 times (15900%). In 2015 Government of Pakistan (GoP) recognised that Telecommunication has become one of the dominant sectors in the economy, contributing to the well-being of society and a major contributor to GDP thus introduced a Telecommunication Policy 2015. The Telecom Policy 2015 aims to facilitate the attainment of an all-embracing national agenda and to transform Pakistan into an economically vibrant, knowledge-based, middle-income country by 2025.<ref>{{Cite web|title=MINISTRY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATION|url=https://moitt.gov.pk/Detail/ZTA5MTI4ZWUtMzdhMS00ZDRhLWE0YmUtZjJjNThhYTdjNzdl|access-date=2020-08-25|website=moitt.gov.pk}}</ref>


High speed broadband is offered by all major ISPs with plans ranging from 10&nbsp;Mbit/s to 300&nbsp;Mbit/s.
Broadband is offered at speeds that range from 1 Mbit/s to 1 Gbit/s in all major cities. The largest broadband providers for both corporate and residential consumers include [[PTCL]], [[Wateen]], Cybernet<ref>{{Cite web|title=CYBERNET|url=https://www.cyber.net.pk/company/about-cybernet|access-date=2020-08-25|website=www.cyber.net.pk}}</ref> (StormFiber), Multinet, Optix, Transworld and Nayatel.<ref name=PTA-TelecomIndicators>[http://www.pta.gov.pk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=269:telecom-indicators&catid=124:industry-report&Itemid=599 "Telecom Indicators"], Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, 3 June 2011.</ref>


* Transworld Home (a subsidiary of [[Transworld Associates]])
In August 2007, PTCL launched Smart TV, an [[IPTV]] (Internet Protocol Television) service. IPTV along with high-speed broadband internet and voice telephony is available on the subscribers existing telephone lines.<ref>[http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?204551 "PTCL's IPTV Service Gets Good Response"], ''PakTribune'', 15 August 2008.</ref>
* FlashFiber (FTTH brand by [[PTCL]])
* [[Nayatel]] (a subsidiary of Micronet Broadband)
* StormFiber (a subsidiary of Cybernet)
* [[WorldCall]]
* Optix


=== Internet Backhaul ===
PTCL provides [[wireless broadband]] using the [[Evolution-Data Optimized]] (EV-DO) Rev. A standard, with speeds of up to 3.1 Mbit/s. PTCL provides its service under the brand name EVO which is available in more than 100 cities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.winars.com/pakistan/ptcl-evo-now-covers-more-than-100-cities/ |title=PTCL EVO Now Covers More Than 100 Cities |publisher=Winars tech blog |date=5 July 2010}}</ref>
Pakistan is connected to the rest of the world through seven fiber-optic [[Submarine communications cable|submarine communications cables]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 October 2023 |title=Submarine Cable Landing Stations of Pakistan |url=https://www.pta.gov.pk/assets/media/sr11_list_cable_landing_stations_06102023.pdf |access-date=10 February 2024 |website=Pakistan Telecommunication Authority}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+Submarine communications cables in Pakistan
!Operator
!Submarine Cable
|-
|[[PTCL]]
<small>(Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited)</small>
|
* [[AAE-1]]
* [[I-ME-WE]]
* [[SEA-ME-WE 3|SEA-ME-WE-3]]
* [[SEA-ME-WE 4|SEA-ME-WE-4]]
|-
|[[Transworld Associates]]
|
* [[TWA-1]]
* [[SEA-ME-WE 5|SEA-ME-WE-5]]
* [[SEA-ME-WE 6|SEA-ME-WE-6]] (expected RFS 2025)<ref>{{Cite web |title=SEA-ME-WE 6 - Submarine Networks |url=https://www.submarinenetworks.com/en/systems/asia-europe-africa/smw6 |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=www.submarinenetworks.com}}</ref>
|-
|[[Lakson Group|Cybernet]]
|
* [[PEACE Cable|PEACE]]
|}


==== Anti-competitive practices ====
Nayatel is offering multiple value-added services as well other than the basic tagline of voice, video, and data. The VAS includes Surveillance Solutions, IT solutions, Web Hosting, Gaming Solutions, [[IPTV]], Data Security and [[Video on demand|VOD]].<ref>
PTCL has a history of engaging in [[anti-competitive practices]] since the early 2000s, it has been taken to court several times over [[predatory pricing]] and [[collusion]] to maintain its monopoly and force competitors out of the broadband market.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hassan |first=Taimoor |date=2024-03-10 |title=Is PTCL throttling one of its competitors through anticompetitive practices? |url=https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2024/03/10/is-ptcl-throttling-one-of-its-competitors-through-anticompetitive-practices/ |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=Profit by Pakistan Today |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2013, LINKdotNET, a subsidiary of [[Mobilink]] (now [[Jazz (mobile network operator)|Jazz]]) was forced to shut down citing 'market conditions' and transfer all its residential DSL users to PTCL DSL.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Attaa |first=Aamir |date=2013-05-28 |title=Link Dot Net Wraps up its Broadband Operations in Pakistan |url=https://propakistani.pk/2013/05/28/link-dot-net-wraps-up-its-operations-in-pakistan/ |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=ProPakistani}}</ref>
[https://learnfibernetworks.com/ftth-internet-providers-in-pakistan/ "FTTH Internet Providers in Pakistan"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714101756/https://learnfibernetworks.com/ftth-internet-providers-in-pakistan/ |date=14 July 2019 }}.
</ref>


Inadequate infrastructure and [[Tier 1 network|Tier-1 operators]] abusing their dominant position are the two primary factors adversely impacting internet speeds, encompassing technology, available backhaul, and international internet bandwidth. This is the primary reason why Pakistan's internet speeds lag behind those of neighboring countries and even some less developed nations worldwide.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ahmadani |first=Ahmad |date=2021-02-28 |title=Why is Pakistan's internet so slow? |url=https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2021/02/28/why-is-pakistans-internet-so-slow/ |access-date=2023-09-19 |website=Profit by Pakistan Today |language=en-US}}</ref> With PTCL and TWA sharing a [[duopoly]] of internet backhaul by operating majority of the submarine communications cables coming in to the country, both networks engage in anti-competitive behaviour with price gouging and illegal blocking of [[Tier 2 network|Tier-2 ISPs]] that purchase bandwidth through resellers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gardezi |first=Ahsan |date=2024-02-20 |title=PTA Asks Nayatel, PTCL, Zong and Telenor to Resolve Bandwidth Dispute Within 3 Days |url=https://propakistani.pk/2024/02/20/pta-asks-nayatel-ptcl-zong-and-telenor-to-resolve-bandwidth-dispute-within-3-days/ |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=ProPakistani}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Siraj |first=Wahaj |date=2024-02-21 |title=Might tries to be right, Internet is no exception |url=https://www.linkedin.com/posts/wahajsiraj_pta-asks-nayatel-ptcl-zong-and-telenor-activity-7165665041273368576-cjl2 |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=www.linkedin.com |language=en}}</ref>
StormFiber (powered by Cybernet) and Optix Pakistan have developed good market among consumers by providing FTTH and FTTX services including value added services like digital television, IPTV services. Internet packages varies from 2Mbit/s to 100Mbit/s <ref>{{Cite web|title=StormFiber|url=https://www.stormfiber.com/|access-date=2020-08-25|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=About Us – Optix|url=https://optix.pk/about-us/|access-date=2020-08-25|language=en-US}}</ref>


=== Mobile Broadband ===
[[Wateen Telecom]] launched its [[WiMAX]] services in Pakistan in 2007. Connections are available at speeds from 256 kbit/s to 9.8 Mbit/s.<ref>[http://propakistani.pk/2012/09/17/overview-of-wimax-in-pakistan/ " Overview Of WiMAX In Pakistan "], Samia Rehman, ProPakistani, 17 September 2012.</ref> PTCL offers Pakistan fastest [[WiMAX]] connection EVO Wingle at 9.3 Mbit/s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ptcl.com.pk/Home/PageDetail?ItemId=204&linkId=268|title=EVO Wingle 9.3 Mbps Packages|work=ptcl.com.pk|access-date=13 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205122848/http://www.ptcl.com.pk/Home/PageDetail?ItemId=204&linkId=268|archive-date=5 December 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> PTA issued the License to Telenor, Zong, Ufone, Jazz to launch 3G and 4G services in form of wireless broadband.
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In areas where fixed line broadband is not available due to poor infrastructure, LTE based mobile broadband is used. Mobile broadband crossed 100 million subscribers in April 2021.<ref>{{cite news |date=April 3, 2021 |title=Broadband subscriptions reach 100m in Pakistan |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1616070/broadband-subscriptions-reach-100m-in-pakistan |work=Dawn}}</ref>


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Starting in 2019, three of the four [[List of telecommunication companies in Pakistan|local mobile networks]] began rolling out [[LTE Advanced|LTE-A]] and other technological advancements such as 256-QAM and 4x4 MIMO to cell sites across the country, as part of their efforts to improve the user experience for mobile broadband subscribers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-19 |title=Zong 4G - Achieving a Digitally Connected and Innovative Pakistan |url=https://propakistani.pk/2022/01/19/zong-4g-achieving-a-digitally-connected-and-innovative-pakistan/ |access-date=2022-08-03 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Media Center Detail Jazz Super 4g Upgrades Technology With L900 To Become An Even Faster Mobile Network - Jazz |url=https://jazz.com.pk/media-center/detail/jazz-super-4g-upgrades-technology-with-l900-to-become-an-even-faster-mobile-network |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=jazz.com.pk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Telenor Pakistan launches LTE-A network |url=https://www.commsupdate.com/articles/2018/12/07/telenor-pakistan-launches-lte-a-network/ |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=telegeography.com}}</ref>
In 2016, Wi-tribe signed a contract with Huawei to Launch 4.5G LTE Advanced Internet in Pakistan. This technology Advancement is not only new in Pakistan but in South Asia & Middle East too. The first stage has been completed in Lahore and Karachi, which is providing the most Advanced Generation of Internet speeds .i.e. 4.5G to users. In 2021, the [[Pakistan Telecommunication Authority|PTA]] (Pakistan Telecommunication Authority) revoked Wi-tribe's license because of frequent service interruptions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-26 |title=PTA Terminates Wi-Tribe's License |url=https://propakistani.pk/2021/10/26/pta-terminates-wi-tribes-license/ |access-date=2022-08-03 |language=en-US}}</ref>

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Between 2019 and 2021, major cell sites of [[Zong 4G|Zong]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-19 |title=Zong 4G - Achieving a Digitally Connected and Innovative Pakistan |url=https://propakistani.pk/2022/01/19/zong-4g-achieving-a-digitally-connected-and-innovative-pakistan/ |access-date=2022-08-03 |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Jazz (mobile network operator)|Jazz]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Media Center Detail Jazz Super 4g Upgrades Technology With L900 To Become An Even Faster Mobile Network - Jazz |url=https://jazz.com.pk/media-center/detail/jazz-super-4g-upgrades-technology-with-l900-to-become-an-even-faster-mobile-network |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=jazz.com.pk}}</ref> and [[Telenor Pakistan|Telenor]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Telenor Pakistan launches LTE-A network |url=https://www.commsupdate.com/articles/2018/12/07/telenor-pakistan-launches-lte-a-network/ |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=telegeography.com}}</ref> were upgraded to support [[LTE Advanced|LTE-A]], allowing the use of carrier aggregation on modern smartphones that support the technology.


On 22 August 2019, Pakistan became the first South Asian country to test 5G services. The successful tests were conducted by Pakistani telecom company [[Zong 4G|Zong]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nation.com.pk/22-Aug-2019/get-ready-for-5g-as-pakistan-conducts-first-successful-test/|title=Pakistan becomes first South Asian country to test 5G services|date=22 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.brecorder.com/2019/08/22/519241/zong-successfully-test-5g-in-pakistan/amp/|title=Zong successfully test 5G in Pakistan|work=[[Business Recorder]]|date=22 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1501031|title='Pakistan on short list of 5G-ready countries with Zong's successful trial'|work=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]]|date=22 August 2019}}</ref>
On 22 August 2019, Pakistan became the first South Asian country to test 5G services. The successful tests were conducted by Pakistani telecom company [[Zong 4G|Zong]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nation.com.pk/22-Aug-2019/get-ready-for-5g-as-pakistan-conducts-first-successful-test/|title=Pakistan becomes first South Asian country to test 5G services|date=22 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.brecorder.com/2019/08/22/519241/zong-successfully-test-5g-in-pakistan/amp/|title=Zong successfully test 5G in Pakistan|work=[[Business Recorder]]|date=22 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1501031|title='Pakistan on short list of 5G-ready countries with Zong's successful trial'|work=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]]|date=22 August 2019}}</ref>


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==Language==
The country is reported to have 5G services launched by December 2022, however experts believe it will take more than 3–4 years for country to fully deploy 5G services in the country.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Pakistan to launch 5G internet network in 2022-23, shows report|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/pakistan-to-launch-5g-internet-network-in-2022-23-shows-report/articleshow/80432371.cms?from=mdr|access-date=2021-05-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title='5G services to be launched in Pakistan in December 2022' {{!}} SAMAA|url=https://www.samaa.tv/news/2021/02/5g-services-to-be-launched-in-pakistan-in-december-2022/|access-date=2021-05-28|website=Samaa TV|date=7 October 2011 |language=en-US}}</ref>
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Most Internet usage in Pakistan is still in English. Many [[Urdu]] based newspapers maintain an Urdu presence on the web, however, common usage is often done in [[Roman Urdu|romanized Urdu]].<ref>[http://dawn.com/2012/08/29/urdu-on-the-internet/ "Urdu on the internet"], Ammara Khan, ''Spider Magazine'', reprinted by ''Dawn News'', 29 August 2012.</ref>

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In April 2021, the PTA announced that broadband subscriptions in Pakistan had reached the 100 million users mark.<ref>{{cite news |title=Broadband subscriptions reach 100m in Pakistan |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1616070/broadband-subscriptions-reach-100m-in-pakistan |work=Dawn |date=April 3, 2021}}</ref>


== Right of way draft rules 2018 ==
== Right of way draft rules 2018 ==
Line 80: Line 80:


In 2018, Government of Pakistan reformulated the Digital Pakistan Policy: one that takes into account its increasingly transformed role across all sectors of socio-economic development; their accelerated digitization, and transformational modernization into integrated components of a holistic knowledge based economy. With this in mind, Ministry of IT & Telecom (MoIT) has formulated this policy document based on a multi-stakeholder model which includes infrastructure development, digitization including e-Agriculture, e-Health, e-Energy, e-Commerce, e-Justice, ICT Education, IoT, FinTech, Artificial Intelligence & Robotics, Cloud Computing and Big Data<ref>{{Cite web|last=MoITT|title=Digital Pakistan Policy|url=https://moitt.gov.pk/SiteImage/Misc/files/DIGITAL%20PAKISTAN%20POLICY.pdf}}</ref>
In 2018, Government of Pakistan reformulated the Digital Pakistan Policy: one that takes into account its increasingly transformed role across all sectors of socio-economic development; their accelerated digitization, and transformational modernization into integrated components of a holistic knowledge based economy. With this in mind, Ministry of IT & Telecom (MoIT) has formulated this policy document based on a multi-stakeholder model which includes infrastructure development, digitization including e-Agriculture, e-Health, e-Energy, e-Commerce, e-Justice, ICT Education, IoT, FinTech, Artificial Intelligence & Robotics, Cloud Computing and Big Data<ref>{{Cite web|last=MoITT|title=Digital Pakistan Policy|url=https://moitt.gov.pk/SiteImage/Misc/files/DIGITAL%20PAKISTAN%20POLICY.pdf}}</ref>

There was sudden growth in online business during 2020 [[COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan]], majority of business suddenly move to online market. Due to this drastic change [[web hosting]] companies business increases from 2020 to onward.

== Presidential Initiative for Artificial Intelligence & Computing (PIAIC) ==
The President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi, started a [[Presidential Initiative for Artificial Intelligence & Computing]] (PIAIC), the mission of which is to reshape Pakistan by revolutionizing education, research, and business by adopting latest, cutting-edge technologies.


== See also ==
== See also ==
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* [[Pakistan Educational Research Network]]
* [[Pakistan Educational Research Network]]
* [[Telecommunications in Pakistan]]
* [[Telecommunications in Pakistan]]
* [[Universal Service Fund Pakistan]]
}}
}}


Revision as of 06:23, 26 April 2024

The Internet in Pakistan has been available since the early 1990s. Pakistan has over 130 million internet users, making it the 7th-largest population of internet users in the world.[1][2]

Information and communications technology (ICT) is one of the fastest growing industries in the country. In 2001 just 1.3% of the population used the Internet. By 2006 this figure had grown to 6.5% and in 2012 to 10.0%. As of July 2021; the percentage of internet users in Pakistan is 54%, which translates into approximately 118 million citizens having access to internet.[2]

In 2015 Government of Pakistan (GoP) recognised that Telecommunication has become one of the dominant sectors in the economy, contributing to the well-being of society and a major contributor to GDP thus introduced a Telecommunication Policy 2015. The Telecom Policy 2015 aims to facilitate the attainment of an all-embracing national agenda and to transform Pakistan into an economically vibrant, knowledge-based, middle-income country by 2025.[3]

Statistics

Broadband

There are over 150 operational internet service providers in Pakistan[5] offering broadband either over DSL or FTTH. Fiber based home broadband has seen rapid adoption in Pakistan, with less than 70,000 subscribers in 2018, that number has grown to 1.4 million as of March 2024.[4]

High speed broadband is offered by all major ISPs with plans ranging from 10 Mbit/s to 300 Mbit/s.

Internet Backhaul

Pakistan is connected to the rest of the world through seven fiber-optic submarine communications cables.[7]

Submarine communications cables in Pakistan
Operator Submarine Cable
PTCL

(Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited)

Transworld Associates
Cybernet

Anti-competitive practices

PTCL has a history of engaging in anti-competitive practices since the early 2000s, it has been taken to court several times over predatory pricing and collusion to maintain its monopoly and force competitors out of the broadband market.[9] In 2013, LINKdotNET, a subsidiary of Mobilink (now Jazz) was forced to shut down citing 'market conditions' and transfer all its residential DSL users to PTCL DSL.[10]

Inadequate infrastructure and Tier-1 operators abusing their dominant position are the two primary factors adversely impacting internet speeds, encompassing technology, available backhaul, and international internet bandwidth. This is the primary reason why Pakistan's internet speeds lag behind those of neighboring countries and even some less developed nations worldwide.[11] With PTCL and TWA sharing a duopoly of internet backhaul by operating majority of the submarine communications cables coming in to the country, both networks engage in anti-competitive behaviour with price gouging and illegal blocking of Tier-2 ISPs that purchase bandwidth through resellers.[12][13]

Mobile Broadband

In areas where fixed line broadband is not available due to poor infrastructure, LTE based mobile broadband is used. Mobile broadband crossed 100 million subscribers in April 2021.[14]

Starting in 2019, three of the four local mobile networks began rolling out LTE-A and other technological advancements such as 256-QAM and 4x4 MIMO to cell sites across the country, as part of their efforts to improve the user experience for mobile broadband subscribers.[15][16][17]

On 22 August 2019, Pakistan became the first South Asian country to test 5G services. The successful tests were conducted by Pakistani telecom company Zong.[18][19][20]

Language

Most Internet usage in Pakistan is still in English. Many Urdu based newspapers maintain an Urdu presence on the web, however, common usage is often done in romanized Urdu.[21]

Right of way draft rules 2018

Major hindrance in providing internet services in Pakistan is acquiring Right of Way from public and private authorities (Owners of Right of Way) Over the last few years, there have been many instances reported to PTA and MoIT&T related to Right-of-Way (RoW) disputes. These have come from telecom operators who cite undue demands from various public bodies (owners of RoW). MoIT&T began a process of consultation with all relevant stakeholders to develop a standard mechanism for addressing the long-standing issue of RoW being faced by telecom operators and has prepared draft RoW rules. The Telecom Authority (PTA) is actively pursuing and participating in finalizing the RoW Rules in the larger interest of the telecom sector.[22]

E-commerce

See also: E-Government in Pakistan

Pakistan e-commerce industry is worth an estimated US$4 billion.[23] According to the Oxford Dictionary, e-commerce refers to commercial transactions conducted electronically on the internet.[24]

Pakistan's first e-commerce company was started in 2001 with the establishment of Beliscity.pk by Abid Beli. Since then the market has grown steadily until 2012, which was an inflection point in the industry.[25]

In 2018, Government of Pakistan reformulated the Digital Pakistan Policy: one that takes into account its increasingly transformed role across all sectors of socio-economic development; their accelerated digitization, and transformational modernization into integrated components of a holistic knowledge based economy. With this in mind, Ministry of IT & Telecom (MoIT) has formulated this policy document based on a multi-stakeholder model which includes infrastructure development, digitization including e-Agriculture, e-Health, e-Energy, e-Commerce, e-Justice, ICT Education, IoT, FinTech, Artificial Intelligence & Robotics, Cloud Computing and Big Data[26]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Telecom Indicators | PTA". www.pta.gov.pk.
  2. ^ a b "Country's internet penetration stands at 54%". The Express Tribune. 30 July 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  3. ^ "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATION". moitt.gov.pk. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d "Telecom Indicators | PTA". Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. 1 January 2024. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  5. ^ a b "List of FLL Operators" (PDF). Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  6. ^ "Pakistan Country Report", The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, United States, 14 June 2011.
  7. ^ "Submarine Cable Landing Stations of Pakistan" (PDF). Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  8. ^ "SEA-ME-WE 6 - Submarine Networks". www.submarinenetworks.com. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  9. ^ Hassan, Taimoor (10 March 2024). "Is PTCL throttling one of its competitors through anticompetitive practices?". Profit by Pakistan Today. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  10. ^ Attaa, Aamir (28 May 2013). "Link Dot Net Wraps up its Broadband Operations in Pakistan". ProPakistani. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  11. ^ Ahmadani, Ahmad (28 February 2021). "Why is Pakistan's internet so slow?". Profit by Pakistan Today. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  12. ^ Gardezi, Ahsan (20 February 2024). "PTA Asks Nayatel, PTCL, Zong and Telenor to Resolve Bandwidth Dispute Within 3 Days". ProPakistani. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  13. ^ Siraj, Wahaj (21 February 2024). "Might tries to be right, Internet is no exception". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  14. ^ "Broadband subscriptions reach 100m in Pakistan". Dawn. 3 April 2021.
  15. ^ "Zong 4G - Achieving a Digitally Connected and Innovative Pakistan". 19 January 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  16. ^ "Media Center Detail Jazz Super 4g Upgrades Technology With L900 To Become An Even Faster Mobile Network - Jazz". jazz.com.pk. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  17. ^ "Telenor Pakistan launches LTE-A network". telegeography.com. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  18. ^ "Pakistan becomes first South Asian country to test 5G services". 22 August 2019.
  19. ^ "Zong successfully test 5G in Pakistan". Business Recorder. 22 August 2019.
  20. ^ "'Pakistan on short list of 5G-ready countries with Zong's successful trial'". Dawn. 22 August 2019.
  21. ^ "Urdu on the internet", Ammara Khan, Spider Magazine, reprinted by Dawn News, 29 August 2012.
  22. ^ "PTA Annual Report 2018-19".
  23. ^ "The eCommerce market in Pakistan". e-commerce database. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  24. ^ "A Look Into Pakistan's E-Commerce Industry". Pakwm. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  25. ^ "Pakistan the next frontier for entrepreneurs and investors". TechinAsia. 23 April 2013.
  26. ^ MoITT. "Digital Pakistan Policy" (PDF).

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Internet in Pakistan.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Internet_in_Pakistan&oldid=1220837050"