1. Digital Landscape of Pakistan
2/4/ :53 AM
Digital Landscape of Pakistan
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority
Sept 2018
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2. Policy, Regulatory and Industry Structure
Ministry of IT & Telecom (MOIT&T)
Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA)
PTCL, NTC, SCO
Frequency Allocation Board
Private Operators
FREQUENCY ASSIGNMENT
POLICY DECISIONS
WIRELESS & WIRELINE SVCS
REGULATORY FUNCTIONS
Pak Software Export Board
IT & SOFTWARE PROMOTION
USF/R&D Fund (IGNITE)
TELECOM DEVELOPMENT & R&D
WIRELESS & WIRELINE SVCS

3. PTA Authority & Divisions
Member (Technical)
Member (Finance)
Member (C&E)

4. Present Licensing Framework
a- Wireline Directorate - Fixed Line Sector
Long Distance International (LDI)
Local Loop (LL)
Fixed Local Loop (FLL)
Wireless Local Loop(WLL)
Class Value Added Services (CVAS)
Data CVAS
Voice CVAS
CVAS Registration
Telecom Infrastructure Provider(TIP)
Telecom Tower Provider (TTP)
Third Party Service Provider (TPSP)
Integrated License (LDI+FLL+Value Added)*
b- Wireless Directorate - Cellular Mobile Sector:
Cellular Mobile Licenses
Next Generation Mobile Services (NGMS) licenses.
c- RBS Directorate - Wireless (Radio Based Services) Sector:
HF/VHF/UHF Permissions
Aeronautical Services
Maritime Services
Amateur Radio
*not offered anymore

5. Licenses Awarded Sr. No. Service Type Total Licenses Issued Total
(Overall)
Pakistan
AJK & GB 1
Cellular Mobile 5 6 11 2
Next Generation Mobile Service 3
FLL
161 9
170 4
TIP 14
TTP 15
CVAS
638 16
654 7
WLL
103
110 8
LDI/Integrated 27 9 
TPSP 10
Wireless (HF / UHF / VHF / VSAT, etc.)
1111
Total Overall
2119

6. Telecom De-Regulation Policy 2003
Open and Technology Neutral
License Term Years
Local Loop (LL)
Initial License Fees (ILF) US$ 10,000 / Telecom Region - 14 Regions
Wireless Local Loop Option (Spectrum Auctioned)
Long Distance & International (LDI)
Initial License Fees (ILF) US$ 500,000
Security Bond US$ 10 Million
Deregulated incumbent operator PTCL.

7. List of LDI Operators in Pakistan
S. No.
Company Name
License Category 1
National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC)
Integrated 2
Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd. (PTCL) 3
LINKdotNET Telecom Ltd.
LDI 4
Wateen Telecom (Pvt.) Ltd. 5
Telenor LDI Communications (Pvt.) Ltd. 6
Multinet Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd. 7
REDtone Telecommunication Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd. 8
Telecard Ltd. 9
ADG LDI (Pvt.) Ltd. 10
Wise Communication Systems (Pvt.) Ltd. 11
Dancom Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd. 12
Wi-Tribe Pakistan Ltd. 13
Circle Net Communications (Pakistan) (Pvt.) Ltd. 14
4B Gentel International (Pvt.) Ltd. 15
Worldcall Telecom Ltd. 16
CMPak LDI Ltd.
Major LDI licensees include PTCL, Multinet, Telenor, Wateen, Linkdotnet deployed their own long haul and metro fiber links.
Other LDIs (CMPak, NTC, Witribe, 4B Gentle, Circlenet, WorldCall, Wise Com, ADG LDI) are leasing infrastructure from available network of LDI’s.
S.No.
Operator
Long Haul Fiber (Km) 1
PTCL
14,784 2
Wateen
13,355 3
Multinet
7,003 4
Link Dot Net
10,945 5
Telenor
10,199 
Total
56,286

8. Enabling Technologies (OFC)

9. International Connectivity
International Connectivity (SCO & PTCL)
International Connectivity
Pakistan International Hub for the cables - Connectivity with India, Afghanistan, Central States Iran on the way
This $44 million fiber optic cable is being laid between Pakistan and China and it will become another high-speed international connection to cater to the rapidly growing Internet traffic needs of Pakistan.
According to the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) China has already released $11.24 million for establishment of Cross-border optic fiber cableThe task of the project to lay 820 km long cable between Rawalpindi and Khunjrab has been given to Special Communications Organization (SCO), which will be completed in two years.
When completed, this back-haul fiber optic cable will provide Pakistan with a direct telecom access to China, Central Asian States and from there to Europe and to and from the United States

10. Submarine Cables
South East Asia–Middle East–Western Europe (SEA-ME-WE)
Trans-World (TW)
India-Middle East-Western Europe (I-ME-WE)
Asia-Africa-Europe (AAE)
Silk Route Gateway (SRG)

11. International Connectivity
Submarine Cable Layout (PTCL & TWA)
Existing Submarine Cable layout (PTCL & TWA)
International Connectivity
Pakistan International Hub for the cables - Connectivity with India, Afghanistan, Central States Iran on the way
SEA-ME-WE 3
SEA-ME-WE 4
Capacity- 70Gbps
Utilization= 65%
Capacity- 400Gbps
Utilization = 60%
TW-1
I-ME-WE
Capacity- 300Gbps
Utilization- 37%
Capacity- 240Gbps
Utilization- 67%
SEA-ME-WE-3 (South East Asia, Middle East and Western Europe 3), owned by PTCL
SEA-ME-WE-4, owned by PTCL
I-ME-WE, owned by PTCL
TWA-1, owned by a private entity called Transworld Associates

12. International Connectivity
Submarine Cable Layout (PTCL & TWA)
International Connectivity
Pakistan International Hub for the cables - Connectivity with India, Afghanistan, Central States Iran on the way
SEA-ME-WE 5
AAE -1
Capacity- 24Tbps
Utilization- 40%
Capacity- 40Tbps
Utilization- 30%

13. International Connectivity
Future Submarine Cable layout
International Connectivity
Pakistan International Hub for the cables - Connectivity with India, Afghanistan, Central Asian States- Iran on the way
PEACE
Total Capacity = 60 Tbps
Pakistan (Gwadar and Karachi) , Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya

14. Submarine Cable Layout (Multinet)
SRG-1
Submarine Cable Layout (Multinet)
Pakistan International Hub for the cables - Connectivity with India, Afghanistan, Central Asian States- Iran on the way
Total Capacity = 10Tbps
Pakistan (Gwadar & Karachi) & Oman

15. Landing Stations & Transit Traffic Opportunity
Turkmenistan: >1 Gbps
Kyrgyz Republic: 5 Gbps
Uzbekistan: 7.8 Gbps
Azerbaijan: 205 Gbps
Kazakhstan: 275 Gbps
Russian Federation: 2.5 Tbps
Tajikistan: 2.5 Gbps
Afghanistan: 13 Gbps
ESCAP2015. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
Country
Landing Stations
USA 72
France 18
Singapore 5
India 10
Iran
Indonesia 4
Oman /UAE 3

16. Various Milestones of Cellular Industry
Sector Growth
NGMS spectrum Auction in May 2016
NGMSA Auction in May 2017
Next Generation Spectrum Auction held on 23rd Apr 2014
CMPAK “ZONG” acquires Paktel and starts offering Cellular Services
2017
2016
2014
UFONE Started its Operations as 2nd GSM Operator
2013
2007
2004
Value Partner hired as NGMS Auction Consultants
2001
1st Spectrum Auction
Telenor & Warid begin operations in Pakistan
1992
1st GSM Operator “Mobilink” Launched Services
2 Cellular (AMPS) issued to Paktel & Instaphone

17. Cellular Mobile Subscribers

18. Mobile Broadband Subscribers (Quarter wise)

19. Broadband Penetration

20. Generations of Regulators by ITU
G1: Regulated public monopolies– command and control approach
G2: Basic reform – partial liberalization and privatization across the layers
G3: Enabling investment, innovation and access – dual focus on stimulating competition in service and content delivery, and consumer protection
G4: Integrated regulation – led by economic and social policy goals

21. ITU – World Map
Pakistan is the only 4th Generation Regulator in South Asia

22. Telecom Regulatory Tracker – Pakistan’s Ranking
Pakistan is ranked 35/190 Countries

23. Mobile Broadband (MBB) as an Enabler
Connected Communities
Internet of things
Increasing number of connected devices per person
Broadband
Digital Financial Inclusion
Doing business and make payment from mobile
Interpersonal
Communication
Communicate, play and share content with friends from mobile
M-Health
Medical advice in remote areas
Entertainment
Use of mobile as a portable TV
Women Empowerment
M-Education
Education for all
Digital CITIZENSHIP
Wikipedia: Using ICTs to engage in society, politics, and government participation
PERSONAL ECOSYSTEM
Access and control of connected devices remotely from mobile
M-Agriculture
More than 60% of our population live in rural areas, mainly dependent on agriculture

24. 5G Performance compared with 4G
IP Core
10-20 ms

25. 5G & IoT
5G networks will enable more Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities as well as connected cars and certain Smart City applications.

26. 5G Trials
Government Policy for Test and Trials for future Networks in place since Oct 2017.
A PTA- FAB – MoIT&T - Operator – Vendor- Academia based Working Group is being established
Pakistan to participate with Standardization bodies especially in WRC-19
Free Trials will be offered. Test & Trial Framework in progress
Spectrum Need Analysis by Vendors
ICT R&D Fund to be used for 5G Trials

27. Pakistan Telecom Authority
IoT – Collaboration between Stakeholders
ORGANIZATION
ABB.
FUNCTION
Pakistan Telecom Authority
PTA
PTA to issue service licenses
Frequency Allocation Board
FAB
FAB to allocate spectrum for IoT
Higher Education Commission
HEC
HEC to promote IoT related university projects
Technology Incubation Centers
TIC
TIC to train potential entrepreneurs
Security & Exchange Commission of Pakistan
SECP
SECP to assist entrepreneurs in company registration
ICT R&D Fund
IGNITE
IGNITE to release funding for IoT start-ups

28. Legal & Regulatory Challenges

29. Ease of Doing Business
South Asian countries, including Pakistan rank low in World Bank’s Index on Ease of doing business. The Telecom Regulators needs to minimize regulations in order to encourage Entrepreneurship in country.

30. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of (17) global goals set by the United Nations. The SDGs are also known as 2030 Agenda in short.
The theme of World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-17) was also "ICT for Sustainable Development Goals“.

31. THANKS

32. PTA Vision & Functions Functions VISION
Create a fair regulatory regime
to promote investment, encourage
competition, protect consumer
Interest and ensure high
quality ICT services.
Functions
1. Recommend Government on Policy Formulation
2. Regulate Telecom System
3. Create Fair Competition
4. Promote Modernization
5. Receive / Dispose Radio Spectrum Applications

33. PTA Vision & Functions VISION: Create a fair regulatory regime,
Promote investment,
Encourage competition,
Protect consumer interest &
Ensure high quality ICT services.
FUNCTIONS:
Recommend Government on Policy Formulation
Regulate Telecom System
Create Fair Competition
Promote Modernization
Receive / Dispose Radio Spectrum Applications

34. Licensing Division WIRELESS DIRECTORATE WIRELINE DIRECTORATE
RADIO BASED SERVICES

35. Present Licensing Framework- Fixed Line Sector
a- Long Distance & International (LDI)
LDI service covers the provision of end to end communication between points that are;
located in different Regions,
not in the same Local Calling Area, or
located more than 25 Km apart and
located in Pakistan with points that are located outside of Pakistan.
b- Fixed Local Loop (FLL)
FLL service covers the access to the Public Switched Network and allows users to make and receive local, long distance and international real time voice telephone calls. FLL with spectrum assignment are Wireless Local Loop (WLL).
c- Telecom Infrastructure Provider (TIP)
TIP license authorize the licensee to establish and maintain the infrastructure facilities (Earth Stations, OFC, Radio Communication links, Towers, Poles etc. )in Pakistan to lease, rent out or sell end to end links to telecom operators licensed by PTA. TIP cannot operate the infrastructure.
d- Class Value Added Services (CVAS)
Provides VAS using infrastructure of LL, LDI and Cellular licenses. CVAS cannot install its own infrastructure.

36. Fiber Deployed Nation wide - LDI Operators
Major LDI licensees include PTCL, Multinet, Telenor, Wateen, Linkdotnet deployed their own long haul and metro fiber links.
Other LDIs (CMPak, NTC, Witribe, 4B Gentle, Circlenet, WorldCall, Wise Com, ADG LDI) are leasing infrastructure from available network of LDI’s.
PTCL is providing the major connectivity using Fiber, Microwave and Satellite links.
No sufficient Capacity considering 20-40% increase in Broadband trends in developing countries.

37. Fiber Deployed Nation wide- LDI Operators
PTCL
Wateen
Long haul Fiber Connectivity - 14,784 Km
Available capacity -1600Gbps,
Utilization -1360Gbps (85%)
Total long haul OFC – 13,355 Km.
Total Capacity -30 Gbps
Utilization Gbps (99%)
Linkdotnet
Multinet
Total long haul OFC- 10,945 Km
Total Capacity Gbps
Utilization Gbps (70%)
Total long haul OFC- 7,003 Km
Total Capacity Gbps
Utilization Gbps (75%)
S.No.
Operator
Long Haul Fiber (Km) 1
PTCL
14,784 2
Wateen
13,355 3
Multinet
7,003 4
Link Dot Net
10,945 5
Telenor
10,199 
Total
56,286
Telenor
Long haul Fiber Connectivity - 10,199 Km
Available capacity -800Gbps,
Utilization -480Gbps (60%)