ISLAMABAD: Pakistani telecom operator Jazz said on Wednesday that it would roll out 5G services in a phased manner to 1,000 network sites by mid-August, saying the company has just started importing equipment for the technology.
Pakistan conducted a spectrum auction in March during which it sold 480 megahertz (MHz) of telecom frequencies for about $507 million, a key step toward deploying 5G networks in a country of more than 240 million people. Most mobile infrastructure in Pakistan still runs on fourth-generation (4G) technology.
Jazz is one of Pakistan’s major telecom operators, saying it has over 74 million mobile users, 53 million 4G subscribers and more than 100 million digital customers across its platforms. It has been operating in the country for three decades now.
Kazim Mujtaba, President of Jazz GSM, told Arab News the company has just started importing equipment and the 5G rollout to 1,000 network sites will take “some time.”
“We will expand in a phased, disciplined manner— targeting 1,000 sites by mid-August and 2,500 by year-end,” Mujtaba said. “But only where it delivers real value. Anything else is noise.”
He said Jazz is currently testing 5G services on around 180 network sites and will begin scaling from July as the ecosystem matures.
Mujtaba said iPhone users in Pakistan may have to wait even longer to use 5G services, as Apple is reviewing requests from telecom companies to enable 5G on devices in Pakistan.
Apple’s 5G devices in Pakistan require a carrier bundle update (patch) from Apple Inc. to enable 5G services, as the company restricts access until Pakistani telecom companies are officially approved.
While 5G remains in pilot phases, iPhones are constrained to make do with only 4G services until Apple authorizes network compatibility.
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Director-General for Licensing Aamir Shahzad agreed with Mujtaba’s 5G rollout timeline.
“Things are in process and the 5G rollout will be visible in the next three to four months,” he said.
Shahzad said the PTA has given telecom companies one year to roll out 5G services across 1,000 sites.
He said that as per the government’s rollout plan, telecom operators are expected to add roughly 3,000 new network sites annually to support the expansion of 5G services.
’SPECTRUM AND INCLUSION’
Mujtaba said Jazz has one of the most balanced spectrum portfolios in the market, with 284.4 MHz across low, medium and high-level bands.
He said the addition of 700 MHz is critical to extend 5G coverage into rural and underserved areas, while strengthening indoor connectivity.
However, he warned spectrum alone is not the answer to communication inclusivity.
“Devices, affordability, and policy alignment matter just as much,” he said. “Without that, we risk building capacity the country cannot fully use.”
He complained that the telecom sector is heavily taxed in Pakistan, stressing that high taxation is hampering the country’s growth potential.
“At nearly 45 percent, telecom is among the most heavily taxed sectors— yet it underpins the entire digital economy,” he said.
“You can’t build a future-ready Pakistan on yesterday’s tax model. Telecom is being taxed like a cash cow, when it should be treated as critical infrastructure.”
Pakistan’s government says the rollout of 5G services will promote digital economic growth, provide masses with access to faster Internet and promote IT services across the country.
