Teletimes April 2011.pdf
Teletimes April 2011.pdf
Teletimes April 2011.pdf
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generation in Pakistan along<br />
with the affordable data tariffs<br />
that can be offered on 3G<br />
networks create the neces for<br />
the uptake of mobile broadband<br />
Internet. While this certainly<br />
will benefit the consumer, the<br />
mobile operators will surely reap<br />
the benefits with much higher<br />
data ARPUs.<br />
Over the last year, the<br />
Government of Pakistan<br />
has held various seminars<br />
and workshops for the<br />
telecom sector which have<br />
proven to be extremely<br />
vauable in developing<br />
an understanding of<br />
the technology and<br />
highlighting the need for<br />
immediate 3G network<br />
rollouts.<br />
The deployment of high<br />
speed mobile broadband<br />
networks will also bring<br />
Foreign Direct Investment<br />
in the country and will have<br />
avery positive impact on the<br />
economic growth. It will create<br />
opportunities for the local IT<br />
and software industry where<br />
the application developers<br />
will be able to put their skills<br />
to use with local applications<br />
development.<br />
TT - What is your take on 3G<br />
and 4G and what do you feel<br />
would be the right choice for<br />
Pakistan?<br />
RK - First of all, the mobile<br />
licenses in Pakistan are<br />
‘technology neutral’. The mobile<br />
operators have the discretion to<br />
choose whichever technology<br />
they wish to deploy, be it 3G or<br />
4G. However, there are a few<br />
considerations that need to be<br />
taken into account when talking<br />
about 3G and 4G.<br />
There is a lot of confusion about<br />
what is 3G and what is 4G. The<br />
ITU has recently determined<br />
that the term 4G could be used<br />
for the evolved 3G technologies<br />
referencing HSPA+ due to the<br />
evolution in the technology<br />
providing substantial level of<br />
improvement in performance.<br />
The specifications for the IMT<br />
Advanced technologies (LTE<br />
Advanced and WirelessMAN<br />
Advanced) will be finalized<br />
in its IRU R Recommendation<br />
expected in 2012.<br />
3G has an<br />
extremely<br />
robust<br />
ecosystem<br />
that includes<br />
many successful operators and<br />
innovative vendors/developers<br />
motivated by prospects<br />
of achieving significant<br />
scale; as a result, the 3G<br />
ecosystem continues to<br />
thrive despite current<br />
economic challenges.<br />
Currently, there are<br />
over 1.2 billion 3G<br />
subscribers in the<br />
world with over 665<br />
operators. According<br />
to industry analysts,<br />
the number of 3G<br />
subscriptions will reach 2.8<br />
billion by 2014.<br />
A key factor in choosing<br />
a given technology is the<br />
actual frequency spectrum<br />
that drives the decision due<br />
to availability of, or lack<br />
thereof, the infrastructure and<br />
devices. The current spectrum<br />
available in Pakistan that is<br />
under consideration, 2.1 GHz,<br />
for auction has been globally<br />
used for 3G / HSPA network<br />
deployments. There have been<br />
literally thousands of 3G devices<br />
including feature phones, smart<br />
phones, tablets,<br />
laptops with<br />
embedded<br />
3G modems, USB dongles, e<br />
Readers, etc., commercially<br />
available for so many years.<br />
In comparison, there is no<br />
deployment of LTE in this<br />
particular frequency band<br />
and no availability of any<br />
commercial device.<br />
I believe this presents a very<br />
clear choice of technology to the<br />
operators, i.e., HSPA+, whether<br />
you want to call it 3G or 4G.<br />
TT - While the government has<br />
clearly indicated 3G spectrum<br />
auction to take place this year,<br />
what challenges you see might<br />
arise for the operators towards<br />
adoption of 3G and what steps<br />
should be taken in order to<br />
make 3 a success in Pakistan?<br />
RK - The auction process<br />
has been delayed for far too<br />
long and that has created<br />
a challenge in itself. These<br />
delays create uncertainty<br />
and unpredictability of the<br />
government’s plans and<br />
make it very difficult for the<br />
operators an the rest of the<br />
industry that is linked with it,<br />
to plan anything. The delay in<br />
licensing is not only depriving<br />
the consumers to access a wide<br />
range of high speed mobile<br />
broadband services on latest<br />
and advanced devices but is also<br />
hampering the economic growth.<br />
One of the operators’<br />
concerns has<br />
been the<br />
There is a lot of<br />
confusion about what is 3G<br />
and what is 4G. The ITU has recently<br />
determined that the term 4G could be<br />
used for the evolved 3G technologies<br />
referencing HSPA+ due to the evolution<br />
in the technology providing<br />
substantial level of improvement<br />
in performance.<br />
anticipated<br />
bid amount for<br />
the 3G spectrum.<br />
A<br />
reasonable<br />
amount will make it a win win<br />
situation for all stake holders.<br />
Once the auction process is<br />
completed, the operators will<br />
need to do proper network<br />
34 www.teletimesinternational.com<br />
15Apr - 14May 2011
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