Rapid Broadband Growth Augurs Well For Pakistan's Future

[RiazHaq]

Nearly 200,000 new subscribers signed up for broadband from the end of Feb to the end of May. At the end of May 2011, Pakistan had 1.4 million broadband subscribers, up from 1.2 million in February, according to figures from Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). The number of DSL subscribers rose to 654,000 compared with 595,038 in Feb, while the number of Wimax internet users stood at 397,155, up from 338,962 Wimax users in February. Some 294,161 people connected to the internet via EV-DO, up from 234,113 in Feb, and 42,490 people used HFC to access the internet, compared with 43,193 HFC users in February. Fiber is growing as well, and there were 6,222 FTTH users in March, up from 5,818 in Feb, and 1,873 broadband subscribers used other technologies.

In addition to GPON and VDSL2, PTCL offers DSL and EVO broadband services as well. PTCL's EVO-WiFi Cloud at 3G speeds (upto 3.1 Mbps) offers a mobile hotspot that intelligently converts your home/work space into a personalized wifi zone anywhere in over 100 Pakistani cities and towns covered by EVO service. The EVO-WiFi cloud device costs Rs. 7000 upfront with Rs. 2000 a month for unlimited service.

High-speed broadband expansion has propelled Pakistan to become the fourth fastest growing broadband market in the world and the second fastest in Asia, according to a recent industry report. Serbia leads all countries surveyed with a 68% annual growth rate from Q1 2010 to Q1 2011. Thailand (67%), Belarus (50%), Pakistan (46%), and Jordan (44%) follow Serbia. India is in 14th place worldwide with a 35% annual growth rate.

Leading the charge for broadband growth is PTCL (Pakistan Telecommunications Ltd.), Pakistan's state-owned telecommunications company, which recently launched 100 Mbps broadband service using Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) technology. Earlier this year PTCL rolled out bonded VDSL2 technology to deliver 50 Mbps to its existing DSL customers, five times the top speed of the nation's highest level of service at the time, at a construction cost of just $200-300 per home passed.

Growing broadband and Internet access by itself is of no value. However, such capabilities can enable huge opportunities for education, communication, business and entertainment. Take distance learning as an example. The quickest and the most cost-effective way to broaden access to education at all levels is through online schools, colleges and universities. Sitting at home in Pakistan, self-motivated learners can watch classroom lectures at world's top universities including UC Berkeley, MIT and Stanford. More Pakistanis can pursue advanced degrees by enrolling and attending the country's Virtual University that offers instructions via its website, video streaming and Youtube channel.

There are many online learning channels, like the Khan Academy, which help advance learning at secondary and tertiary levels. For those interested in vocational training and specialized work-related skills, there are plenty of Youtube channels and videos which are becoming accessible with increasing bandwidth of connections available to people at their homes, schools and offices.

In summary, I believe that the growing bandwidth available for the Internet users in Pakistan, with all its great applications for learning, work and play, is good news for the future of Pakistan. It will open a whole new world of opportunities for the nation's youth and ultimately produce significant demographic dividend.

Haq's Musings: Pakistan Launches 100 MBPS FTTH Broadband

 

[Rafi]

Nearly 200,000 new subscribers signed up for broadband from the end of Feb to the end of May. At the end of May 2011, Pakistan had 1.4 million broadband subscribers, up from 1.2 million in February, according to figures from Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). The number of DSL subscribers rose to 654,000 compared with 595,038 in Feb, while the number of Wimax internet users stood at 397,155, up from 338,962 Wimax users in February. Some 294,161 people connected to the internet via EV-DO, up from 234,113 in Feb, and 42,490 people used HFC to access the internet, compared with 43,193 HFC users in February. Fiber is growing as well, and there were 6,222 FTTH users in March, up from 5,818 in Feb, and 1,873 broadband subscribers used other technologies.

In addition to GPON and VDSL2, PTCL offers DSL and EVO broadband services as well. PTCL's EVO-WiFi Cloud at 3G speeds (upto 3.1 Mbps) offers a mobile hotspot that intelligently converts your home/work space into a personalized wifi zone anywhere in over 100 Pakistani cities and towns covered by EVO service. The EVO-WiFi cloud device cost Rs. 7000 upfront with Rs. 2000 a month for unlimited service.

High-speed broadband expansion has propelled Pakistan to become the fourth fastest growing broadband market in the world and the second fastest in Asia, according to a recent industry report. Serbia leads all countries surveyed with a 68% annual growth rate from Q1 2010 to Q1 2011. Thailand (67%), Belarus (50%), Pakistan (46%), and Jordan (44%) follow Serbia. India is in 14th place worldwide with a 35% annual growth rate.

Leading the charge for broadband growth is PTCL (Pakistan Telecommunications Ltd.), Pakistan's state-owned telecommunications company, which recently launched 100 Mbps broadband service using Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) technology. Earlier this year PTCL rolled out bonded VDSL2 technology to deliver 50 Mbps to its existing DSL customers, five times the top speed of the nation's highest level of service at the time, at a construction cost of just $200-300 per home passed.

Personal anecdote supports this evidence - our rural economy is doing really well, in our villages - the amount of consumer goods purchased by farmers is mind blowing - in our immediate family, the amount of huge LCD Tv's being bought is welcome.

Growing broadband and Internet access by itself is of no value. However, such capabilities can enable huge opportunities for education, communication, business and entertainment. Take distance learning as an example. The quickest and the most cost-effective way to broaden access to education at all levels is through online schools, colleges and universities. Sitting at home in Pakistan, self-motivated learners can watch classroom lectures at world's top universities including UC Berkeley, MIT and Stanford. More Pakistanis can pursue advanced degrees by enrolling and attending the country's Virtual University that offers instructions via its website, video streaming and Youtube channel.

There are many online learning channels, like the Khan Academy, which help advance learning at secondary and tertiary levels. For those interested in vocational training and specialized work-related skills, there are plenty of Youtube channels and videos which are becoming accessible with increasing bandwidth of connections available to people at their homes, schools and offices.



Haq's Musings: Pakistan Launches 100 MBPS FTTH Broadband

In summary, the growing bandwidth available for the Internet users in Pakistan, with all its great applications for learning, work and play, is good news for the future of Pakistan. It will open a whole new world of opportunities for the nation's youth.

 

[Rafi]

The growth of the rural economy where the majority of the poor live, is a very encouraging development - you regularly see brand new consumer goods such as Lcd tv's - brand new laptops, etc.

And super fast cheap broadband will enable us to - develop our economies much quicker.

 

[Rafi]

How???

Will enable us to develop e-commerce, also allow the use of high level quick communications.

 

[Perceptron]

let's not be too critical about Broadband usage. What matters at the end of the day is the take-home message. We are undergoing a massive revolution within India on e-Learning, DEPs, etc. India indeed has a long way to go in providing high-speed and effective Broadband access to the urban areas as a minimum, forget the countryside. Even in IITB, the Fiber backbone we get is not even comparable to say Middle-tier Univs in the US. We need a broadband boom just like we had a Telecom boom in the prev. decade.

 

[Veeru]

Veeru, let's not be too critical about Broadband usage. What matters at the end of the day is the take-home message. We are undergoing a massive revolution within India on e-Learning, DEPs, etc. India indeed has a long way to go in providing high-speed and effective Broadband access to the urban areas as a minimum, forget the countryside. Even in IITB, the Fiber backbone we get is not even comparable to say Middle-tier Univs in the US. We need a broadband boom just like we had a Telecom boom in the prev. decade.

You are wrong my friend.

1. First you have brought India into this thread it can derail this thread.

2. India and pakistan is different ball together. India's economy is growing at rocket speed for decades, we have political stability, large facilities of research & development, big Indian companies turned MNCs, superior education institutes, e-commerce due to booming economy (people have loads of money to spend) etc. etc.

But pakistan is currently going through a bad phase and that will become worse in future before turning into bright. So you can't match apple to the oranges.

 

[Perceptron]

You are wrong my friend.

1. First you have brought India into this thread it can derail this thread.

2. India and pakistan is different ball together. India's economy is growing at rocket speed for decades, we have political stability, large facilities of research & development, big Indian companies turned MNCs, superior education institutes, e-commerce due to booming economy (people have loads of money to spend) etc. etc.

But pakistan is currently going through a bad phase and that will become worse in future before turning into bright. So you can't match apple to the oranges.

Well its the OP's force of habit to quote his blogs and use India as a comparison metric. Report on his use of blogs in this forum. But what we need to do is take the message. Anyways, i am off this thread now.

 

[RiazHaq]

 

[Roybot]

India is in a transition phase. Give it a couple of years.

Mr. Anandan believes the next 200 million Indian Web users will largely access the Internet on the high-speed wireless networks that carriers are in the process of rolling out nationwide.

Read more: Google Predicts Explosive Internet Growth in India - WSJ.com

 

[RiazHaq]

Here's a Daily Times report on a tablet computer offered by PTCL:

KARACHI: Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) launched the country’s first 3G enabled tablet with built in EVO Wireless Broadband (3G EVO tab) on August 14th this year. The product has received tremendous response from the users resulting in a runaway success. The reason for its success is cited to be the fact that it is user friendly, offering on the go connectivity and affordable package price.

3G EVO Tab is a 7 inch touch screen tablet with built-in EVO service to offer wireless broadband internet on the go in more than 100 cities across the country. Powered by Google Android Froyo 2.2 Operating system, 3G EVO Tab offers support for both 3G and Wi-Fi for an un-interrupted on-the-go connectivity. With a 5MegaPixel Camera, a variety of built-in applications plus access to latest Android market, 3G EVO Tab lets a user browse, snap, share, communicate, navigate, play games and do a lot more on-the go, thereby making it an ideal connectivity solution for users looking for high speed on-the-go 3G connectivity on an Android platform. PTCL 3G EVO Tab offers convenience and speed with three diverse economy packages to suit individual needs and pockets. Its 12-month bundle offer has been very successful with majority sales in this bracket.Customers can get EVO Tab for as low as Rs 7999 plus 12-month unlimited EVO service, all at Rs 31,999. Apart from the 12-month contract, EVO Tab also offers bundled packages based on 3 and 6 month contracts at Rs 27,999 and Rs 29,999, respectively with 3 and 6 month of unlimited EVO service. Executive Vice President Wireless Business Syed Asim Ali said that it is always company’s top priority to facilitate its customers to the maximum.

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan