Page 53 - SAMENA Trends - August 2019

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Zong Claims Pakistan’s First 5G Trial;

Download Speeds Surpass 1Gbps

Zong, Pakistan’s third largest mobile operator in terms of subscribers,
has announced that it is the ‘first network to successfully test 5G
in Pakistan’. The cellco, which is backed by Chinese powerhouse
China Mobile Communications Corporation, staged the trial at
its headquarters in Islamabad, and generated download speeds
in excess of 1Gbps. As previously reported by TeleGeography’s
CommsUpdate, in July this year the Pakistan Telecommunication
Authority (PTA) published guidelines for issuing temporary
5G authorizations to service providers, vendors and research
organizations. The ‘Framework for Test and Development of Future
Technologies (Particularly Fifth Generation [5G] Wireless Networks)’
document stated that the frequencies can include – but are not
limited to – airwaves in the 2.6GHz, 3.6GHz and millimeter wave
(mmWave) ranges. There is no charge for a temporary license, which
have an initial duration of either three or six months but may be
extended – subject to approval from the PTA.

Bangladesh Records 5 Million New Mobile Phone Users

Bangladesh’s cellphone companies in the operators added 4.783 million new users and Teletalk stood at 75.330 million, 47.939
first half of this year saw nearly 5 million in January-June period. Of the total, the million, 34.667 million and 3.836 million
new users to take the country’s total BTRC data showed the companies added respectively at the end of June, BTRC
subscribers base to 161.772 million at 0.943 million new subscribers in June. data showed. According to the statistics
the end of June, statistics of the country’s Bangladesh has currently four mobile of the country’s telecom regulator, the
telecom regulator showed Tuesday. companies, three of which are foreign- number of Bangladesh’s mobile phone
According to data from the Bangladesh backed cellphone operators. The number subscribers was 156.989 million at the end
Telecommunication Regulatory Comm- of subscribers of the mobile operators, of December 2018.
ission (BTRC), the country’s four phone Grameenphone, Robi Axiata, Banglalink

97% of People with Higher Education Use Internet in Iran

Some 97 percent of people with higher are elementary school students, 16.2 month. According to the statistics, some
education are internet users in Iran, percent are middle school students, 35.9 99 percent of people with higher education
according to statistics released by percent are high school students and 29.4 use cellphones. Some 80 percent of
Information Technology Organization, percent are university undergraduates. people with unofficial education and 58
Mehr reported. Moreover, 99 percent of Amongst the internet users aged six years percent of illiterate people use cellphones.
people with higher education use mobiles old and above, 94 percent use mobile About 97 percent of employed people, 91
and 93.4 percent of people use computers, internet. Some 80 percent use internet at percent of unemployed people, and 66
the report added. The internet penetration their homes, 5.9 percent use internet at percent of students aged 10 and above
rate for illiterate people is 8.4 percent their workplaces, 6.7 percent use internet use cellphones. The computer penetration
and the computer penetration rate is 8.1 at their educational places, 1.2 percent use rate is 35.7 percent amongst people
percent. However half of illiterate people internet at libraries, and about 1.3 percent with elementary school education. The
are mobile users. The statistics show use internet at coffee nets, restaurants, figure is 46.6 percent among people with
that 41.4 percent of internet users have and airports. According to the statistics, middle school education. The computer
elementary school education, 64.4 percent about 29.4 million Iranians use internet penetration rate is 48.6 percent amongst
have middle school education, and 88.6 at least once a day. Meanwhile, 3.5 people who hold diplomas and is 93 percent
percent of internet users hold diplomas. million people use internet once a week amongst people with higher education.
Meanwhile, 16.6 percent of internet users and 749,000 people use internet once a

53 AUGUST 2019