Page 115 - SAMENA Trends - January-February 2025

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

operators are set to launch 5G services in June 2025, though Act are expected soon, aimed at strengthening regulations against
coverage obligations and specific rollout details remain unclear at fake news. (January 7, 2025) www.meatechwatch.com
this stage. The Ministry of IT and Telecom has stressed that the
introduction of 5G will represent a major milestone in Pakistan’s The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) launched its
strategic telecommunications plan, ensuring reliable, high-speed annual report for the year 2024. The report offers an insightful
internet across the country. This ambitious project, which began overview of key technological, infrastructural, regulatory, and
planning as far back as January 2020, aims to enhance Pakistan’s consumer-centric interventions and reforms implemented by
technological infrastructure, although it has been delayed from its PTA during the year. According to the report, the telecom sector
original target of an August 2024 launch. generated a record revenue of Rs. 955 billion in FY 2023-24,
(January 21, 2025) www.meatechwatch.com reflecting a remarkable growth of 17pc over FY 2022-23, despite
economic challenges. Moreover, cellular mobile services are now
According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the available to 91pc and 4G services to 81pc of the population, with
number of cellular subscribers in Pakistan reached 193,238,238 total telecom subscribers reaching an impressive 196 million by
million by the end of November 2024, with a mobile teledensity September 2024. The number of broadband subscribers touched
of 79.10 percent. The data also showed a growth in mobile 142.3 million from 127.6 million in June 2023, while average
broadband subscribers, reaching 139 million and achieving mobile internet speed saw an increase of 28pc, rising from 15.65
a mobile penetration rate of 56.90 percent. Fixed telephone Mbps to 20.02 Mbps. According to the repot the data usage also
subscribers stood at 3 million, reflecting a fixed teledensity of 1.10 increased by 24.2pc reaching 25,141 in FY 2023-24, whereas,
percent, while broadband subscribers totaled 143 million, resulting broadband penetration reached 58.4pc compared to 53.6pc in
in a broadband penetration rate of 58.39 percent. In response to 2023. During FY 2023-24, 29.6 million mobile devices were locally
a National Assembly query, Parliamentary Secretary Sajid Mehdi manufactured, which met 94pc of the demand in the country. These
revealed that 86,000 SIM cards had been blocked for involvement advancements were underpinned by a series of strategic regulatory
in anti-state activities. He also mentioned the government's initiatives aimed at sustaining sectoral growth and innovation. The
action of blocking the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) Annual Report 2024 serves as a testament to PTA’s commitment
to combat misinformation. Additionally, restrictions have been to steering the telecom industry towards digital transformation in
placed on VPN usage to control the flow of false information. Mr. line with global standards. (December 17, 2024) www.pakobserver.net
Mehdi further indicated that amendments to the Electronic Crimes

Qatar

The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), represented services. This partnership strengthens Qatar’s role in international
by its President, Engineer Ahmad Abdulla AlMuslemani, signed spectrum management and reinforces our dedication to upholding
a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the International ITU’s regulatory standards,” he added. “These enhanced space
Telecommunication Union (ITU) to enhance global efforts in monitoring capabilities will continue to ensure the high reliability
addressing harmful interference to space services. The signing of satellite communications and other space services in the real
ceremony occurred in Geneva, Switzerland, in the presence of world,” noted the ITU Radio Communication Bureau Director, Mario
the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations Mankiewicz. “This supports the interference-free operation of not
Office in Geneva H E Dr. Hind Abd Al Rahman Al Muftah. The only current systems but also of future innovative systems that
MoU establishes a framework for cooperation in radio-frequency will be launched thanks to the 2023 World Radio Communication
monitoring and interference resolution to support international Conference decisions adopted in Dubai in 2023 and effective from
telecommunications. Under the MoU, CRA’s Space Radio this year”. (February 25, 2025) www.meatechwatch.com
Monitoring Centre (SRMC) will provide technical assistance to ITU in
performing measurements related to cases of harmful interference The government struck an agreement with US-based data
affecting geostationary and non-geostationary satellite networks company Scale AI to help boost adoption of and training in the
and systems. This initiative aligns with ITU’s Constitution and technology, with plans to develop more than 50 use cases by 2029.
Radio Regulations, which mandate the coordination of global Qatar’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology
efforts to eliminate harmful interference between radio stations (MCIT) stated it signed a five-year strategic deal during the Web
of different countries. “This MoU reflects Qatar’s continuous Summit Qatar 2025 event as part of ongoing efforts to enhance
efforts to ensure an interference-free environment for space operational efficiency in government entities. Scale AI will provide
communications,” said AlMuslemani. “Through our Space the Qatari government with “advanced AI-powered tools” and
Radio Monitoring Centre, CRA is well-positioned to assist ITU products to simplify key processes including predictive analytics,
in detecting and resolving harmful interference, which is crucial automation and advanced data analysis. Over the next five
for maintaining the reliability of global telecommunications years, the MCIT will work with Scale AI to drive adoption in the

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