Big 5G Talks, Yet 4G Still Disappoints – New Report

Different governments, including the incumbent caretaker government, have made loud claims about the launch of 5G in Pakistan. However, the latest report from the famous mobile analytics company Opensignal shows that even 4G availability has declined as compared to the previous report of August 2023.

As evident in the below-mentioned images, 4G availability with respect to time has declined for all cellular mobile operators. The 4G availability of Jazz has declined by around 4%, Telenor by around 8%, Ufone by around 15%, and Zong by around 7%.

Can we really launch 5G in the near future?

Therefore, a question arises: if the CMOs are not able to provide 4G all the time, how will they be able to launch and sustain a 5G network? 5G networks demand not only robust infrastructure but also enhanced spectrum allocation, advanced network management systems, and comparatively much more investments in technology and infrastructure upgrades.

Moreover, the challenges related to the deployment of 5G are greater than those of maintaining 4G networks.  Therefore, if the existing state of 4G availability is under par, it shows a need for telcos and regulatory authorities to address existing infrastructure deficiencies and operational inefficiencies before embarking on the launch of 5G.

The anticipation of the 5G launch in Pakistan has been ongoing for years, with each government making assertions about rolling out the next-generation technology in their respective tenures. However, the most fundamental requirements for launching 5G have not been met as of yet.