Karachi: Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), the country’s leading telecom and information and communications technology (ICT) services provider said that it has successfully conducted 5G trials in a limited environment. Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Syed Amin-ul-Haque addressed the 5G Trial Ceremony at PTCL Head Quarters in Islamabad on Thursday.
“PTCL Group is redefining reality with the successful 5G trial in a limited environment, aimed towards transforming the way we live, work, and play,” an official of PTCL said.
On the occasion, Syed Amin-Ul-Haque, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, said, “I am glad to be present on this crucial event as PTCL Group takes a momentous step of a successful trial of 5G technology in Pakistan. Ministry of IT and Telecom is committed to the Prime Minister’s vision of a Digital Pakistan and Broadband for all its utility, and is striving towards the realisation of PM’s vision further. I believe that communication plays a major role in the socio-economic development and upliftment of the financial inclusion of the country. 5G technology will surely enable an emerging technological environment and ecosystem conducive for economic prosperity in Pakistan.”
Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui, Federal Secretary, IT and Telecommunication and Chairman PTCL Board of Directors, said, “We are committed to the vision of a Digital Pakistan. PTCL Group’s successful 5G trial today is a major step that will pave the way towards digitalization of Pakistan. This technology will open new avenues in many fields such as education, health, security, and communication that will have a positive social and economic impact for our country.”
Nadeem Khan, Acting CEO & Group Chief Financial Officer, PTCL Group, added, “PTCL has been serving the nation since 1947 as an integral part of everyone’s lives in the country. With today’s successful 5G trial in a limited environment, we believe that this technology will unlock new realities for eHealth, smart homes and cities, agriculture, autonomous vehicles, Cloud computing, Internet of Things, and Artificial Intelligence. PTCL Group’s remote surgery demo enabled by 5G, successfully tested for the first time in Pakistan, will enable people living in far-flung areas to potentially have access to the best medical facilities available anywhere in the world.”
On December 7, Etisalat Dubai, which owns PTCL, in yet another milestone in the 5G journey, had achieved the world’s fastest 5G download speed of 9.1 Gigabits per second. The throughput had been achieved by aggregating multiple commercial spectrum band of n78 (3.5GHz), n41 (2.6GHz), and millimeter wave n258 (26 GHz). This was accomplished through a prototype 5G device that aggregates all three bands.
Saeed Al Zarouni, Senior Vice President, Mobile Network, Etisalat, said: “We are pleased to announce that Etisalat UAE has achieved unprecedented 9.1 Gbps 5G network speed. This 5G ultra-wideband game-changing download speed is the fastest in the world. We at Etisalat always strive to meet the ever-increasing bandwidth demand from diverse needs of customers, businesses, automation, and gaming.”
“Today’s landmark announcement is a result of Etisalat’s efforts in building a robust 5G network, and 9.1 Gbps is truly a huge leap forward in the 5G era to offer a speed 30 times faster than a 4G average throughput. This will have a significant and profound change on individuals, industries, society and the economy, transforming how we live and work,” he added.
Etisalat has led the telecom sector in the region with the deployment of the 5G network, setting a major benchmark in the industry by becoming the first telco in MENA in May 2018 to launch the commercial 5G network, providing fixed wireless service in the UAE. This was followed by another major substantial breakthrough in its 5G journey by connecting and partnering with Expo 2020 as the first major commercial customer in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA) region to access 5G services.
