Technology
Karachi's Tech Sector Struggles With Connectivity Issues, Parliamentary Panel Warns
Parliamentary review points to service shortfalls reaching major urban centres including Karachi, shaping the local digital environment.
How we reported this
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication expressed serious concern over the unsatisfactory state of internet services in the country, noting that poor connectivity was affecting not only remote areas but also major cities such as Karachi.
Committee Observations on Service Quality
Committee Chairman Syed Aminul Haque observed that users frequently experienced slow internet speeds and repeated call connection failures despite multiple attempts. The panel noted that prolonged power outages adversely affected the performance of mobile towers, resulting in poor internet connectivity and disruptions in mobile services for consumers. Members noted that in certain areas, loadshedding of up to 10 hours a day significantly affected telecom services.
Spectrum Expansion and Current Deployment
PTA Chairman Hafeezur Rehman briefed the committee that the total available spectrum in the country previously stood at 274MHz but had increased to 754MHz after the 5G spectrum auction. He said telecom operators had launched 5G services in 22 cities. However, he said no new infrastructure had been deployed so far and 5G services had been enabled on existing mobile towers and network infrastructure.
Challenges and Next Steps
The committee observed that one of the major challenges affecting the quality of mobile and broadband services was shortage of electricity for basic telecommunications infrastructure. He said the matter had been taken up with Nepra and the relevant power distribution companies, which had been brought on board to address the issue. He said new 5G infrastructure would be deployed gradually in subsequent phases, which would improve the quality and speed of internet services across the country over the next six to eight months.
The prime minister had also constituted a high-level committee to devise a sustainable solution for ensuring uninterrupted power supply to telecom towers so that reliable telecom services could be provided to consumers. These developments underscore the distinctive pressures on Karachi's tech ecosystem as it contends with national infrastructure constraints while operating in a major urban setting.