3G cell phones to be in-thing within months

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LAHORE: The third generation (3G) mobile service will soon be available in the country, says Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) chairman Dr Muhammad Yaseen.

‘The policy-making process for 3G mobile licensing is under way and the service is likely to be launched within the next five months or so,’ Dr Yaseen told newsmen at the second Global TeleCon 2009 at a local hotel on Saturday.

The PTA chairman said that after deregulation, the telecom sector was making progress. The sector had been providing basic services to 95 per cent of its consumers and required innovation and should now offer value-added services. However, the penetration of the telecom sector in the broadband field was not up to the expectations.

’Ironically, the sector could not provide broadband service in rural areas of the country where the same is required,’ said Dr Yaseen.

Answering a question, the PTA chairman said no unregistered SIM of mobile phones was operating in the country at present. During the campaign launched by the PTA, some 11 million unregistered mobile phone SIMs had been blocked

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited Senior Executive Vice-President Sikandar Naqvi said through mobile medical units, healthcare services were being provided to the PTCL employees and residents of remote areas where such facilities were not easily accessible.

To a question, he said the PTCL would never go into any kind of price war because the aim of the company was to revolutionise data industry. The focus of the PTCL had been on education sector and in pursuance of this policy, special packages to schools and other educational institutions were being offered. Earlier, Dr Yaseen highlighted the flexibility in the existing telecom policy that accommodated rapid changes and enabled revolutionary advancements.

Speaking as chief guest at the conference, the PTA chairman stressed the need to respond quickly to global telecom transformations with regulations that could suit all players but in overall context favour economic growth and consumer satisfaction in the country.

Higher Education Commission Executive Director Prof Dr Sohail Naqvi said in his keynote speech the use of advanced technology for ease of communication should be beneficial for overall social and educational development of users. He appreciated the positive social change brought about by the robust progress in the telecom sector.

TeleCon 2009 chairman Menin Rodrigues in his welcome speech expressed the optimism that the capabilities of Pakistan’s telecom industry would help steer the country towards a sustainable economic growth.

The day-long conference was participated in by Federal Board of Investment Secretary Tariq Iqbal Puri, former ministers Javed Jabbar and Tariq Ikram, Nust School of Engineering and Computer Technology Director-General Prof Dr Arshad Ali, Virtual University Rector Dr Naveed Malik, PTA member technical Dr Khawar Siddique Khokhar and services division director-general Talib Dogar besides senior officers of telecom companies.