Pakistan’s largest telecom group tested 5G technology at a ceremony held at PTCL Headquarters. The trials were non-commercial and were conducted in a limited environment, and the results obtained are absolutely astonishing.
By Sayyed Shehzer Abbas
Pakistan has achieved the fastest internet speed in its history with downloading speed reaching 1.685 gigabits per second. Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Amin Ul Haque also attended the ceremony and appreciated the efforts of PTCL Group for introducing 5G technology in Pakistan. He said that 5G technology will surely enable an emerging technological environment an ecosystem conducive for economic prosperity in Pakistan.
The ceremony highlighted the usage of 5G technology in Pakistan. The demonstrations included remote surgery, cloud gaming and overview of anticipated 5G technology applications. Once the 5G technology is launched commercially, it will help the doctors in conducting surgeries remotely in far-flung areas. Thus, it will create new social and economic development opportunities that will make the dream of Digital Pakistan a reality
The Digital Pakistan project was launched back in 2018 that aimed to bolster the IT industry by building a digital ecosystem. The government of Pakistan initiated the Digital Pakistan Vision project in 2019 with an aim of enhancing connectivity, improving digital infrastructure, increasing investment in digital skills, promoting innovation, and tech. entrepreneurship.
“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,” IT and Telecommunication Secretary Shoaib Siddiqui said.
PTCL Group Acting CEO Nadeem Khan said, “With today’s successful 5G trial in a limited environment, we believe that this technology will unlock new realities for eHealth, smart homes & 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,”.
This might be the start of another digital era for Pakistan and completing its goals for digitizing Pakistan. The country is expected to experience 5G commercial by 2022-2023.