|
|
 |
|
Viewing report
|
|
|
|
Pakistan Telecommunications Report Q1 2012
Business Monitor International, Dec 2011, Pages: 99
Pakistan Telecommunications Report provides industry professionals and strategists, corporate analysts, telecommunication associations, government departments and regulatory bodies with independent forecasts and competitive intelligence on Pakistan's telecommunications industry.
Q112 update on Pakistan’s telecommunications market contains new five-year growth forecasts for the development of the country’s mobile telephony, internet usage and fixed-line sectors. This quarter we have extended our forecasts through to the end of 2016. Since our last update, new operational data has become available for Q211 and (in some cases) Q311. This data has been published by Pakistan’s telecoms sector regulator, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and several of the country’s network operators. These include the Norwegian telco Telenor and Egypt’s Orascom Telecom. These two companies own Pakistan’s two largest mobile network operators.
In H111, Pakistan’s mobile industry grew by 6.0%. The country’s mobile subscriber base grew to 108.89mn. For 2011 as a whole, we estimate that Pakistan’s mobile customer base grew by just over 12% to reach 115.2mn, a penetration rate of just over 65%. In future, we expect the relatively low penetration of mobile services, especially in rural regions, to encourage mobile operators to continue expanding their network and pursue subscribers aggressively.
Recent noteworthy developments in Pakistan’s telecoms market include the news in September that the government had formed a cabinet committee, with responsibility for resolving the dispute over auction of 3G licences. Pakistan's government previously revealed plans to issue the country’s first 3G concessions in October, expressing hopes that the sale process would generate as much as US$1bn. However, the government failed to meet this target date and the licensing process will not occur until 2012.
Our new forecast expects around 500,000 3G subscribers at the end of 2012. This number has potential to increase rapidly over the next few years and our new forecast predicts around 3.5mn subscribers at the end of 2016.
Also, in September 2011 the chairman of Pakistan’s telecoms regulator proposed that the state use around PKR80bn (US$909mn) generated by the country’s Universal Service Fund (USF) to help increase broadband penetration. Pakistan had 1.397mn broadband subscribers at the end of May 2011. This was up from 1.141mn at the end of 2010. We estimate that Pakistan’s broadband industry grew by 59% in 2011, down from the 77% growth rate in 2010. By the end of 2011 the number of broadband subscribers had risen to over 1.8mn, a penetration rate of 1%.
Pakistan has risen from 12th to 11th position in BMI’s latest set of Business Environment Ratings for the Asia Pacific telecoms markets. Although Pakistan receives a lower score in the Industry Risks category, it receives a higher Country Risks rating. These changes have affected Pakistan’s overall score, which has fallen from 51 to 50.1. However, a weaker performance by the Philippines has helped push Pakistan further up our table. Pakistan is now ahead of Bangladesh and the Philippines, but several points behind India.
Product samples
A sample for this product is available. Please Login/Register to download this sample.
|
|
|
|
