Pakistan's mobile market has experienced moderate growth over the last six years. Mobile growth opportunities in Pakistan have been very substantial due to a young population and rising penetration of mobile services. Slow to moderate growth is predicted over the next five years to 2024. The market will be constrained from higher growth due to very strong local competition.
The country's mobile operators are all fighting for a larger share of the market, forcing down prices and subsequently Average Revenue Per Unit (ARPU). The operators have been shifting their focus to Value Added Services (VAS) in order to improve revenues.
Mobilink and Warid merged their operations into a single brand, Jazz, which saw the number of mobile operators reduce from six to five. Further market consolidation is predicted over the next five years as the operating margins of the major operators come under further pressure.
Pakistan has seen a dramatic increase in mobile broadband penetration over the past five years. However, the mobile broadband market is still at an early stage of development with penetration well below most other Asian countries. Strong growth is predicted over the next five years to 2024, driven by further adoption of 4G and eventually 5G services.
In 2019 the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) published guidelines for issuing temporary 5G authorisations to service providers, vendors and research organisations. Zong announced that it was the first MNO to successfully test 5G in Pakistan. It staged the trial at its headquarters in Islamabad, and generated download speeds in excess of 1Gbps.
Key developments:
Companies mentioned in this report include:
Mobilink (PMCL); Ufone (PTML, PTCL's subsidiary); Telenor Pakistan; Warid Telecom; Instaphone.
The country's mobile operators are all fighting for a larger share of the market, forcing down prices and subsequently Average Revenue Per Unit (ARPU). The operators have been shifting their focus to Value Added Services (VAS) in order to improve revenues.
Mobilink and Warid merged their operations into a single brand, Jazz, which saw the number of mobile operators reduce from six to five. Further market consolidation is predicted over the next five years as the operating margins of the major operators come under further pressure.
Pakistan has seen a dramatic increase in mobile broadband penetration over the past five years. However, the mobile broadband market is still at an early stage of development with penetration well below most other Asian countries. Strong growth is predicted over the next five years to 2024, driven by further adoption of 4G and eventually 5G services.
In 2019 the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) published guidelines for issuing temporary 5G authorisations to service providers, vendors and research organisations. Zong announced that it was the first MNO to successfully test 5G in Pakistan. It staged the trial at its headquarters in Islamabad, and generated download speeds in excess of 1Gbps.
Key developments:
- 5G trials have begun in Pakistan
- Pakistan has seen a very strong increase in mobile broadband penetration over the past five years.
- Pakistan's MoIT is aiming to introduce commercial 5G services before 2020.
Companies mentioned in this report include:
Mobilink (PMCL); Ufone (PTML, PTCL's subsidiary); Telenor Pakistan; Warid Telecom; Instaphone.
Table of Contents
1 Market overview and analysis7 Appendix Historic data8 Related reports
2 Mobile statistics
3 Regulatory issues
4 Mobile infrastructure
5 Major mobile operators
6 Mobile content and applications
List of Tables
List of Charts
Companies Mentioned
- Mobilink (PMCL)
- Ufone (PTML
- PTCL's subsidiary)
- Telenor Pakistan
- Warid Telecom
- Instaphone.