Broadband users including 3G & 4G cross 50 mln mark

PESHAWAR (APP):The number of broadband subscribers including 3G and 4G subscribers in the country has crossed 50 million, showing around 24.5 per cent penetration till November last year.

Of the total users, mobile broadband remained the major contributor, sharing 48 million 3G and 4G subscribers till the period. The 3G and 4G subscription registered 23.5 per cent penetration, revealed statistics issued by regulator Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

Till the period, the number of mobile phone users reached 144 million as compared to 142.5 million by October 2017. The tele-density for cellular mobile reached 70.83 percent.

Jazz’s total count for 3G users stood at 14.096 million by end-November as compared to 13.93 million by end-October 2017, registering an increase of 0.166 million. Jazz 4G user numbers jumped from 1,558,180 by October to 1,750,866 by end-November

Zong 3G subscribers increased to 9.0297 million by end-November 2017 as compared to 8.976 million by end-October, while the number of 4G users jumped from 4,8 million by end-October to 4.9 by end-November.

The number of 3G users of Telenor network decreased from 10.635 million by end-October 2017 to 10.591 million. Like others the number of 4G users jumped from 1,162,870 by end-October 2017 to 1,361,514 by end-November 2017.

Ufone added 67,517 3G users on its network during the month of November as the total number reached 5.57 million by end-November against 5.4889 million by end-October 2017.

The number of broadband subscribers in other technologies included DSL 1,562,360, HFC 52,108, Wimax 151,092, FTTH 55775 and EvDO 518646.

Meanwhile, experts of telecom industry are having a viewpoint that portable mobile broadband devices like MiFi and Wingles are one of the main reasons of this growth in 3G/4G subscribers and many more will follow this trend in upcoming days. The mobile broadband is helping in widespread adoption of social media which has an impact on everyday lives of billions of people around the world.

Social media has also been gaining vast popularity among masses in Pakistan. The introduction of mobile broadband coupled with influx of affordable Smartphones had a catalytic effect on use of social media.

People turn towards social media to voice their opinions, experiences, suggestions and feedback on any topic or constituent of the society.

PTA is also in process of formulating framework for testing of 5G in Pakistan.