The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman, Shahzada Alam Malik has said that WiMAX, the 3-G technology will be available in Pakistan's market within next two months. "A Gulf-based company is rolling in the new technology in this part of the world to help introduce eight-digit mobile phone numbers," he said.
While addressing the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Thursday. Malik urged local businessmen to set up mobile phone manufacturing units since the country was spending a huge foreign exchange on import of mobile sets.
He observed that the number of mobile subscriber had considerably increased to 65 million and two million were being added every month as 45 percent of the population are reportedly recorded as mobile users.
While referring about the line phones, Malik said that the conventional telecom system was now stagnant. "More lines were being provided to facilitate with triple play facilities comprising Internet, telephone and television in the towns like Lahore and Islamabad."
The PTA Chairman appreciated the concerned authorities for their efforts to curb the mobile theft adding that the IMEI system was effective in blocking 100,000 stolen mobile phones.
Furthermore, the chairman highlighted the business-friendly policies that had attracted a foreign direct investment of up to US $1.9 billion in the fiscal years 2006 and 2007. He focused on the future of mobile phone sector and termed it as the vital segment of country's economic growth and development as the number of cell sites in Pakistan has touched the level of 11,800 in June 2007 from 360 in 2003.
The LCCI President, Shahid Hassan Sheikh, urged the PTA to ensure the provision of DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) service to industrial zones.
However he maintained, the PTCL was earning a profit of Rs 20.77 billion in the year 2006 as it was charging high line rent, therefore, should be curtailed with immediate effect. He lamented the PTCL for charging a surcharge of 10 percent on late payment whereas banks were charging a 15 percent interest on loans for whole year. The PTA should improve services offered by the ISP in a sense of better Internet connectivity, concluded.