Pakistan

Much to say: The Text Republic of Pakistan

Country ranked fourth in SMS usage in the world.

Omair Zeeshan January 14, 2011

KARACHI: Pakistan has a lot to say. The country moved up to fourth position in the world in the number of texts sent in 2009, says a report issued by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.

According to the report on Short Messaging Service (SMS) Traffic in Pakistan and Global Trends, 151.64 billion text messages were exchanged during 2009, which is 1,532 texts per subscriber. Five trillion messages sent were in 2009 globally and only mobile phone users in the Philippines, the US and the UK had sent more texts than Pakistani users.

Moreover, the PTA estimates that SMS is used by four billion mobile users across the world who sent five trillion messages in 2009, which is approximately 105 SMSs per person per month. But in Pakistan alone, 128 SMSs were exchanged per person per month.

The report, quoting Portia research, says that the volume of messages will double to 10 trillion by 2013.

The volume of texts sent shows why SMS is among the strongest data revenue streams for mobile service operators both internationally and in Pakistan. The sheer volume of text messages sent by Pakistanis in 2009 earned the country’s mobile industry around Rs41 billion and Rs236.1 billion as a whole.

In 2008, Pakistan had the largest text messaging growth in Asia-Pacific. According to the PTA, much of the consistent growth of SMS is due to its ever-widening adoption beyond peer-to-peer messaging, such as banking, social networking, enterprise applications, advertising and machine-to-machine communication.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (19)

Shuaib | 13 years ago | Reply @Tanzeel....you got owned. lol

maryam zahoor | 13 years ago | Reply i think mostly these text messages are jokes and unnecessary exchanges of information. And excess of anything isn't good, is in fact harmful at times. However, we can't blame those who indulge in this because our society doesn't offer any substitute for entertainment or for infotainment. And it is with pleasure that I have something constructive to share here...I've designed and gotten manufactured a game called 'Race to Makkah' It's a board game and the players learn more than 220 facts about people, places, events all related to Islam. Do check it out on the facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Race-to-Makkah-board-game/145495608837809?v=wall or on the blog : www.alwaanulislam.blogspot.com

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J Ahmad | 13 years ago | Reply These numbers are highly exaggerated. I would like to see a report by some international authority. In 2006 the average monthly usage in the UK was 1billion sms. These figures were confirmed. So Pakistanis sending out 12billion messages / month is highly unlikely.

Nouman | 13 years ago | Reply @Tanzeel DUH !!! RIM stands for Research In Motion. The company which makes BBs.

Lalit | 13 years ago | Reply @Tanzeel, mate you are right one of the RIM stands for Reliance India Mobile,but this RIM is Research in motion,which is a canadian company better known as manufacturers of Blackberry smartphones.

Arsalan J. Sheikh | 13 years ago | Reply @Tanzeel RIM = Research In Motion. That's the name of the manufacturer of blackberry handsets. You'll notice the set shown in the image is a blackberry.

Adi | 13 years ago | Reply @Tanzeel...isnt RIM "research in Motion" the company that own Blackberry brand? i think the service provider for the bb in picture in Rogers

Zohaib Ashraf | 13 years ago | Reply @Tanzeel: RIM stands for Research In Motion, the company from Canada that makes blackberrys. Please do your research before commenting.

Haris | 13 years ago | Reply Could it not be due to the rise in marketing through txts?

sunny | 13 years ago | Reply Technology is good when you use it in a positive way.I think Pakistan is Biggest Market for Global Mobile companies.Proud to be Pakistani.

Amadeus | 13 years ago | Reply ok, so the statistics are clearly flawed here.

sufia zamir | 13 years ago | Reply salman, its not a matter of RATES for mobile and landline communications...pakistan has the LOWEST rates in the world when it comes to telephone communication. the problem is infrastructure. it takes months, literally, to get a landline connection installed. after that, you dont get good quality. if your phone goes dead you wait for months and months to get it fixed. hence the switch to mobile phones. txting is simply more economical as compared to phone calls. its more a matter of practicality rather than "herd mentality".

Muhammad Usman | 13 years ago | Reply Em one the Those who Sms consistantly.... i use 6k sms per Month So...Will break the Record nd In 2011 Will become no One....:p

Hassan | 13 years ago | Reply Enough money to waste on SMS and nothing to eat, this is Pakistan ...

Tanzeel | 13 years ago | Reply ET RIM = Reliance India Mobile, I hope there is no shortage of Pakistani texters' pics since the news is all about Pakistan.

Asmat Jamal | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistanis make a curse of every facility they are provided. SMSs are used for passing most useless, offensive and appaling messages. Worst of all is the encouragement of these telcom companies who for the sale of their product are introducing misbehavioral syndrome. Government should move against teasers and introduce punishment for such idiots.

Farooq | 13 years ago | Reply Mostly the texts are jokes or unauthentic information.

Salman | 13 years ago | Reply Of course the SMS is the preferred way of communication in Pakistan because the public is saddled with one of the highest rates for landline and mobile calls. Otherwise India would have been ten times ahead of Pakistan in text messaging. Try deliberating how the neo-colonial system works and it may be clear what is happening.

faraz | 13 years ago | Reply We rank very low on Human Development Index but look at this mobile/SMS craze. Its a reflection of our collective immaturity and herd mentality.

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