Pakistan to get 4.5G services by June 2017

Wi-tribe to launch advanced LTE network in collaboration with Huawei

ISLAMABAD: Wi-tribe has announced the launch of 4.5G services, for the first time in Pakistan, which will be made operational by June 2017 in five cities of the country.

According to a private news channel, wi-tribe revealed a $15 million contract and strategic partnership with China based Huawei for advanced upgrade of LTE in at least five cities including; Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi and Faisalabad.

The advanced technology would be first tested at the head office, Islamabad, before making it fully operational across the city. The induction of LTE-A in Pakistan's broadband saturated market is a first, while, 3.5 Ghz is being deployed in South Asia and Middle East.



The LTE-A equipment is capable of delivering 1GB per second data whereas, LTE can go up to only 300MB per second. However, for now wi-tribe would provide 100Mbps per connection and by the end of 2018 it would be raised to 200Mbps.

The industry has plans to deliver 400Mbps to its customers by 2019. Wi-Tribe was launched in Pakistan in 2009 and provides telecommunication services in five cities.