With over 20 million internet users in Pakistan, the country now also has 1.79 million broadband users, with an addition of 65,000 in the month of December, 2011 alone.
According to the latest stats issued by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the number of DSL subscribers has risen to 792,397, while the number WiMAX internet users has grown to 459,790. The number of HFC users is 37,491 and 7,215 users were recorded as FTTH subscribers in December.
DSL users account for around 44% of the total users, with WiMAX subscribers making the second largest group at 28%. EvDO technology saw a surge from 18% in 2010 to 26% in 2011.
Pakistan does not yet have a third generation (3G) network, which is also considered to be a hindrance for the spread of broadband internet and other wireless services in the country.
Pakistan was also ranked as one of the top countries that registered a high growth rate in broadband Internet penetration.
There more than 50 internet service providers including 10 broadband companies operating in different parts of the country under their license at various charges.
The different service providers include PTCL, Wateen, Wi-Tribe, Qubee, Link Dot Net, Infinity and Comsats.
A version of this post originally appeared on ProPakistani.
COMMENTS (13)
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The access to internet stills need to be increased. It is still not enough. At least 50 percent of youth should have an easy access to internet in Pakistan.
True the initiative of the Broadband Commission, Geneva and PTA the operators licensed for broadband, with landing points as SEAMEWE and others. The largest service provider of Pakistan is PTCL with Etisalat which is optimising the 50 year old network of cable with countless joints (cable joint) of coaxial cable than the Drop Wire black color insulation which is highly prone noise in telephony. From the time when Public Data Network X.25, to Euro ISDN hardly worked for data services as the network was never compliant. The same network running thru the ground buried without ducts in most situations in the urban areas is now upgraded courtesy Huawei Technologies for broadband, and with Alcatel Lucent upto 50MB. Both work with trail and error, as there is no serious real attention paid to upgrade the network with the exception of excellent customer service, support service on the phone which work very well. Excellent customer lip service. When it comes to delivery, there is nothing to say on that on customer satisfaction. In areas being catered with Optical Network Unit ONU those customer may possibly be better. Other wise there is nothing. The ONU's are without battery for power back up. With mega presence of Etisalat in the sub-continent, suggest Pakistan consumer/subscriber of broadband looks for actual service delivery of phone service, customer service. With delivery people as line staff running on bicycles in the heat, rain, day and night to strengthen the network with contact cleaning for service for some hours.
OMG, that many pom pom viewers?
Shabaash Shabaash
Haris: Nayatel is on the list. It is the largest FTTH provider in the country.
Countries are adopting 4G Network (recently 4G services are started by telecommunication companies in KSA) and still we dont have 3G Network. We should adopt it immediately.
The numbers are quite sad. Broadband is actually quite affordable. One can only assume that people are not interested in the Internet. That is why 3G won't be much of a success in Pakistan.
This is so strange, Nayatel is not in the list.
After such a great number do they still want to ban internet to curtail freedom of expression and make us dwarfs.
@wasim shabbir: If you think there is a liberal party currently in the mainstream Pakistani politics.... then you are not mistaking!!! they have no vision and/or strategy...!!!
By going for the great firewall of pakistan,the ppp has stabbed the people in the back.Why try to clamp down so harshly on freedom of expression.why has the ppp become the taliban? even dictators don't do what the ruling party is now doing.
Courtesy of ppp,now all these internet users will be at the mercy of the firewall.it's saddening to watch a party which projects itself as pro-democracy and anti-dictatorship doing such a draconian thing.This attack on freedom of speech by a supposedly liberal party has let down the rational progressive people of pakistan.