With the auction for 3G and 4G licenses coming up on 23rd April, everyone is excited to see who wins the auction and more importantly, how quickly they will manage to get the new system up and running on our phones. But before you get too excited, check your phone. Are you sure it’s 3G compatible?
Smartphones need only apply
The term 3G refers to the third generation of wireless Internet technology, possessing faster speed and better services. In order to access 3G on your phone, your phone has to be 3G compatible. This service is primarily aimed at smartphones, which are mobile devices that allow you to perform functions that used to be typically reserved for computers.
Smartphones have operating systems, which differ according to phone type and manufacturer. They also allow third party applications to be operable, which is where downloading apps and extra features come in. Smartphones also offer wireless Internet access, ranging from 2G (GSM) to 3G and 4G.
3G vs 4G
The thing to keep in mind though is that not all smartphones are 3G compatible. Furthermore, phones with 3G compatibility are not 4G compatible. This may create problems for those who are hoping to switch to 4G as soon as it’s available, but given that 3G is likely to be introduced first, there will be a sufficient delay before 4G comes out. Most people change their phones every couple of years in any case, so this won’t be much of a deterrent for those who will want to switch to 4G later on.
New Sims
Smartphones obtain 3G access through their SIM cards, and according to terms outlined in the Information Memorandum (IM), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), telecom service providers can link their new services to existing connections. According to some sources, telecom providers have stated that “there will be no need to get new connections but in a few thousand cases the customers might require new SIMs.”
Increase in Smartphone Availability
In expectation of emerging 3G and 4G access, mobile phone manufacturers have been releasing smartphones in anticipation of rising demand for them. Haier has introduced Android phones ranging in price from PKR 9,000 to PKR 28,000. PTCL has previously released the EVO Droid which has 3G capacity. Other popular mobile phone manufacturers including HTC, Samsung, Blackberry, Apple and LG are all expected to focus more on smartphone sales in anticipation of demands for such devices. But in all this furor over 3G availability, there hasn’t been enough focus on how receptive Pakistan’s mobile users are to expending more funds on this new service and possibly, a new phone.
How Interested are Pakistanis in 3G?
According to ProPakistani, the number of mobile phone users in Pakistan has surpassed 132 million, as of January 2014. Their article also reported: “Mobilink lead the market with 37.72 million subscribers, followed by Telenor with 33.75 million users. Ufone stood third with its 25.03 million subscribers. Zong had 24.36 million subscribers by January end while Warid settled with 12.82 million subscribers.”
These numbers are somewhat different from a Pew research report, which was analyzed by eTechcrunch: “The study mentions that almost half (53%) of the mobile users admit that they have a mobile handset. These figures are in contradiction with the stats issued by PTA which suggests of almost 70% teledensity in Pakistan.” They go on to state: “Further exploration reveals that around 38% of the Pakistani users employ their handset for sending text messages, whereas a negligible 3% utilize their cell phones for interaction on Social media.” This resonates somewhat with a report by Towntawks, which says, “6% of all cell phones sold in Pakistan are smartphones,” which is a rather small percentage.
This means that either people will not be overly interested in acquiring 3G connections because of their lack of interest in smartphone capabilities, or that their interest in smartphones will increase because of the new features they will now bring due to 3G access. Telecom companies are positive about seeing a rise in smartphone and resulting 3G usage, seeing in particular the number of young people in Pakistan interested in these services. A press release by Warid commented on mobile phone usage by Pakistan’s youth, saying that “with about 35% of the country under the age of 15, the youth sector looks set to increasingly influence the country’s mobile operators.”
