Pakistan’s Telecom Industry Has a Bad Year Prediction for 2013
According to predictions from industry analysts, Pakistan’s telecommunication industry will continue to suffer bad times during the first half of the year 2013. The callings rates will be increased. The industry as a whole will be focusing on regulatory side of the market to affect growth. The prediction which has now become a common knowledge is about third generation mobile spectrum auction being delayed till the end of this year.
The year 2012 had been a very active one for the telecom industry with the sector reaching the mark of 120 million subscribers. Mobilink and Zong entered into mobile banking. However, as the mobile service sector did well for themselves, the government did not perform up their expectations to help develop proper regulatory governance. PTA failed in major ways and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill could not be passed.
Besides this, the government also imposed , which is still on, despite calling itself pro-democratic. The sale of SIMs through retail outlets was banned which caused 85% decrease in sales. This has also decreased their sales centres from around 200,000 outlets to just 2,000 official sales centres. Hence, to increase their revenues, the mobile companies will be looking to increase calling rates, which will be bad for the customers.
The mobile services were suspended on multiple times due to security threats. This has also caused financial loss to the industry as well as to the overall economic growth due to lack of mobile communication. Since the current government’s measures will still be around till the first of the year 2013, there is no expectation for a change in the telecommunication sector’s situation.
If the current government wins the election, there could be darker years ahead for the entire nation. Pakistan is already on the brink of major collapse in many ways, especially its economic management has been the worst. Until a change in this kind of governance comes, Pakistan’s economic recovery is very difficult to imagine.
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