{
  "id": 17745304,
  "title": "Beyond speed: what Pakistan needs to build on 5G",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/beyond-speed-what-pakistan-needs-to-build-on-5g",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-11-02T04:44:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn Business",
    "slug": "dawn-business",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2041576/beyond-speed-what-pakistan-needs-to-build-on-5g"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In March, Pakistan's three mobile operators paid around $510 million for the right to use 5G spectrum, a move nearly triple the amount of mobile airwaves previously available. However, the mere acquisition of airwaves is not enough to transform the nation. 5G is not just about faster speeds; it's about infrastructure that empowers people, machines, and institutions to connect, compute, and respond in real-time. Pakistan is at a turning point where the potential of 5G is just beginning to be realized. While broadband penetration has more than doubled since 2019, reaching nearly 66% according to the Pakistan Telecom Authority, the real growth lies in the digital economy, which has reached a record $4.6 billion in 2025-26. The true value of 5G will be seen in industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, and business, where sensors, cloud computing, and AI can improve operations and decision-making. However, to truly maximize the benefits of 5G, it must be accessible to all segments of society. Currently, only 58% of adults in Pakistan use mobile internet, with significant disparities based on affordability, digital literacy, and social norms. Additionally, the gender gap in mobile internet usage has narrowed from 25% to 8%, but Pakistan still has the widest phone ownership gap among surveyed countries, with 68% of women owning a mobile phone compared to 93% of men. To ensure that 5G benefits all of Pakistan, there needs to be a focus on affordable devices, digital skills, reliable power, rationalized taxes, local device assembly, and the Universal Service Fund for underserved communities. By making 5G accessible to everyone, Pakistan can ensure that no one is left behind in the digital revolution.",
  "summary": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2041491",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": "Securing expensive spectrum marks only the first step in a transition that requires bridging massive gender and literacy gaps to turn connectivity into actual industrial and economic growth.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}