Pakistan - Mobile Communications and Broadcasting

Synopsis

The mobile telephone market in Pakistan has been experiencing a period of healthy and sustained development. Mobile services were first offered in 1990 and, despite high costs, grew steadily at first; into the second decade and the market surged, with annual growth running at around 100% for a number of years. Subscriber numbers increased from around three million in 2003 to reach the milestone of 100 million mobile subscribers in the second-half of 2010. Penetration has moved past the 60% mark with still more room for expansion. Operators have been struggling with falling ARPU and this may well weigh down on the market into the future. While progress has been made in the regulatory area, some rigidity in policies had been slowing growth. The regulator has a major challenge with the timing of the auctions for 3G licences. This report looks at the Pakistani mobile market, as well as a brief look at digital media.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
• 2. Mobile communications
  • 2.1 Overview of Pakistan’s mobile market
    • 2.1.1 Background to development
    • 2.1.2 Mobile statistics
  • 2.2 Regulatory issues and developments
    • 2.2.1 Number portability
    • 2.2.2 Unregistered SIMs
    • 2.2.3 Consumer rights
    • 2.2.4 Additional mobile licences
    • 2.2.5 Third Generation (3G) licences
    • 2.2.6 Calling Party Pays (CPP)
    • 2.2.7 Licensing in Azad Jammu and Kashmir
  • 2.3 Major mobile operators
    • 2.3.1 Mobilink (PMCL)
    • 2.3.2 Ufone (PTCL)
    • 2.3.3 Telenor Pakistan
    • 2.3.4 Warid Telecom
    • 2.3.5 Zong (formerly CMPak)
    • 2.3.6 Instaphone (Pakcom)
  • 2.4 Mobile voice services
    • 2.4.1 Prepaid
    • 2.4.2 Satellite mobile
  • 2.5 Mobile data services
    • 2.5.1 Short Message Service (SMS)
    • 2.5.2 Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS)
    • 2.5.3 Blackberry
    • 2.5.4 Mobile TV
    • 2.5.5 M-commerce
• 3. Broadcasting
  • 3.1 Market overview
  • 3.2 Regulatory issues
    • 3.2.1 Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority Ordinance 2002
  • 3.3 Free-to-Air (FTA) broadcasting
    • 3.3.1 Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation
    • 3.3.2 Pakistan Television Corporation
    • 3.3.3 Shalimar Television Network
  • 3.4 Pay TV
  • 3.5 Cable TV (CATV)
  • 3.6 Internet Protocol TV (IPTV)
• 4. Related reports

• Table 1 – Mobile subscribers – 1995 - 2013
• Table 2 – Mobile operators, subscribers and annual change – Apr 2011
• Table 3 – Mobile operators, subscribers and market share – April 2011
• Table 4 – Mobile services revenue – 1998 - 2010
• Table 5 – Overall ARPU across all mobile operators – 2002; 2004 - 2009
• Table 6 – Mobile monthly ARPU by operator – 2009
• Table 7 – Mobilink (PCML) subscribers – 2000 - 2011
• Table 8 – Ufone (PTCL) subscribers – 2001 - 2011
• Table 9 – Telenor Pakistan subscribers – 2005 - 2011
• Table 10 – Warid Telecom subscribers – 2005 - 2011
• Table 11 – Zong subscribers – 2000 - 2011
• Table 12 – Instaphone (Pakcom) subscribers – 2000 - 2010
• Table 13 – Key broadcasting statistics – 2010