Zong 5G: the fast and the furious shall wait

Read the statements of Federal Minister of Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry or just watch latest Zong 5G advertisements, you will feel that science and technology in Pakistan is going over the moon.

Zong has been too quick to cash in on the latest test trial of 5G internet. A few weeks ago the news had come out that the company has successfully test the technology. The marketing team of Zong, it seems, was fast enough to devise a marketing strategy to engage the customers.

Soon after the tests and trials Zong 5G was launched. According to government rules, it is worth noting, every telecom company is bound to acquire a license to dispense certain services like 3G/4G internet. The recent claims by Zong that it would be the first company to provide 5G services is now checked by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

PTA has termed the Zong 5G advertisements as misleading, hence the company has been asked to take down such material from all forums of public interaction including television, radio as well as print media.

It is a good thing to aspire to new technologies but at the same time we need to upgrade our whole infrastructure to make full use of the recent advancements in science. For instance Fawad Chaudhary is recently heard talking about sending Pakistani astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) and to introduce Driverless Cars in the country.

Fawad Chaudhry does not realize that launching a man into space requires a large team of scientists backed by strong institutional support. Not to speak of complex branches of science, basic fields like medicine and engineering are fast loosing scope in the country.

The 5G technology is most effective for IOT, which is an alien concept for both our market and the people. Internet Of Things (IOT) coupled with Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the future of everything.

By nipping 5G in the bud PTA has asserted its authority. It is in no hurry to embrace the revolution of 5G. The authorities have said that it might take a few years before the government could allow the Telecommunication companies to provide the services to the general public.