GSMA, in close collaboration with mobile phone operators, had been working on a Pakistan specific holistic report on digital transformation titled, “Pakistan: progressing towards a fully-fledged digital economy”. The report outlines the collective efforts required to advance as a digital society, while discussing the positive actions undertaken so far, along with the existing challenges within the regulatory domain. Jazz played an instrumental role in bringing together all mobile operators to recommend the required improvements in the regulatory environment, with the broad ambition to support the development of the digital ecosystem overall.
On 31st January 2020, GSMA organized a press conference at the National Incubation Center (NIC), Islamabad, which was attended by all mobile operators, where GSMA announced its plan to release the report at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2020. GSMA also emphasized its commitment to support the government in delivering the Digital Pakistan vision and to actively engage with stakeholders (including mobile operators) to aggressively advance the government’s Digital Pakistan agenda.
Some of the key recommendations included in the report are;
Recognizing the opportunity for digitalization in Pakistan and the significant impact it can have on society, Jazz has been at the forefront of the digital revolution. To target and improve digital access, Jazz has launched Jazz Digit 4G – Pakistan’s most affordable smartphone. While Pakistan boasts having some of the cheapest tariff rates for voice and data, the main barrier to the internet has been the affordability of smartphones. This initiative targets the wellbeing of the lesser privileged and underserved segments in Pakistan. Over 65% of Pakistan’s 165m subscribers use feature and 2G phones, while smartphone penetration stands at a mere 35%. While countries globally are looking to sunset 2G and focus more on 4G technology, Pakistan has been unable to effectively align with this global trend, due to regulatory policy challenges.
This smartphone launch marks another milestone in Jazz’s commitment to reduce the existing digital divide and to empower Pakistan’s youth through technology.