Socio-Economic impact of 3G/4G technology on Pakistan
The Government of Pakistan is going to auction 3G/4G
spectrum on April 23, 2014. The 3G/4G will enhance the broadband
proliferation in Pakistan. This service will generate revenue between
Rs. 380 and Rs. 1180 up to 2020 for national exchequer of the country.
By launching this service mobile users will migrate from text or voice
based services to data driven services like video calling, live video
streaming, e-education, e-banking, e-health, e-commerce and social media
applications. The 3G/4G service will provide ubiquitous internet access
to users through smart phones.
The debut of this service will open
huge opportunities for entrepreneurs in Pakistan and generate million of
direct and indirect jobs. This technology will improve productivity and
efficiency of government, corporations and individuals. This technology
will lay down digital infrastructure to cater governments, businesses
and common people in 21th century. The 3G/4G service will boost growth
in sectors like education, banking, media, retailing and health. By 2017
the market share of 3G/4G service will expected to increase by 53%. It
has been forecasted that 50% of total connections will be running on
3G/4G service by 2017. The 2G connections are forecasted to decline to
50% by 2017 as user migrates to 3G/4G services. According to
GSMA/Deloitte study, there will be enormous economic impact of migration
to 3G/4G technology on economy and prosperity of countries and
citizens.
It has been calculated that 10% shift from 2G to next
generation technology leads to 0.15% increase GDP. With introduction of
this technology Smartphone penetration will also increase in
Pakistan, which stands currently on 15%. This technology will improve
ways of learning’s, living and working in our country. This 3G/4G
services will provide speed, reliability, connectivity to internet
users.
There are many industries which will be transformed by introduction of 3/4 G technology but I will explain few of them.
UTILITIES:
The
big beneficiaries of 3G/4G service will be utilities and their
customers. The important applications of 3 G/4G service are smart grids,
smart meters and electronic sensors. Smart grid is a network of
millions of smart meters and sensors connected through 3G service that
manage the power stations, energy transmission lines and electronic
devices on that network. The smart meters will measure electricity every
selected intervals and transmit energy usage to central energy
management system through 3G/4G network. Furthermore, Smart meters will
manage energy supply to selected appliances and share energy consumption
information with home owners.
The 3G/4G service will assist in
automated meter reading, optimum energy consumption and dynamic pricing
instead of fixed pricing as currently practiced by energy distribution
companies in Pakistan. In the same way, smart grids and smart meters
will be excellent solution for gas and water utilities. Providing energy
to a growing population will require effective co-operation between the
cellular companies, utilities companies, technology companies,
governments and regulators.
TRANSPORTATION:
The automobile
companies are preparing to launch 3G/4G enabled cars and these cars will
support applications like cloud based video streaming, real time 3D
navigation systems and other location based services. The 3G/4G service
will support telemetry applications such as vehicle performance
monitoring, driver performance monitoring by insurance companies and
delivery of emergency services. This technology will introduce era of
connected automobiles which will have potential to share real time
information at the time of emergency, improve driving experience and
modernize automobile entertainment and remote monitoring of automobile
vehicles. The passengers in public transports could be able use high
speed internet during traveling.
The automobile vehicles will be able
to communicate with each other’s and with their drivers through this
service. The 3G/4G service will revolutionize the public transports and
supply chain systems by sharing real time information with companies.
By connecting automobile and sharing real time information, it could be
possible to reduce road accidents, road congestions, and information
about petrol stations, restaurants and hospitals on road. This service
will help logistic and freight companies to control their supply chain
systems by tracking real locations of their vehicles, managing their
routes and reduce fuel costs.
HEALTH:
The large population of Pakistan does have access to adequate health care services.
Telemedicine
will be used to serve patients in remote and underserved areas of
Pakistan. Video conferencing will be used by doctors for checkups,
diagnosis, to give instructions to patients and clinic staff at remote
location. The 3G/4G enabled ambulances will improve survival rate of
stroke patients. These ambulances will be equipped with CT scanners on
board operators can perform scan on patients transmitting images to
nearby hospitals and receiving instructions for treatment. The real time
diagnosis and treatment in transit will improve survival rate of
patients in critical condition.
The 3G/4G service will facilitate
development and delivery of innovative health care solutions like remote
consultations, diagnosis, monitoring for disabled people and the
elderly. The 3G/4G service will facilitate connection of ambulance and
hospitals in order get on route expert diagnosis in order to reduce
treatment time. The doctors and health care worker could remotely access
patient health care record like CT scan and MRI report that will reduce
treatment time up to 20-30%.
It is very difficult for government to
provide health care services to every citizen of Pakistan due to its
meager resources and high cost of delivery. The 3G/4G technology will be
the most effective conduit for delivery of innovative health care
solutions like dengue tracking system in Pakistan. The government will
be able to launch disease preventive measures like monitoring of health
care service and improvement in curative measure. The patients living in
remote area will able to connect with their doctors through mobile
telemedicine units. The technology will help Government in effective
delivery of emergency services like RESCUE 1122 through global
positioning system (GPS) navigation. In future smart watches will be
able to monitor the body temperature, blood pressure and warn patients
if any unexpected change happen in body temperature and blood pressure.
EDUCATION:
The 3G / 4G service will revolutionize the education industry in Pakistan.
This
service will improve education by providing access to high speed
internet and delivery of educational content to students. The 3G/4G
services will bridge the gap of missing facilities in schools of rural
areas and facilitate students to access video lectures and study
material via smart phones, tabs and laptops. Many organizations like
Salman Academy, Coursera, Edx are providing free video lectures for
students.
Students will be able to access their educational content
on their tabs, laptops and smart phones through 3G / 4G
services. Students could be able to make preparation of their exams,
attend video lectures online, take exams online and make contact with
their teachers by using Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
The Punjab government has launched E-learn Punjab project in which it
has provided online interactive books of 9th and 10h class which will
expand its reach by introduction of 3G / 4G technology.
INTERNET OF THINGS:
This
technology will introduce the era of Internet of Things (IOT) in
Pakistan. The estimated market of Internet of Things (IOT) market will
be $20 billion globally by 2018. It is that technology through which
electronic devices can exchange with each other in order to generate
value for human beings. Internet of Things (IOT) intelligently connects
people, electronic devices and systems. The WAPDA could be able to read
meters of its customers by using telemetering devices instead of
visiting their houses. The vehicles could be able to automatically
detect nearest fuel station, service station and parking in congested
areas. The sensors in homes could automatically shut off appliances,
monitor security of home and share real time information with home
owners. The doctors will be able to monitor their patients at home
without requiring them to visit hospitals through specially connected
devices. Internet of Things (IOT) will make make our lives efficient,
safe and secure.
This technology will commence an era of mobile TV
and online entertainment. Through this technology entertainment,
infotainment and educational videos will be produced and shared by the
people and for the people. This technology would weaken the power of
middle man in manufacturing and service industries. The companies will
be able deliver its products and services directly to customers.
This
technology is bad news for internet service providers ISPs which are
providing sluggish, poor and snail speed internet connectivity at high
prices. In order to survive in cut through completion with 3G/4G
companies, ISPs will have to provide better connectivity at lowest
prices to its customers.
After introduction of this 3G/4G service,
government of Pakistan is planning to establish telecentres in rural
areas of Pakistan in order to provide services like registration of
births & deaths, information of weather, commodity prices and
farming of different crops. The government would be able to provide
basic health service in rural areas through telemedicine centers. The
government is also planning to establish NADRA centers in rural areas in
order to make identity registration accessible for every citizen.
EnjOy..:)
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