The Internet in Pakistan has been available since the early 1990s. According to the International Telecommunications Union there were 133,900 Internet users in 2000 or just 0.1% of the 164 million people in Pakistan. By 2006 use had grown to 12 million users or 7.2% of the population. Telecommunications being one of the fastest growing industries in the country, by 2011 the usage has grown up to 31 million users or 17.6% of the total population.[1]
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The state owned Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) started offering access via the nationwide local call network in 1995. The country has been pursuing an aggressive IT policy, aimed at boosting Pakistan’s drive for economic modernization and creating an exportable software industry. Pakistan had almost 128 ISPs in 2007, with customers concentrated in the areas of Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. Recently, PTCL has started offering free dial-up Internet service to all its landline subscribers. Broadband access is now available in the major cities, wireless broadband Internet has been introduced by the Wireless local loop (WLL) networks in many major cities, and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) networks are being deployed. Fiber to the User (FTTU) triple-services are being offered by Nayatel in the capital city of Islamabad. In 2008, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) reported over 22 million Internet users. Most Pakistani companies, educational institutes, and government departments maintain web sites, which has further increased the demand for Internet access.
There were 1.3 million broadband subscribers in March 2011.[3] Broadband is offered at speeds that range from 512 kbit/s to 12 Mbit/s in all major cities. The largest broadband providers are PTCL, LINKdotNET, and Wateen. Smaller DSL providers are Micro Net, Nayatel, Maxcom, Multi Net, World Call, Cyber Net, Gerry's Net, Witribe, Brain Net, and Comsats.
In August 2007, PTCL launched its Smart TV service, an IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) service. IPTV along with high-speed broadband internet and voice telephony is available on the subscribers existing telephone lines at the same time on one bill.[4] This and similar offerings continue to blur the boundaries between telephones, the Internet, and traditional television and radio broadcasting.
PTCL and World Call provide wireless broadband using the Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Rev. A standard, with speeds of up to 3.1 Mbit/s. PTCL provides its service under the brand name EVO which is available in more than 100 cities.[5] In August 2010 PTCL upgraded to EV-DO Rev. B (Phase 1). This new service, called EVO Nitro, offers speeds of up to 9.3 Mbit/s.
Wateen Telecom launched its WiMAX services in Pakistan, the first nationwide and largest WiMAX network in the world. Connections are available at speeds from 256 Kbit/s to 1.5 Mbit/s. Wi-Tribe and Mobilink are also offering WiMAX, as is Augere under the brand name Qubee.
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