Pakistan rolling out 5G in 2023, TPL Trakker given contract to develop GIS system

TPL Trakker Limited, a Pakistani tracking service provider, will develop web-based Geographical Information System (GIS) System as the country plans to rollout 5G services.

In a statement to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Monday, TPL Trakker stated, “We are pleased to announce that TPL Trakker Limited (TPLT) has been awarded a contract by the Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) for Development of a Web Based Geographical Information System (“GIS”) System for the planning and rollout of 5G services in Pakistan.”

The company informed that the said system will be developed utilising TPL Maps’ location services platform.

“(TPL Maps) was launched in July 2020 and consists of over 6 million geocoded Points of Interests (PoIs) and over 600,000 KM of digitized road network making it Pakistan’s largest and only localized platform available commercially,” read the statement to PSX.

It may be mentioned that the government has set a target to launch 5G commercially in the first quarter of 2023 in the country.

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has constituted an Advisory Committee for 5G Planning in Pakistan (5G Pakistan Plan Committee) to define a roadmap and finalise recommendations for 5G Technology readiness in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, TPL Trakker said that the development would allow it to venture into the telecommunication market segment with its growing digital mapping solutions, enhancing the sector’s existing planning and expansion capacities.

“It will also open up an additional revenue line for the Company’s digital mapping business unit and is a further sign of market confidence in our commercial strategy to market maps,” it said.

Last week, Chairman PTA Major General Amir Azeem Bajwa (retired) informed the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication that the 5G spectrum auction is expected by the end of the current year or in the first quarter of the next year.

The PTA chairman, while briefing the committee about the plan to auction spectrum, said that the government has constituted an advisory committee headed by the finance minister. After finalising the plan, consultant of international repute would be hired.