ISLAMABAD: The Telecom Operators Association of Pakistan (TOA) has cautioned the government against rushing into next-generation networks without ensuring device affordability, warning that a premature 5G rollout could drain scarce foreign exchange and divert capital from improving basic connectivity.

In a letter to the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom, the association said Pakistan’s digital future would not be determined by how quickly 5G networks are launched, but by whether ordinary citizens can afford compatible devices and find sufficient everyday value in staying connected.

“Technology introduction by itself does not transform societies. Using that technology does,”........

© Dawn Business