Industry leaders discuss future of digital infrastructure

ISLAMABAD: Kazim Mujtaba, President of the Consumer Division at Jazz, outlined the company’s evolution from a traditional telecom provider to a ServiceCo conglomerate, underscoring its adaptability to the rapidly changing digital landscape.

He was addressing at a panel discussion at the Digital Nation Summit in Islamabad organised by GSMA in collaboration with the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), brought together key industry leaders to discuss the future of digital infrastructure in Pakistan.

Mujtaba spoke on the theme of “Building Resilient and Sustainable Network Infrastructures” emphasising Jazz’s commitment to using technology for societal benefit, despite facing significant market and regulatory challenges. “Our journey has been one of continuous transformation, responding to the needs of our customers and the digital ecosystem,” said Mujtaba. “We are not just a telecom company anymore; we are a ServiceCo conglomerate dedicated to enhancing lives and livelihoods.”

In addition to highlighting Jazz’s business transformation, Mujtaba also focused on the company’s sustainability initiatives. He announced that Jazz has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, a goal that the company is working towards by solarizing network sites, reducing plastic usage, and conducting comprehensive energy audits to ensure efficient energy consumption. “Sustainability is at the core of our operations,” Mujtaba stated. “We are taking concrete steps to reduce our carbon footprint and promote a greener future.”

Mujtaba also lauded the supportive roles played by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the MoITT, and the government in facilitating the sector’s growth. He praised the implementation of the Right of Way (RoW) framework, which has reduced the time required for network deployment approvals by 50 per cent, thus accelerating network expansions across the country. “The RoW framework is a game-changer for the industry, allowing us to deploy infrastructure more quickly and efficiently,” Mujtaba remarked.

However, Mujtaba acknowledged that challenges remain, which hinder the telecom sector’s potential to become a sustainable partner for Pakistan’s future.

He echoed the sentiments of other industry leaders at the summit, who have called for swift policy interventions, including de-linking spectrum prices from the US dollar and extending license payment periods to 20 years—strategies that have been successfully implemented in other countries. Additionally, he called for the telecom sector’s rightful access to industrial electricity tariffs.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024