Call for greater focus on smartphone affordability

ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan prepares for the next phase of digital connectivity following this year’s spectrum auction, industry leaders are calling for greater focus on smartphone affordability, arguing that wider access to devices will determine how quickly the country can translate network investment into digital inclusion and economic growth.

The issue was raised during the GSMA Digital Nation Pakistan Ministerial Roundtable, which brought together government officials, regulators, development partners and industry leaders to discuss priorities for strengthening Pakistan’s digital investment climate.

Speaking during the session on digital infrastructure, Jazz President Consumer Kazim Mujtaba said the recent spectrum auction had created a strong platform for future investment, but cautioned that infrastructure alone would not drive adoption.

“The next phase of Pakistan’s digital journey is not simply about expanding networks. It is about ensuring more people can access and benefit from them,” he said.

Mujtaba noted that while operators continue to invest in expanding network capacity, smartphone affordability remains one of the biggest barriers to digital adoption, particularly as the industry prepares for broader 5G deployment.

With only a small proportion of devices on Pakistan’s mobile networks currently capable of supporting 5G services, he said improving access to affordable smartphones should become part of the country’s wider digital policy agenda.

He pointed to measures such as device financing, instalment-based payment models and a supportive fiscal environment as practical ways to accelerate smartphone adoption and ensure the benefits of next-generation connectivity are accessible to a broader segment of the population.

Participants also emphasised that sustained private investment depends on a predictable policy environment and continued collaboration between government and industry, particularly as Pakistan seeks to advance its Digital Pakistan 2030 agenda.

The roundtable concluded with a shared view that expanding connectivity remains important, but that the next phase of Pakistan’s digital transformation will increasingly depend on making digital access more affordable, inclusive and commercially sustainable.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026