Secretary IT dismisses reports of closure of firewall before 5G launch

Secretary IT on Thursday declared as baseless reports that the firewall installed to filter objectionable content was no more operational.

He was speaking at a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information Technology, which met with Aminul Haque in the chair.

Member of the committee Sadiq Memon, on the occasion, asked whether the firewall had been closed before the auction of 5G.

He questioned whether there was any conflict between the auction of 5G and the installation of a firewall.

He also asked whether the firewall, which had been installed, failed to meet the targets.

The committee chairman asked the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) chairman to brief the committee on the auction of 5G spectrum.

The PTA chairman informed that three telecom operators namely Jazz, Ufone and Zong had deposited the amounts to the Authority for the bids.

DG Licensing PTA Amir Shehzad told the committee that total six bands were being presented during the auction of 5G.

The DG further said that the PTA had hired a consultant, who held negotiations with the stakeholders.

“It was on the basis of the consultant’s report that the government issued a policy directive,” he said, and added that the PTA later issued the information memorandum.

He informed that tomorrow (Friday) was the last date for the submission of bids.

“5G will be auctioned at a hotel in Islamabad on March 10,” the DG said, and added that after the auction of the spectrum, the download speed of 4G would be reduced to 20 MBPS.

PTA officials told the committee that an advisory committee was looking into the matters connected to the auction of 5G.