The Growth of Fiber Optic Technology and Its Impact on Pakistan have brought a big change, says Hamid Jalal, CEO, FiberCom in an interview with ER
Journey Towards Fiber
I am a network professional, and I must share that the communication industry saw significant growth in 2020, as we braved the challenges of COVID-19. The shift to working from home made the need for reliable internet and associated technologies inevitable. I have been working in the security field, specializing in surveillance, access control, and fire alarms, as it has been my family business. However, after witnessing the boom in the communication industry, I decided to transition into this field. Over time, I expanded into areas such as communication and optical fiber transmission. Since optical fiber offers the fastest data transfer speeds, the required components at the backend, such as receivers, are available as solutions. As customer demand for solutions increased, we optimized our offerings.
Fiber, Speed, and Quality
The speed of optical fiber is virtually limitless in terms of its medium at the front end, and the determination of speed depends on the backend technology. The highest models available in the market today can handle up to 100 GB. However, given the rapid development of this industry in Pakistan, we are gradually progressing towards speeds of up to 1.6 terabits.
We initially targeted network corporations and ISPs that wanted to connect to their data centers, sourcing required components from China. Later, the telecom industry, including the SCO in Azad Kashmir, approached us, becoming one of our biggest customers. As a result, we continue to grow in this field.
The global boom in this industry has also been reflected in Pakistan. With the growing necessity of internet access, we trained people to understand this technology. Today, internet services like ChatGPT and DeepSeek are helping us meet these evolving needs.
Modern Communication and Monetary Cost
In the past, communication relied on copper-based connections between exchanges, connected by radio. Today, these connections are facilitated via optical fiber. Copper-based connections are expensive when you need multiple lines, but optical fiber makes these connections more affordable. With a single-core fiber line, you can support multiple connections without the costly infrastructure required for copper.
Currently, many companies in Pakistan produce optical fiber locally, which has further reduced costs. In addition to lower costs and faster transfer speeds, optical fiber offers a variety of solutions for customers.
5G and Starlink
Starlink is expensive in Pakistan, and its global tariffs are high as well. However, it is beneficial for remote areas that lack communication infrastructure. At present, Pakistan is 80% covered by optical fiber, and the necessary infrastructure is already in place. I don’t see Starlink as a major threat to our business, as fiber optics have virtually limitless capacity, while Starlink has limitations.
The Local Communication Industry
Pakistan is gradually developing its local communication industry, with companies like Premier Cables and PTCL cables exporting products. Additionally, some smaller industries are manufacturing optical fiber, and the quality is quite good. However, the core components are still imported from China, and all the required devices are also sourced internationally.
Made in Pakistan
If we were more export-oriented, we would be in a very strong position due to Pakistan’s strategic location. However, there is a lack of focus on this, with many people investing in real estate instead of contributing to industrial development. In contrast, India has made significant progress by installing SMT machines and purchasing chips from Taiwan to offer its own solutions. Pakistan has the skills to do the same, but it requires better policies, such as lower electricity costs, to make it viable here.
About FibreCom
We started our journey in 2020, and FibreCom deals with communication and fiber technologies. We strive to provide all the equipment necessary to streamline the communication process, offering maximum support at the backend. Our solutions cover everything from home to industrial applications.
Interview by Muhammad Salahuddin
