Aitizaz Hassan ISLAMABAD, April 25 (INP-WealthPK): Pakistan assembled 7.16 million local mobile phones during the first three months of 2022, while 0.61 million mobile phones were imported during this period. According to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) data, Pakistan produced 3.22 million locally-manufactured mobiles in March 2022, while 0.25 million devices were imported. [caption id="attachment_66407" align="aligncenter" width="696"] Source: PTA[/caption] The PTA data shows that the graph of 2G mobiles manufacturing is higher than smartphones. Among 7.16 million locally-manufactured mobiles, 4.33 million devices were 2G against 2.83 smartphones. Data shows that 53% smartphones are active on Pakistan network, while 47% are 2G devices. Itel manufactured the highest number (0.97 million) of mobile phones in March, Vivo registered 0.89 million mobile production, VGO TEL produced 0.68 million, E-Tech manufactured 0.57 million, Infinix 0.52 million, Samsung 0.49 million, CALME 0.45 million, QMobile 0.42 million, TECNO 0.37 million, and Nokia assembled 0.32 million mobile phones in March. According to the PTA data, 1.79 million new subscribers were added to mobile network in Pakistan in March, while in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, 0.30 million new cellular mobile subscribers were reported in the same month. There are 193 million cellular subscribers in Pakistan, among them 113, million use 3G and 4G network, while 116 million people use broadband in Pakistan, according to PTA. In first two months of the current year, Pakistan assembled 3.94 million local mobiles, while 0.36 million mobile phones were imported in the said period. According to PTA data, 1.56 million locally-assembled mobiles in January and February were smartphones, while 2.38 million were 2G devices. In February 2022, 53% locally assembled mobiles were smartphones, while 47% manufactured phones had 2G features. According to PTA annual report 2021, 24.66 million mobiles were assembled in Pakistan last year. Pakistan’s mobile manufacturing industry has shown outstanding performance in 2021 compared to 2020. In 2021 the growth ratio of locally-assembled mobiles was 88.9%, while the import of commercial mobile devices reduced by 143%. The report shows that Pakistan mobile industry manufactured 52% smartphones, while 48% phones are 2G devices. The growth ratio of smartphones in 2021 was registered 4% compared to 2020. The PTA reinforced this impact by issuing the Mobile Device Manufacturing (MDM) Regulations, 2021, that eased the process for obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC) for manufacturing and local assembly of mobile phones in Pakistan. As many as 30 companies have obtained licenses so far, producing 10.1 million smartphones in 2021 while creating 2,000 jobs. Samsung also joined the local manufacturing market in collaboration with local partners. Pakistan made history by exporting its first-ever smartphone consignment to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under the ‘Manufactured in Pakistan’ tag.