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Project Kuiper representatives meet with Pakistan's IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja in Islamabad.
Ministry of IT and Telecom
Ground infrastructure including gateways will be built in Pakistan
Service targets remote areas with limited traditional connectivity
Network promises high broadband speeds up to 400 Mbps
Amazon's satellite internet service, Project Kuiper, will begin operations in Pakistan by the end of 2026, the company told Pakistani officials Thursday, marking a potential expansion of broadband access in the world's fifth most populous country.
The timeline emerged from a meeting between Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Project Kuiper representatives in Islamabad. The announcement advances Amazon's global effort to compete with SpaceX's Starlink in providing internet service via low Earth orbit satellites.
Project Kuiper plans to establish ground infrastructure in Pakistan, including gateways and network connection points, according to the minister's office. The company's planned constellation of more than 3,200 satellites aims to deliver broadband speeds up to 400 Mbps to users worldwide.
"Project Kuiper's entry into Pakistan is a step forward in advancing digital inclusion and strengthening our connectivity ecosystem," Khawaja said in a statement. "These investments align with the Government's vision of building a Digital Nation Pakistan where every citizen, regardless of geography, has access to fast, affordable, and secure internet services."
Targeting underserved areas
The service targets remote and underserved areas where traditional infrastructure remains limited. Pakistan faces significant connectivity challenges, particularly in mountainous northern regions and rural areas of Sindh and Balochistan provinces.
Amazon has not disclosed pricing for the service in Pakistan or detailed specifications for user terminals required to access the network. The company describes the terminals as "affordable" but has not released cost estimates for the Pakistani market.
The deployment requires regulatory approvals from Pakistan's telecommunications authority and coordination with existing network operators. The ministry said it would support the project as part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's digital development agenda.
Multibillion-dollar investment
Project Kuiper represents a multibillion-dollar investment for Amazon as it seeks to expand its services beyond e-commerce and cloud computing. The company has been launching satellites since late 2023 and aims to begin commercial service in several markets by late 2025.
The announcement positions Pakistan as an early market for Amazon's satellite service in South Asia, though the company faces competition from established telecom operators and potential regulatory hurdles common to major infrastructure projects in the country.
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