Pak Datacom has clarified that its decision to shift the Ku-band satellite network from Pakistan’s PAKSAT system to YahClick was due to technical limitations, equipment costs, network modernization needs and business continuity requirements.
The company said PAKSAT-1R had reached the end of its operational life, prompting Pak Datacom to migrate its C-band services to PAKSAT-MM1. Around 12.5 GHz of C-band capacity continues to be used through Pakistan’s national satellite system.
PAKSAT could not provide the required standard Ku-band frequency for its Ku-band services and instead offered Low Ku-band capacity.
Moving to Low Ku-band would have required replacing or modifying existing remote equipment, resulting in high additional costs, according to the company.
After several meetings with PAKSAT, Pak Datacom said the Ku-band arrangement could not be finalized on technically and commercially suitable terms. It subsequently moved its Ku-band network to Ka-band through YahClick.
The company said the decision also considered customer requirements, equipment compatibility, service continuity, commercial viability and the long-term sustainability of the network.
Firewall Deployed in Pakistan
Pak Datacom said it has deployed a firewall at its operational office in I-9/2, Islamabad.
The company said network traffic is protected through its security infrastructure and does not have unrestricted internet access.
It added that the security of a network depends on its overall architecture and controls, including firewalls, VPNs, encryption, authentication and access controls, rather than simply the location of the satellite provider.
YahClick Has Operated in Pakistan Since 2015
Pak Datacom said YahClick has been operating in Pakistan since 2015 and is not a new satellite technology in the country.
Other satellite service providers have used YahClick-based connectivity for customers in sectors including banking, financial services, oil and gas and defence.
Pak Datacom said its adoption of YahClick should therefore be viewed within the context of existing industry practices rather than as an unprecedented development.
Old Satellite Hubs Reaching End of Life
The company also said its physical satellite hubs in Karachi and Lahore have reached end-of-life and end-of-service status.
According to Pak Datacom, the legacy hubs cannot efficiently support newer-generation modems and higher data rates and are less spectrum-efficient than modern satellite architectures.
Continuing to maintain the infrastructure would also require additional spending on equipment, maintenance, power, cooling and other operational requirements.
Pak Datacom said it is therefore moving toward a virtual hub architecture to reduce capital and operating costs while improving scalability and network efficiency.
Company Rejects Simplified Security Narrative
Pak Datacom said its decision to use YahClick should not be characterized simply as a move from a Pakistani satellite system to a foreign provider.
The decision involved technical, operational, commercial, security, infrastructure and business-continuity considerations.
It added that genuine national-security or network-security concerns should be assessed through technical audits, regulatory reviews and proper security assessments.
Pak Datacom said it remains willing to address such concerns through the relevant regulatory and security authorities.
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