Govt To Devise Next Generation Broadband, Technology Projects: Survey

Daniyal Sohail Published April 26, 2018 | 10:19 PM

The government has devised projects for provision of next generation broadband and telephony across the country in the next fiscal year to connect the unconnected in the unserved and underserved areas.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) :The government has devised projects for provision of next generation broadband and telephony across the country in the next fiscal year to connect the unconnected in the unserved and underserved areas.

The projects would be executed through the Universal Service Fund (USF), in collaboration with Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoIT & T) focusing on minimizing the information and communication gap between rural and urban communities.

Advisor to Prime Minister on Finance Miftah Ismial while addressing a press conference to announce Economic Survey of Pakistan 2017-18, here on Thursday said, till date about 6,400 kms of optic fiber cable (OFC) has been laid and 79 THQs and towns have been provided with the connectivity.

This year the USF has successfully launched a project to provide connectivity to 35 unserved THQs and towns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Contract has been signed and Rs800 million have been allocated for this project.

One such initiative is to provide next generation broadband and telephony coverage along the unserved route of national motorways and highways, including segments of Pak China Economic Corridor and major roads which have national significance and high demand by the travelers across Pakistan.

It is estimated that around 7,700 kms of routes are unserved and at least Rs18 billion will be required to provide this coverage. The USF is also working on new projects where existing infrastructure providing 2G and WLL services under USF BSD projects will be upgraded to provide next generation broadband services thereby expanding connectivity and coverage to the whole of the country with respect to high speed broadband.

For already running projects under USF Broadband for Sustainable Development (BSD) Programme during current financial year, 191 mauzas have been provided with telephony and mobile internet services including 7 projects under its Broadband for Sustainable Development Programme.