The Board of the Universal Service Fund (USF) has authorized ten projects totaling Rs11.5 billion to bring high-speed internet and optical fiber services to 19 under-served regions across the country.
The programs were initiated on the suggestion of Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Aminul Haque, according to The Nation, in order to empower 4.4 million people in the aforementioned districts.
According to reports, the USF Board approved the granting of high-speed internet service contracts to Jazz, Ufone, and Telenor, while PTCL was granted contracts for optical fiber cable projects.
This decision was made at the USF Board of Directors’ 80th meeting, which was led by Federal Secretary of State for Information Technology, Dr. Muhammad Sohail Rajput.
The chairman gave details of the initiatives and stressed the IT Ministry’s aim for Digital Pakistan while speaking at the meeting.
Jazz was offered high-speed mobile broadband contracts for the districts of Mianwali and Khushab, which have a combined population of 0.37 million people, as well as Mansehra, Abbottabad, Swat, and Upper Dir.
These projects will open up 153.83 kilometers of undeveloped road and 65.51 square kilometers of undeveloped land. Tourist initiatives in places like Janat Nazeer Wadi, Kumrat, and others will support the Prime Minister’s tourism initiative, giving tourists and locals access to the fastest internet and network services.
Ufone and Telenor are both being offered mobile broadband contracts to cover the districts of Lasbella and Awaran in Balochistan, as well as the districts of Buner and Shangla in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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