USF approves high-speed internet service projects worth Rs11.5 billion

The Universal Service Fund (USF) Board has approved a total of ten projects worth Rs11.5 billion to provide high-speed internet and optical fiber services to 19 under-served districts in the country. 

As reported by The Nation, the projects have been launched on the advice of Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Aminul Haque in order to empower 4.4 million in the aforementioned areas. 

The USF Board reportedly approved an award of high-speed mobile broadband contracts to Jazz, Ufone, and Telenor while the optic fiber cable project contracts have been offered to PTCL. 

This decision was made in the 80th meeting of the USF Board Directors, chaired by Federal Secretary for IT Ministry Dr Muhammad Sohail Rajput. 

While addressing the meeting, the chairman shared details of the projects and emphasized the IT Ministry’s vision for Digital Pakistan. 

High-speed mobile broadband contracts were offered to Jazz for the districts of Mianwali and Khushab to a total population of 0.37 million, as well as for Mansehra, Abbottabad, Swat, and Upper Dir. 

These projects will provide access to 153.83 kilometers of unserved route length and an approximate unserved area of 65.51 sq km. The tourist projects in destinations like Janat Nazeer Wadi, Kumrat, and others will strengthen the Prime Minister’s tourism programme and tourists and the local citizens will enjoy access to the fastest internet and network services. 

Mobile broadband contracts are also being offered to Ufone to cover the areas of Lasbella and Awaran in Balochistan, as well as to Telenor to serve the districts of Buner and Shangla in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.