Pakistan government has chosen to extend 4G services to the rural part of the country to close digital divide in the underserved regions.
According to the information, the Universal Service Fund (USF) Board has cleared seven key projects to increase the broadband and fiber optic presence in Pakistan.
It was a decision made by IT Secretary and USF Board Chairman Zarar Khan and a total of Rs7.49 billion were invested on it.
The accepted projects are 5 plans of the broadband services projects, and two plans of the fiber optic projects, 347 villages, 113 towns/union councils in 12 districts with 940 km of fiber.
USF asserts that the projects will cover about 2.8 million residents with the fiber connection and 0.965 with broadband connection.
Zarar Khan highlighted that thousands of talented young and female adults in remote regions of the country will be part of the freelancing and digital startup sector due to the rapidly increased launching across the board instructed by the Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima.
USF has so far enabled access to broadband to more than 37 million citizens of the country.
The USF chief executive officer, Mudassar Naveed further elaborated on the matter saying that the company will spend Rs3.27 billion to install a fiber optic cable covering 415 kilometers around Sanghar and Rs2.38 billion to put up a cable at 525 kilometers around Jhang.
The project is also going to introduce 4G service to rural areas of Attock, Khushab, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Hafizabad, Sheikhupura, Chiniot, Badin and Abbottabad.
The Board of Directors applauded USF regarding its instrumental role in enhancing technology advancement and export of digital goods in Pakistan.
