Page 122 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Pakistan

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has issued a and Sindh. The contract signed between USF and telecom
request for expressions of interest (EoIs) for consultancy services provider Jazz will cover the areas of Khairpur, Sukkur and Ghotki
regarding the renewal of licenses and allocation of additional in Sindh, whereas the areas under the contract signed between
spectrum concessions in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and USF and telecom provider Ufone include Bolan, Jhal Magsi, Ziarat
Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) regions. The eventual winning bidder would and Kalat in Baluchistan. The contracts were signed by USF CEO
be required to assess the available and assigned spectrum in the Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary with Jazz CEO Aamir Ibrahim and
900MHz, 1800MHz, and 2100MHz bands in the two territories and Ufone CEO Rashid Khan. Terming the signing of contracts as ‘good
develop policy recommendations for the license renewals and omen’ for the country, the prime minister observed that it was in
to help design and plan the auction of the available spectrum. line with their government’s vision of uplifting the most backward,
The publication follows on the heels of a similar request for the poor and deprived areas of Sindh besides different impoverished
assistance with an upcoming sale of 1800MHz and 2100MHz areas of Baluchistan through a network of internet connectivity.
frequencies for the rest of Pakistan. (October 5, 2020) commsupdate.com The prime minister regretted that lopsided development in the
country had affected these areas. He said the MoU would lead to
Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Syed Amin Ul wider connectivity in these remote areas, thus paving a way for
Haque has said that Ministry of IT is committed for bridging development and prosperity. He cited construction of Karakoram
digital divide between urban and rural areas of the country. He highway in Gilgit Baltistan which had connected inaccessible
was addressing at a signing ceremony for award of Rs 1.28 billion areas and helped in improving the standards of living and
contracts by Universal Service Fund (USF) to cellular companies educational facilities. The Prime Minister said the majority of the
for provision of voice and high speed mobile broadband data people in those areas also wanted the provision of e-learning
services in areas of Balochistan and Sindh. Prime Minister and distance learning facilities through the use of mobile phone
Imran Khan was chief guest at ceremony. The contract signed services. Adult literacy could be achieved through the spread
between USF and Jazz will cover the areas of Khairpur, Sukkur of internet system. Such connectivity would be vital for the
and Ghotki in Sindh, whereas the areas under the contract fifth industrial revolution, he opined. He said Pakistan had the
signed between USF and Ufone include Bolan, Jhal Magsi, Ziarat second-largest young population in the world which possessed
and Kalat in Baluchistan.The contracts were signed by Haaris ‘a vibrant potential’, and stressed that IT ministry should work
Mahmood Chaudhary, CEO USF with Aamir Ibrahim, CEO Jazz further in tapping the IT skills. The prime minister said setting
and Rashid Khan, CEO Ufone. The Federal Minister for IT said up IT parks was also significant step by the ministry as it would
through USF IT Ministry was committed to bridging the digital have positive impacts upon the country’s exports. Minister for
divide by development, deployment and uptake of Information Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Amin ul
Communications Technology (ICT) initiatives to make a real Haq said his ministry through USF was committed to bridging
difference in people’s lives. He informed that through the the digital divide by development, deployment and uptake of
contracts, around 2.4 million people in 1146 mauzas of Bolan, Information Communications Technology (ICT) initiatives to
Jhal Magsi, Ziarat, Kalat, Khairpur, Sukkur and Ghotki districts make a real difference in people’s lives. The Minister informed
would be provided High Speed Mobile Broadband services, that through the contracts, around 2.4 million people in 1,146
covering an unserved area of 34,660 sq.km. He said the projects mauzas of Bolan, Jhal Magsi, Ziarat, Kalat, Khairpur, Sukkur and
had the potential to impact important areas such as healthcare, Ghotki districts would be provided High Speed Mobile Broadband
communications, agriculture and transportation. Syed Amin services, covering an unserved area of 34,660 sq.km. He said
ul Haq said the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication would the projects had the potential to impact important areas such
continue to undertake more challenging and productive programs as healthcare, communications, agriculture and transportation,
in future including establishment of IT Parks, including the ones adding that the telecom ministry would continue to undertake
to be opened in Islamabad and Gilgit in near future. Launch of more challenging and productive programmes in the future
triple bundle in Gilgit Baltistan is also in completion phase, he including the establishment of IT Parks, including the ones to
said. Federal Secretary for IT and Telecommunication and senior be opened in Islamabad and Gilgit in near future. The project of
officials of USF, Jazz and Ufone were present. manufacturing and assembling of 3G and 4G Mobile Phones in
(October 2, 2020) telecoalert.com the county as approved by Cabinet and Economic Coordination
Committee is also in the offing, while the launch of triple bundle in
Prime Minister stressed upon promotion of information technology, Gilgit Baltistan is in completion phase, he said.
cyber connectivity and digitalization ‘because Pakistan’s future (September 30, 2020) propakistani.pk
was linked with the adoption of these latest modes of science
and technology’. He was addressing at a signing ceremony for The number of 3G and 4G users in Pakistan reached 84.81 million
awarding of Rs. 1.28 billion worth contracts by Universal Service by end-August, compared to 82.76 million by end-July, registering
Fund (USF) to cellular companies for provision of voice and high an increase of 2.05 million, said the Pakistan Telecommunication
speed mobile broadband data services in areas of Balochistan Authority (PTA). Number of mobile phone users in Pakistan

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