SCO establishes international gateway telephone exchange in Rawalpindi

State-run Special Communications Organisation (SCO) has inked an integrated phased plan to expand its telecom network including wireless phone and cellular services to the remote and far flung areas of Azad Jammu Kashmir.
Disclosing this commanding officer SCO Mirpur division Lieutenant Colonel Farukh Saeed told a news conference here on Monday that the strength of existing 50,000 lines of the S.Com cell phone is being increased to 200.000 besides expand its area of operation to the far flung areas of AJK.
He further said that S.Com service is currently available in 27 major cities and towns of the liberated territory.
Local senior SCO officials including Major Mohsin Shaheen, Major Shehzad Aftab and Captain Inam-ul-haq were also present on this occasion. Lieutenant Colonel Farukh continued besides S.Com cell phone service, recently launched wireless phone CDMA service is also being expanded under the comprehensive phased programme to rest of Azad Jammu Kashmir.
Unveiling a new subsidised package for the S.Com users, he said that the calls could be made on three favourites fed numbers through S.Com at half rate round the clock. He said that in Mirpur district, base transmitter stations are being installed at Pir Galli, Kakra town to extend the service of S. Com to more areas of this district.
Referring to the expansion of the network of landline telephone connections in Mirpur City, the commanding officer SCO said that the strength of existing 14,000-land line telephone exchanges is being raised to the required strength to meet the need of the aspirants.
He pointed out that six hundred new lines are being added in the concerned exchange exclusively to provide new telephone connections to the new industrial area and the adjoining fast-expanding housing sector D/4 in the city.
To a question, Farukh said that the call could be made for United Kingdom through S.Com cell phone at the rate of Rs 3.45 per minute, which, he added, is much lesser as compared to its contemporaries. He said that the similar call for UK through the SCO's wireless phone-CDMA is available at the rate of Rs 2.00 per minute. He added that the said subsidised rates from the said two services are available only for the landline phones at the other end.
Farukh said that the calls for the United States and Canada are also available through S.Com cell phone at the same rate of Rs 3.45 per minute for the landline phones.
To another question he said that the SCO has established its own International Gateway telephone exchange in Rawalpindi to ensure the quick national and international direct dialling telephone facility for the people of Azad Jammu Kashmir and Northern areas.
He said that soft switches are being installed in Rawalpindi, Muzaffarabad and Mirpur by the SCO to improve and develop its telecom network, harmonious to the need of the modern era, in Azad Jammu Kashmir and Northern areas.
To another question, Lieutenant Colonel Farukh Saeed said that SCO has franchised the sale of the S.Com cell phone pay cards through establishing the sale points with the co-ordination of the private sector for the facility of the users.
These sales points included 14 in Mirpur city, 13 in Muzaffarabad, 9 in Bagh, 16 in Rawalakot, four each in Palandri and Dadayal, six in Islamgarh, three in Jatlan, 17 in Kotli and six sales points in Bhimbher city.
He said that under the spirit to ensure the supply of pay-cards of wireless phone CDMA to the users close to their door-step, the cards will also now be available at the customer service centre of the SCO at Mirpur city's busiest and heart centre - Naangi with an immediate effect besides other stipulated sale points. S.Com pay cards are already available from the SCO customer service centre, he added.