The federal government has decided to extend the 3G and 4G internet facility to Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in the ongoing calendar year (2016). Talking to Business Recorder, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Chaudhry Barjees Tahir said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had issued special directives for the early launch of 3G/4G services in the areas.
The launch of 3G/4G internet facility in the two regions was discussed during a high-level meeting held three days ago which was also attended by the Director General Special Communication Organisation (SCO). For further deliberations and providing necessary facilities before the launch of 3G/4G services, they would meet again on February 18, the minister added. The minister said that Planning Commission on Thursday approved the PC-1 "replacement of GSM Network of AJ&K" worth Rs 1,450 million, and the required money would be issued soon.
Barjees Tahir further said it had been decided to meet other finances requirement for upgrading the network and other equipments from the Universal Service Fund (USF) of AJK&GB. Owing to the absence of modern internet facilities in the AJK and GB, people of the two regions could not develop their skills in different sectors, especially education and health.
After the launch of 3G/4G services in Pakistan, the demand of these facilities increased manifold. The government has also directed the relevant authorities to completed legal requirements to extend the facility to GB and AJK, besides devising a mechanism for conduct of fair auction of the 3G and 4G in these areas.
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on the request from AJ&K and GB Council has decided to auction spectrum for 3G/4G services in AJ&K and GB, however with the existing network of SCO, it was not possible. The Organisation has about one million subscribers and considers being the major stakeholder.
GSM network of AJ&K has been declared end of service since 2014, while existing capacity has been fully utilised, therefore there was a dire need of capacity enhancement, before the launch of 3G/4G services. After getting approval for replacement of GSM Network, the major hurdle in the launch of these services has been cleared. The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Thursday approved PC-1 "replacement of GSM Network of AJ&K" worth Rs 1,450 million thus paving the way for NGMS (3G/4G) spectrum auction. The project titled "Replacement of GSM Network AJ&K" was submitted by the special communication Organisation at a cost of Rs 1,450 million financed through PSDP. The main purpose of the project is to carry out replacement of existing equipment which had undergone serious technical faults in the past having no warranty support from vendor being an obsolete system.
This project will provide the GSM services to 350,000 subscribers. The project will ensure that the mobile services are available round the clock. The required software was upgraded from time to time but not the hardware, therefore, core network elements are required to be upgraded.-PR
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