15% Population Of Pakistan Lacks Access To Mobile & Telecom Services

We all know that Pakistan is home to over 212 million people and is the fifth-most populous country in the world. In order to stretch cellular, broadband internet, fiber optics, and other telecommunication services to un-served or underserved areas of Pakistan, a fund was created back in 2007. The sources have revealed that Universal Service Fund (USF) has spent around Rs. 93 billion to date (since 2006-07) but around 15% population of Pakistan still has no access to mobile and telecom services.

15% Population of Pakistan Still Lacks Basic Telephone Service

According to the official sources, some of the un-served and under-served areas in Balochistan and FATA still lack access to basic telephone and mobile broadband services.  Before the Universal Service Fund, Telecommunication coverage was around 44 percent. However, the telecom companies contributed 1.5 % of their revenues to the fund. The USF has also spent Rs. 92.797 billion so far for the expansion of telecommunication services to the under-served and un-served areas of the country but still it didn’t work.

Challenges Faced By USF

There were certain challenges asserted that the USF faced while trying to expand the telecom services to the under-served areas. They included:

• Rugged terrains
• Sparse population
• Harsh weather
• Lack of electricity
• No backhaul
• Poor logistics
• Security clearance

The government Of Pakistan even subsidized projects for areas that do not support the business plans of telecom operators. They took this step to reach the under-served and un-served areas in Pakistan. According to sources, of the total Rs. 92.797 billion subsidies, PTCL took a major chunk of Rs. 25.975 billion (28%), Ufone Rs. 22.174 billion (23.90 %), Telenor Rs. 22.947 billion (24.73 %), Zong Rs. 5.637 billion (6.07 %), Wateen Rs. 4.847 (5.22 %), World Call Rs. 1.273 billion (1.37 %), Jazz Rs. 4.833 million (5.21 %) and Nayatel Rs. 3.314 billion (3.57 %).

USF also introduced an optic fiber program. It is actually another initiative under USF that aims to promote the development of telecommunication services in un-served and under-served rural areas. It is a very good initiative to enable affordable, voice, telephony, and basic data services in such areas. However, it requires the establishment of a stable and reliable optic fiber network in all corners of the country.

It is a very expanded project that needs to extend optic fiber connectivity to the un-served Tehsil headquarters for meeting the growing requirements of voice, data, and video in these areas. Extending fiber cables to tehsils will help the telecom service providers in extending all kinds of telecom services to those areas. According to the latest reports, 6,447 km of optic fiber has already been laid to connect 56 tehsils and 26 towns.

The good piece of news is that several initiatives have been started through e-commerce now. They include:

• ICTs for girls
• Establishment of 13 computer labs in selected institutions
• Enabling persons with disabilities to use telecom services
• Telemedicine network end services
• Establishment of telecenters
• Empowerment of craft SMEs

We as a nation need to contribute to the betterment of our country by utilizing our knowledge and skills. It will surely help in making our economy better day by day.