PROVIDING telecom infrastructure to rural and remote areas has always been a technical and financial challenge. Huge distances between settlements and the sparseness of scattered rural populations have created difficulties for government and service providers. The high costs and limited revenue opportunities resulted in low provision of telecom facilities to rural areas.
But emerging from the proliferation of the information communication technology ICT), another concept is that of the rural tele-centres deployed successfully by many countries to bring their rural community at par with the urban populace. Those successfully practicing this concept have increased their agricultural produce significantly.
It may be difficult to provide telephone facilities to an entire village in a developing country, although, a tele-centre can effectively bridge the communication gap.
A tele-centre is a publicly accessible place with a range of computing and communication equipment. Basically, it provides multiple telecom services such as telephone, fax communication, e-mail and Internet access, computer usage including scanning and printing, photocopiers and a mobile cellular telephone if cell coverage is present.
In the areas where fixed line connection is not available wireless local loop (WLL) service can be used. By providing these services under one roof in an area —where even telephone facility is not common—, the community can be facilitated with modern telecom products.
If villagers have the technology available to communicate with their near and dear ones in far-off places, they can also be a part of the business world where previously, contacts had been the third or fourth-hand. Each of the major industry of the rural areas —from agriculture/fishing to handicraft/mining—, has been dependent on a long chain of middle-men which could simply be turned in direct link through technology based communication devices.
According to international standards, tele-centres serve two major purposes: general access to basic telephone services for rural communities and the provision of various ICT services such as access to Internet.
For setting up a tele-centre one would require, a start-up finance, a business plan, a suitable premises, electricity, telephone connection and the relevant equipment—a one-time cost and an operating budget.
The present expansion of the telecom services should help minimize the urban-rural digital divide. That is why the regulator of telecom sector, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has embarked on a plan to extend modern ICTs to those remote areas which were considered as out of reach.
Pakistan has an overall tele-density (number of telephone per hundred people) of 11.89 per cent of which 8.29 per cent is mobile density, 3.43 per cent is the fixed tele-density and wireless local loop density stands at 1.7 per cent. The tele-density is increasing rapidly but mainly in thickly populated urban areas leaving much to be done to increase rural telephone density.
Tele-centres need to be established at suitably located places and a proposal in this regard was floated by the PTA for using post offices for the purpose. The Pakistan Post Office Department has one of the largest network with 13,419 branches all over the country and those situated in rural areas can be used to set up tele-cottages. A tele-centre can either be fully owned and financed by the postal department or private partnership can be sought through leasing a portion of a post office building.
The concept of using post office for such community services is not new in the region. India and Bhutan, too, have equipped their post offices with tele services. Indian postal department has established e-post centres in the rural areas. Bhutan has gone a step ahead by launching a project giving connections to five community post offices in remote locations enabling villagers to communicate freely.
As for finance, micro credit banks could be a partner in these centres offering them small loans on soft terms. To encourage the concept, Zarai Taraqiati Bank (ZTBL) has allocated funds for establishing tele-centres. The bank will grant loans to those interested in making tele-centres in rural areas but lack financial resources.
The Chairman, PTA, Major General (retd), Shahzada Alam Malik says that the, “PTA would extend every support to spread tele-centers across the country. We would encourage and facilitate private partnerships in such projects”.
If implemented in its letter and spirit, the concept of tele-centre is one, which could bring tangible socio-economic change in Pakistani rural life.
