Rs5.1bn broadband contracts awarded

Published October 20, 2020
The contracts were awarded under the Next Generation Broadband for Sustainable Development and Next Generation Optical Fibre Network and Services programs.
— AFP/File
The contracts were awarded under the Next Generation Broadband for Sustainable Development and Next Generation Optical Fibre Network and Services programs. — AFP/File

ISLAMABAD: The Universal Service Fund (USF) on Monday awarded contracts worth Rs5.11 billion to Telenor, Zong, Ufone and PTCL under the Next Generation Broadband for Sustainable Development and Next Generation Optical Fibre Network and Services programs.

The USF meeting was chaired by IT Secretary Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui.

Under the Next Generation Optical Fiber Network and Services projects, worth approximately Rs3bn, around 1,078 km of Optical Fiber Cable will be laid out to connect 140 villages and union councils thereby providing high speed mobile broadband services to unserved population of approximately 4.7 million.

The board also approved award of contracts under the Next Generation Broadband for Sustainable Development Program worth Rs2 billion to Telenor, Zong and Ufone.

PTCL was awarded the contract to improve services in Kashmore, Ghotki, Sukkur and Khairpur districts of Sindh.

Telenor was awarded the contract for Chitral, Upper Dir and Lower Dir districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa whereby an unserved population of around 0.7m will benefit from high speed mobile broadband services in 648 unserved villages and an approximate unserved area of 18,212 sq km.

Likewise, Zong is being awarded the contract of Karachi West and Malir districts in Sindh that will benefit an unserved population of approximately 0.1m in 36 unserved villages and approximately 690 sq. km of unserved area.

Similarly, Ufone is being awarded the contract of Mastung and Ziarat districts in Balochistan to serve an unserved population of approximately 0.1m in 226 unserved villages and an approximate unserved area of 6,324 sq. km.

Earlier, USF Chief Executive Officer Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary briefed the board members about the projects.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2020

Follow Dawn Business on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

Editorial

The way forward
Updated 12 May, 2025

The way forward

An out-of-the-box solution acceptable to Pakistan, India and the Kashmiris is the only hope for long-term peace in South Asia.
AI opportunity
12 May, 2025

AI opportunity

TIME is running out. According to the latest Human Development Report, published by the UNDP this past Tuesday,...
Ace mountaineer
12 May, 2025

Ace mountaineer

NINE summits, five to go. Sajid Ali Sadpara’s quest to fulfil his late father’s dream and elevate Pakistan’s...
Hostilities cease, at last
Updated 11 May, 2025

Hostilities cease, at last

It is Islamabad and New Delhi that will have to do the heavy lifting thesmselves to secure peace.
Second IMF tranche
11 May, 2025

Second IMF tranche

THE IMF board’s approval of the second tranche of its ongoing $7bn funding arrangement and a new climate ...
War and lies
Updated 10 May, 2025

War and lies

Media on this side of the border is also not above blame.