ISLAMABAD: 4G service has finally reached South Waziristan a month after Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the launch of internet service in the tribal areas allowing residents, particularly students, to have access to high-speed internet through cellular service.

As part of the government’s plan to empower the region along with other districts of former Federally Adminis­te­red Tribal Areas (Fata), Jazz launched the internet service in one of the remotest parts of the country.

The telecom sector regulator has acknowledged that Jazz has upgraded all of its 3G sites to 4G in South Waziristan.

The Pakistan Telecommu­ni­cation Authority (PTA) has said that with the availability of high-speed mobile broadband, not only the students and the bu­­­siness community of South Waziristan will benefit but the connectivity will also help improve socioeconomic conditions of the residents.

The PTA also directed the mobile service companies to install more sites in South Waziristan and other districts of former Fata for better voice and data services. The regulator has already carried out a ‘Quality of Service’ survey in South Waziristan in order to check the ground status of telecom services, while mobile service companies have been directed to improve their services and upgrade their 3G sites.

Jazz, which is the only operator providing 4G services in this region, says the 4G rollout has been initiated in record time following PM Khan’s recent promise to the people of South Waziristan to provide high-speed internet services to the tribal region.

The company said the rollout of 4G services in South Waziristan would help bridge the digital divide in the country.

According to Jazz CEO Aamir Ibrahim, the company believes in connecting the residents of the country with fast and reliable mobile broadband.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2021