Govt making efforts to expand coverage of cellular services to uncovered areas: Senate told

National Assembly adjourned to pay respect for PPPP lawmaker
File Photo

ISLAMABAD, Aug 26 (APP): Adviser to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan Wednesday informed the Senate that the government was making efforts to expand the coverage of cellular services to the uncovered areas of the country.

Responding to a question during Question Hour, he said that 3000 new sites had been identified for the installation of towers to provide better and improved cellular service.
Responding to another question he said, that 4G services had been provided in all seven tehsils of Tharparkar district including Mithi, Islamkot, Chachro, Dihly, Diplo, Kaloi and Nagarparkar.

The adviser said facility of cellular network (2G/3G/4G) services had been provided in all tehsils of Tharparkar district. Universal Service Fund (USF) awarded contract to M/s Telenor in year 2009 to extend the then prevalent 2G (voice and data) cellular services to the unserved mauzas in the districts of Tharparkar.

After issuance of 3G/4G licenses, USF NG-BSD Tharparkar Lot targets provision of voice and high speed mobile broadband internet (3G) services in the unserved and mobile broadband internet services in the underserved mauzas of Tharparkar district, he added.

Babar Awan said, contract for USF’s Tharparkar Lot was awarded to M/s Telenor Pakistan, in December 2019 and the Telenor will be upgrading some of its sites to offer 4G services and the project will be completed within 18 months.

Till date, he said, 25% implementation had been completed and USF had provided coverage to 39 mauzas in Tharparkar district.

APP Services