The government is planning to revise the legal and institutional framework of the Universal Service Fund (USF), which has provided Rs. 87 billion in subsidies during the last 15 years, to expand telecommunication services in un-served and under-served areas of the country.
Official sources told ProPakistani that the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication had initiated the process of amending the rules and framework of USF and it would be completed soon. They opined that there was a need to revise the legal and institutional framework of USF to bring more productivity, efficiency, and accountability.
Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Amin Ul Haque said that the 15 years journey of USF had been a success, however, during the last three years, it did much better than it had done in the earlier 12 years. He said this had been substantiated by data.
He underlined that in 2018, only six projects were enrolled by USF, while in 2019, the number got doubled and 12 projects were enrolled, and 25 projects were registered in 2020. The target for the current year is set as 28 projects.
In the last 15 years, Haque said, USF has contracted 106 projects worth Rs. 87 billion. These projects will serve approximately 25 million people living in over 12,000 Mouzas [a type of administrative district] across the country. More than 10,500 kilometers of Optic Fiber Cable has been laid and 1,929 kilometers of unserved road segment has been connected under National Highways & Motorways Programme, Haque added.
The total subsidiary incurred on USF projects was Rs. 52 billion in the first 12 years, while during the last three years, USF has spent Rs. 31 billion. In addition, during the current year, Rs. 18 billion has been earmarked for USF projects.
USF was established by the Government of Pakistan under the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication in December 2006 to spread the benefits of the telecommunication revolution to all corners of Pakistan. The Fund is celebrating 15 years of empowering communities by making high-speed internet available and affordable for all.
During the last three years, USF contracted over 40 projects worth Rs. 31 billion, which shows its commitment to empowering communities by bridging the digital divide between urban and rural communities, he added.
Federal Secretary for IT and Telecommunication Dr. Muhammad Sohail Rajput said that Pakistan had witnessed good growth in teledensity, mobile subscribers, and broadband services users. According to him, the teledensity has reached 87 percent, mobile subscribers after growth of nine percent reached 187 million active SIMs, while mobile broadband users increased by 24 percent and reached 109 million during the last year.
He said the data showed that the country was on the path of increasing connectivity and better service delivery for the digital economy. The success of USF was a good example of public-private partnership and showed how the collaboration of the public and government led to better service delivery, he explained.
He underscored that in light of the Prime Minister’s Digital Pakistan vision, USF had diligently worked under the supervision of the Federal Minister for IT & Telecom and launched a record number of projects in the last three years.
He remarked that USF promoted the development of telecommunication services in un-served and under-served areas throughout the length and breadth of the country. It consisted of contributions by the telecommunication operators with no government funding involved, he said, adding that this was a great example of a public-private partnership and a role model for others to follow.
The USF’s core values of Diversity, Integrity, Growth, Innovation & Teamwork have been the guiding principles for the company’s phenomenal growth over the years, he observed.
Dr. Muhammad Sohail Rajput remarked that the USF had rolled out several High-Speed Mobile Broadband Projects in the under-served and unserved areas of Pakistan. Optic Fiber Cable to Union Council Program, he added, had also been rolled out to create a digital highway for future technologies like 5G. He noted that the Connectivity on Highways and Motorways Program had earned laurels from national and international stakeholders alike.
According to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) USF, Haris Mahmood Chaudhry, the mission and vision of the Fund are to empower unserved and underserved communities through Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to achieve a digitally inclusive Pakistan. Improving lives of un-served and under-served communities by making High-Speed Internet available and affordable for all, he added.
Source: Pro Pakistani