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USF Builds informotion highways to unserved areas(Flare (Pakistan) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Telecom Creates the ability to communcate, ti connect and to go beyound boundaries. The harsh reality is that there are numerous areas in Pakistan , Where the Population is deprived of even the basic facility of distance Communication A new era has been dawn. An era where communication is not just transmitting and receiving voices but videos and texts. Better communication provides better access to social benefits such as education, healthcare, public safety and above all economic opportunities. Telecom creates the ability to communicate, to connect and to go beyond boundaries. But unfortunately, the benefits are not for all. The harsh reality is that there are numerous areas in Pakistan, where the population is deprived of even the basic facility of distance communication. With an aim to connect the unconnected to bridge the digital divide, Universal Service Fund was established by the government of Pakistan, there was no government funding involved. The fund consists of 1.5 percent of adjusted revenues contributed by the telecom operators of Pakistan and utilized by following a corporate model by formation of a company under Company Ordinance 1984, as a public-private partnership entity. Parvez Iftikhar, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Universal Service Fund (USF) has said, “personally, I feel very proud to see how USF programmes have sustained over the last couple of years ever since, we started from a scratch, despite the security situation challenges that we face and especially in those areas, where we operate”. By increasing the level of telecom penetration in the rural areas, broadband penetration in unserved urban areas and countrywide enhancement of e-services USF is spreading the benefits of telecom revolution to all corners of Pakistan. Rural Telecom Programme Parvez Iftikhar has said, “we started our endeavours with the USF in rural areas ‘Rural Telecom Project’ with the belief that living in remote rural areas doesn’t mean living in isolation. We endeavour to create opportunities for people, so that they all have that equal access to IT and communication technologies”. No populated area in Pakistan must remain unserved as for the basic telephony is concerned. Mohammad Ruksh, resident of Cholistan has said, “we live in a very poor area. No telecom company was willing to come and install their towers here, but now thank God, a tower has been installed here. We are given the facility to call and contact in case of emergency”. Universal Service Fund is helping telecom operators to provide services in remote areas creating opportunities for rural population. Resident of Bahawalpur, Mohammad Aslam said, “We used to travel hundreds of miles, had no facility. Now we can call before going to market or Bahawalpur and ask for the supplies like cotton or wheat seeds or other things of need. It’s a great convenience for us”. In a little over 20 years of time, USF has provided basic telephony and data services to more than 3000 unserved villages in the country. The impact of this technology aggregating sustainable educational, cultural, social and economic development can easily been seen in the changing lifestyle of the people. Mr. Tariq SHO (Station House Officer), Cholistan has said, “I have been appointed to Derawar Fort in the capacity of SHO for a long time. This area in Cholistan desert consists of 200 villages. There wasn’t any tele-system before. Ever since the mobile companies started functioning here, we get information on time, Police mobile gets alert right away and approximately within an hour or 2 we reach the place”. In Universal Service Fund it’s mandatory to power infrastructure through solar energy sources. Optic Fibre Cable Programme CEO USF, Parvez Iftikhar said, “ Our maxims appears in materiel form, when we see the fact that out of 400 Tehsils in the country, 30 percent Tehsils were unconnected to the information highways and we are providing optic fibre connectivity to those. Through our optic fibre connectivity programme, we are building information highways to those Tehsils, so that all kinds of telecom and e-services can be extended to those areas by the telecom and other services provides in the country”. The purpose of our endeavours doesn’t end by connecting people living within the boundaries of an area but to expand the link to the rest of the world. To achieve the purpose and to increase the penetration of telecom and IT in far flung areas. The target to expand the optic fibre connectivity to 125 unserved Tehsils. Straight and trotted efforts results in increasing graphic success and that is how we represent our success. Broadband Programme Broadband revolution has created a variety of ways to spread high speed internet all over the world, in some cases bringing remote regions online more rapidly than expected. A student Shafiullah from Battagram, KPK, said, “The best thing of this centre is the availability of fast speed internet. We who live in this small city and cannot afford our own computer and internet connection are now a part of internet world.” Broadband is improving lives by bringing better healthcare and enhance economic opportunities for the users. Parvez Iftikhar said, “it is an unfortunate fact that in a country like Pakistan even a lot of urban areas are deprived or unserved as broadband is concerned. We are endeavouring to take broadband to each and every urban area and each and every town and city in the country. Through our broadband programme, we are progressing very rapidly on that and Inshallah very soon each and every town in Pakistan will have broadband.” USF is providing broadband programme which aimes at improving penetration and high speed internet in the second-third urban area. It covers more than 400 towns and cities by connecting hospitals, schools and colleges, vocational training institutions, distance learning centres, banks, government offices, libraries, courts, post offices, small and medium enterprises, railway stations and various other institutions. USF is making it possible for every citizen of Pakistan to get better economic opportunities regardless of age, gender or geographical boundaries believing that by economically empowering women making empower nation. Shumaila Tabbasum student and resident of Faisalabad, said, “I can get assignment and submit it online, this is very convenient for me. Now I can work while sitting at home and can earn a living.” The highlight of this project is the provision of internet broadband connectivity to all the high schools and colleges of the unserved areas and establishment of community broadband centres for those who can’t afford to have their own computer and internet. A student Bilal Ahmed, community broadband centre user in Sargodha has said, “The most important feature of this centre is that here fast speed internet is available. Now we who live in this small city and can’t afford to have personal computer and internet are also a part of this world. I think that the internet facility must reach every customer.” Special Projects Most of the special projects of USF involve setting up of tele-centres, which aim in introducing and promoting e-services in the country, especially where availability of PCs, high speed connections and computers literacy are the main issues. One of the on-going projects is convergence of computer centres into multi- purpose community tele-centres. It involves provide broadband connectivity to the existing computer centres in the country. Saima Noureen a student and resident of Meera Bhagwal said, “This centre has entirely changed my life. High speed internet connection has made this easy for me to download files, brows sites or send and receive data on time.” The project enabling persons with disabilities to use telecom services with organisations like Al Shafa Eye Trust and Pakistan Foundation Fighting Blindness are just the beginning of our endeavours in this direction. CEO said, “finally, I fell very proud to say that our programme success is because of the absolute transparent manner that we are operating in, all the evoluation summaries, all the bidding documents, the agreements that the operators have to sign, everything is available on the website. USF is operating as transparent in manner as it can get.” |