Over 1000 cities have Internet facilities
ISLAMABAD- Over a 1000 cities and towns of the country have been illuminated with the Internet while this number is increasing gradually.
This was stated by Akhtar Ahmed Bajwa, Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) while speaking to a group of journalists that called on him at the PTCL headquarters on December 17, 2002.
He said, PTCL, in line with the policy of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications had taken major steps to promote IT and Internet in the country. PTCL had also improved the quality of fixed telephone lines.
The company had introduced various fault management systems and measures in order to quickly respond to the complaints. Likewise, the Internet users had also witnessed a marked improvement in the services and access.
PTCL would further ensure the standard of PTCL infrastructure required for uninterrupted Internet services at all distances. The Chairman PTCL further said, the company had devised a comprehensive strategy to cope with the impending challenges of deregulation.
He said efforts are being made to not only retain the existing customers’ lot but to attract new ones as well. He said, at present 220 cities, towns and villages are linked through optic fiber and this number would be increased to 400 by end of this year. In this respect, he said that the current capacity of the optic fiber is also being enhanced (which runs into megabit) to gigabit during the current year.
To a question about recently launched on-line education project (NetClass), the chairman PTCL termed it as a positive step towards the spread of IT in the country.
He said, with the Internet Access provision by PTCL to more than 1000 villages and towns now, we can all envisage how the spread of education in general can be stimulated in the remote areas of Pakistan, especially when the access to learning becomes independent of time, distance, economic status and physical disability.
”I am particularly excited about the significant benefits that such a mode of learning can bring into Corporate Pakistan that bears a significant portion of the country’s workforce and contributes greatly to the national economy.
The News, December 18, 2002
Date:12/18/2002
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