Telecom Activity in AJK and Northern Areas
Pakistan’s Northern areas are in the news as telecom competition opens up there. PTA has announced licensing of fixed line telephony (Long distance, local loop, public phones) in AJK and Northern areas which includes infrastructure and towers as well. See the official PTA notice.
Till recently Mobilink was the only major cellular phone player in that area. Then Telenor jumped in as well. Remember the Shandur Polo Festival earlier this year sponsored by Telenor? That was a good move by Telenor. Now it is being reported that CMPak will be offering services in AJK and Northern areas.
I hope telecom companies can become a regular sponsor of local events in these beautiful areas and work with NGOs to promote tourism while conserving the environment and local culture.
Tee Emm at Telecom Grid Pakistan sums it very well:
AJK and Northern Areas of Pakistan is a lucrative telecoms market due to the
historic absence of basic fixed telephone (wired) and a high remittance-rich
local population with strong connection in the United Kingdom and other
European countries.This area was served by a semi-military, semi-government telecommunication organization that goes by the name of SCO - Special Communication Organization which used to had exclusive rights of telecommunication services in the region. Of late, SCO had collaborated with various companies for WLL, GSM and Internet (DSL & Dialup) to offer these services in the region.
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