The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has announced a major development in improving mobile connectivity in the Upper Dir district, where Cellular Mobile Operators (CMOs) have deployed a total of 170 cellular sites. This initiative is part of the PTA’s ongoing efforts to enhance mobile services in remote and underserved regions of Pakistan.
In the last year alone, CMOs have installed 10 new sites in Upper Dir, reflecting their dedication to expanding cellular coverage and enhancing the quality of service in the district. This growth is a testament to the collaboration between the PTA and CMOs, aimed at ensuring reliable mobile connectivity in challenging geographical areas.
Upper Dir’s hilly and remote terrain has historically posed significant challenges for telecommunications infrastructure. However, the continuous expansion of cellular sites in the district marks a considerable improvement in service availability, addressing the growing demand for better mobile connectivity.
According to PTA data, Telenor has emerged as the leading operator in Upper Dir, with 73 cellular sites installed across the district. Jazz follows with 47 sites, Zong with 42, and Ufone with 8. This distribution underscores the competitive efforts of CMOs to provide comprehensive coverage and high-quality service to the region’s residents.
The significant investment by these operators highlights their commitment to addressing the connectivity issues that have long plagued Upper Dir. With a growing number of users relying on mobile services for communication, education, and business, the increased infrastructure will have a positive impact on the district’s socio-economic development.
In addition to expanding coverage, the PTA has also focused on addressing specific quality of service (QoS) issues in Upper Dir. A survey conducted in the third quarter of 2023 identified performance challenges with certain operators, such as Telenor’s data rate and Jazz’s call completion ratio. These issues were promptly addressed by the CMOs through optimization efforts, leading to improvements in service quality.
Further analysis conducted in the second quarter of 2024, using the Operational Support System (OSS) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), confirmed that these optimization measures had resulted in significant enhancements in both data speed and call quality. This demonstrates the PTA’s proactive approach in monitoring and improving QoS in rural and remote areas.
Another resurvey is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2024 to reassess QoS parameters in Upper Dir. However, the timing of the survey will depend on weather conditions, as the district’s mountainous terrain and frequent power outages pose ongoing challenges for consistent mobile coverage. Despite these obstacles, the PTA remains committed to ensuring that Upper Dir receives the same level of mobile service quality as other parts of the country.
The PTA’s efforts in Upper Dir are part of a larger, nationwide initiative to improve mobile services. To boost cellular coverage and quality, the authority has facilitated the installation of new cellular sites and the upgrade of existing infrastructure to 4G across Pakistan. In addition, the PTA has been instrumental in recommending underserved areas for inclusion in the Universal Service Fund (USF), a program designed to expand telecom services to rural and remote regions.
Advanced technologies are also being deployed to enhance coverage and capacity. These include sector splitting, Massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) technology, Voice over WiFi (VoWiFi), WiFi-offloading, and Voice over LTE (VoLTE). These innovations not only improve mobile network performance but also provide users with faster data speeds and better call quality, even in areas with high traffic loads.
In its pursuit of optimized mobile services, the PTA has also been active in conducting spectrum auctions, allowing CMOs to acquire the necessary bandwidth to expand their networks. Furthermore, the PTA is planning the gradual phase-out of 3G services to reallocate spectrum for more advanced technologies, such as 4G and 5G. This strategy is expected to further improve mobile service quality and cater to the growing demand for high-speed data services.
One of the key steps taken by the PTA to improve mobile service availability is the introduction of the National Roaming Facility. This feature allows consumers to access mobile networks even if their primary operator’s signal is weak or unavailable in certain areas. Regardless of which CMO a user subscribes to, they can now enjoy seamless coverage, particularly in rural and remote locations like Upper Dir. This initiative has significantly boosted telecom penetration, ensuring that more people have access to mobile services, irrespective of geographic limitations.
To further encourage the expansion of telecom networks, the Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication (MoIT&T) has approved a Telecom Infrastructure Sharing Framework. This policy promotes fair and competitive sharing of infrastructure, allowing CMOs to collaborate in building and maintaining telecom networks. By sharing infrastructure, CMOs can reduce capital and operational costs, which in turn encourages more rapid network expansion across the country, especially in difficult-to-reach areas.
The PTA’s efforts, along with the commitment of CMOs, have already resulted in substantial improvements in mobile services in Upper Dir. The deployment of 170 cellular sites, combined with ongoing optimization efforts and advanced technologies, has significantly enhanced connectivity in the district. As the PTA continues to monitor and improve QoS, residents of Upper Dir can look forward to even better mobile services in the near future.
These initiatives are part of a broader vision to ensure that every corner of Pakistan, regardless of its geographic challenges, has access to reliable, high-quality mobile services. With the introduction of the National Roaming Facility and the Telecom Infrastructure Sharing Framework, the future of telecom in Upper Dir and beyond looks promising, offering better connectivity, improved service quality, and greater opportunities for socio-economic growth.
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