NA Body Expresses Concern Over Poor Mobile Signals

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology & Telecommunications on Monday expressed concern over the poor signal/ coverage of mobile network services

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Feb, 2023 ) :The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology & Telecommunications on Monday expressed concern over the poor signal/ coverage of mobile network services.

The meeting was chaired by its chairman, MNA Mir Khan Muhammad Jamali, who directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to ensure the proper network coverage and data services across the country, said a news release.

The PTA briefly apprised the committee about the independent surveys conducted across the country, which found the quality of network services below the standards in five districts. However, the PTA imposed Rs 29 million fine on telecom operators with the direction to the improve their services.

The PTA further expressed that 80 surveys were conducted in a year, and now the number of annual independent surveys have been doubled in order to ensure the quality services by telecom operators.

The committee directed the PTA to ensure the early completion of installation process of fiber optics in Balochistan which was pending from two years so that the people of Balochistan get quality internet services.

The committee also directed that PTA should ensure the provision of telecom facility in Tharparkar district as all the codel formalities were completed with universal services of funds (USF).

The committee also discussed the budgetary proposals relating to public sector development program (PSDP) of the ministry and its attached departments for the current financial year 2023-24 in detail.

The committee endorsed all the budgetary proposal amounting to Rs 24250.375 million for 35 on-going and 12 new projects for current financial year 2023-24. The committee also re-appointed the sub-committee with the same terms of references and composition.

Besides the official of the ministry, MNAs, including Romina Khurshid Alam, Maiza Hameed, Naz Baloch, Syed Mehmood Shah, Salahuddin, Javairia Zafar Aheer, Mahesh Kumar Malani, Moulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, and Aliya Kamran attended the meeting.