A population of 2.37 million people will benefit from the completion of 62 solar powered sites in Mirpur Khas (34 sites), Bahawalpur (13 sites) and Nasirabad (15 sites), constructed by Telenor and CMPak through the Rural Telecom Projects of Universal Service Fund.
Due to the non-availability of commercial power, the Telecom servicer providers had to rely on diesel engines to provide uninterrupted services. This ploy was very cost inefficient plus the maintenance and transportation to these far flung hard to reach sites was taking its toll. Therefore the stake holders put their heads together and decided that operators will bid for all future infrastructures in un-served areas with renewable energy solutions.
The initiative taken reduces the energy costs, is environment friendly and is also a small contribution towards dealing with the energy crisis in Pakistan.
On the whole, the projects being implemented by Universal Service Fund are presenting immense development as the number of previously un-served areas where service has been endowed which has crossed 3,500 and number of small towns and cities with broadband connections is approaching 200. At the same time, nearly 1,000 kms of Fiber Cables have been laid to connect Tehsils so far not served with Optical Fiber.
Technical Audits are underway at all the sites where the Operators have claimed to have completed the objectives, as payments are made only after full verification of the achieved targets by technical auditors.
Due to the joint efforts of the stakeholders USF Pakistan is declared as one of the best performing Universal Service programs in the developing world.
