AJK and G-B hit over 100pc teledensity: PTA

GILGIT: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has announced that despite the challenging terrain and sparse populations, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) have emerged as the only regions with 100 per cent  teledensity.

Teledensity is a measure of the number of telephone connections – fixed-line (landline) and mobile phone – for every hundred individuals living within an area. It is used to gauge the extent of telecommunication infrastructure and accessibility within a specific region or country.

“The enhancement and strengthening of telecom infrastructure and services in AJ&K and GB remains a priority for Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Government of Pakistan,” PTA said in a statement. Today, it said, competition has been ensured in all telecom services, including mobile broadband, fixed broadband, Fiber to The Home (FTTH), and fixed line services.

“This achievement would not have been possible without the trust placed in the incumbent operator Special Communication Organization (SCO) and other telecom operators by six million mobile subscribers,” the statement reads.

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The regulator said that in addition to mobile broadband, the residents of AJ&K have access to a variety of broadband services such as FTTH, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), and Wireless Local Loop (WLL), which are utilized by the masses for services like e-education, e-commerce, e-health, etc., thus contributing to the socio-economic uplift of the region.

Furthermore, it added, following international best practices, the Authority has identified Telenor as a Significant Market Power (SMP) operator in the mobile market of AJ&K and GB, which is being regulated to ensure competitive tariffs for consumers.

“To improve coverage and ensure quality telecom services for the consumers, PTA under the license terms requires mobile operators to install a minimum of six telecom towers every year,” the PTA said. Similarly, it said, operators also ensure service provision as per defined thresholds, and for this purpose, independent and joint QoS surveys are conducted regularly. Additionally, the PTA encourages consumers to use the PTA’s Complaint Management System (CMS) for any complaints about service quality.