GIS as a Planning Tool for the Rural Telecom, E-Services and Broadband Projects in Pakistan

"Universal service" is the policy that all Pakistani Nationals, especially those located in rural areas, should have the opportunity to use same affordable telephony and related services as provided to the urban population in a sustainable manner keeping in view the as available resources. The policy rests on the maxim that all Pakistani, both residing in urban and rural areas, should benefit economically and socially from being able to communicate with others locally and globally. The Universal Service Fund Policy is focused on the geographical areas giving special priority to rural, remote, and small towns and urban areas, which are either un-served or under-served. While planning, Universal Service Fund identifies such areas through mapping existing coverage plots (Geographical Area) of different operators, demographic data, teledensity, and distance to existing facilities and Socio-economic, and development factors using Geographical Information System and Remote Sensing Technologies as Tools of Geography. These tools help to facilitate bidders for extension of their services into the remote areas of the country in conjunction with Universal Service Fund Company targets. Total of 26 unserved lots (Geographical Area) have been identified throughout the country and divided into different phases. Universal Service Fund Company has contracted 9 lots (Geographical Area) with the different bidders most of these lots (Geographical Area) are nearing completion, whereas as four lots (Geographical Area) are lunched for bidding and planning on the rest is underway. Most of the north eastern Punjab, southwestern Sind, and central Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are heavily served areas, whereas Gilgit-Baltistan (a newly declared province) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir have also been included in the USF targets. Beside, the company is also enhancing the telecommunication infrastructure through expansion of Broadband and Optical Fiber Network throughout the country. Furthermore Universal Se- vice Fund Company is keenly taking up the matters leading to social development through various projects e.g. Project for Disabled persons, Telemedicine, Hepatitis Management Information System etc.