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PTCL devising

new policies to

promote IT industry

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) is focusing its efforts to build fast basic infrastructure for development of Internet and information technology in the country, it was learnt here on Sunday.

The company already having good infrastructure and providing facility of Internet and e-mail services to 120,000 users, has the capacity to take load of about 200,000 users in the existing networks.

Many new projects are also in the pipeline to provide IT and Internet service for up to 800,000 customers by end of 2003.

Keeping in view the exclusivity in provision of international connectivity up to year 2002, PTCL is taking steps to meet the challenges of deregulation.

The company is continuously reviewing the cost of international connectivity and has reduced the cost of this service four times in the last two years.

PTCL, in the next two weeks, will also announce its policy and rates for a symmetric-bandwidth.

The company is fully committed to support IT industry and help the country have a strong information technology base.

Tariffs for IPL (half circuit) have been reduced by about 20 percent with effect from January 1, 2000.

Similarly, rates for shared bandwidth have also been reduced by about 70 percent from 1-1-2000.

Now the PTCL rates for both the bandwidths are at least 10 percent lower as compared to similar regional countries.

Moreover, the company will even add more Bandwidth and procure additional frame relay cards for availability and effective management of shared bandwidth.

The government has also set up an inter-ministerial committee as well, in which representatives of the government, PTCL and ISPAK will meet to review the bandwidth rates.

A meeting recently held had reached an understanding on the costs of shared bandwidth.

As the PTCL charges for clear bandwidth are more than 10 percent lower than the charge of the similar type of bandwidth in neighbouring and regional countries, the review of its charges will be a continuous process and PTCL is fully committed to keep its prices competitive.ÑAPP