'Security hindering telecom expansion'

ISLAMABAD:

The government is expanding the country's telecom spectrum to 600 megahertz, a move expected to increase internet capacity by around 200 per cent and significantly improve speed, stability and service continuity, the National Assembly was informed on Thursday.

The parliamentary secretary for IT and Telecom, responding to questions during Question Hour, said the rapid increase in internet usage over the past one to two years — driven by digitisation of government services, education, employment portals and businesses — had put immense pressure on the existing network, leading to slow speeds and frequent disruptions.

She told the house that the spectrum expansion would help reduce congestion, improve data flow and minimise service interruptions, adding that tangible improvement in services was expected by the end of February once the process was completed.

The parliamentary secretary said that in many areas the problem was not the absence of telecom companies but technical constraints, including limited spectrum, backhaul congestion, electricity outages and delays in regulatory clearances.