Govt to facilitate commuters with roaming facility on motorways, highways

• Institutions are actively working on implementation of plan.
• Dr Umar Saif says facility being expanded without any charges.
• Govt taking all possible steps to promote the telecom sector. 

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has announced addressing connectivity woes in a bid to facilitate on-the-move commuters using the motorways and highways by enhancing the national roaming facility, The News reported on Monday.

To ensure the implementation of this plan, relevant institutions are actively working to extend the scope of the national roaming facility.

The plan was announced by Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication (ITT) Dr Umar Saif during his visit to the headquarters of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), where he said the facility was being expanded without any charges.

He said the government was taking all possible steps to promote the telecom sector in the country. PTA Chairman Major General (retd) Hafeezur Rehman, Member Compliance and Enforcement PTA, Dr Khawar Sidique Khokhar, and senior officers of MoITT and PTA were present.

Senior officers briefed the minister about the functions of PTA, regulatory initiatives and the overall performance of the telecom sector. The minister was informed that the PTA had consistently facilitated the thriving telecom industry in Pakistan, providing state-of-the-art telecom, broadband and ICT services. The challenges faced by the sector and the regulator’s ongoing efforts to address them were also discussed.

The minister stressed the importance of taking timely actions to address consumer complaints related to telecom operators. He proposed establishing a mechanism that enhances the PTA’s role in promoting public welfare and social initiatives.

The minister expressed the hope that the establishment of a telecommunication tribunal would expedite the resolution of consumer, telecom operator and PTA matters.

"To connect with the digital world, it is necessary to provide digital facilities to the people," he said and assured full support of MoITT to PTA for its regulatory initiatives in ensuring the continued growth of the telecom sector of Pakistan.

He appreciated the PTA's role in uplifting the telecom sector and underscored the importance of investment-friendly policies and enabling regulatory frameworks.

Dr Saif visited the PTA’s National Telecom Security Operations Center (NTSOC) and exchanged views with the officials working with the centre. He appreciated their services and mode of working.