Information Technology Minister Awais Leghari said the government has decided to auction the 3-G spectrum within next one year to pave the way for mobile users to gain secure, high-speed and anytime access to their corporate network, business critical applications and data services. "The government has also decided that the 3-G frequency will be available for auction only to the existing cellular mobile operators and no outside company will be invited to participate in the bidding process," he said addressing a seminar on challenges of low Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) in new growth markets, organized by Nokia, leading global mobile phone manufacturing company. Leghari said the government attaches great importance to rural telecommunication and while better income levels in the rural population has helped expand the mobile telecommunication aggressively, the government was also chalking out plans to roll out universal service fund to boost telecommunication in the un-served and under-served areas of Pakistan. The minister said the government had concluded a series of discussions with the mobile cellular and local loop operators to identify areas and projects, which could be funded through the multi-billion-rupee Universal Service Fund (USF).Leghari said the infrastructure built through USF would also be available for sharing by all mobile operators. The minister that the telecom sector in Pakistan has entered the crucial phase of consolidations and formation of strategic partnerships. "The market is fast coming to a point where the quality of service at affordable rate would alone drive the market, bringing in relief and better service for end-users in the process.” Leghari said the growth of the telecom sector had been quite baffling as only a couple of years during the preparation of the fixed-line deregulation policy process, the World Bank had estimated around 8-9 per cent tele-density until 2010 for Pakistan which was set to register 35-40 per cent tele-density by the end of 2007. "The good thing about the growth of mobile phone in Pakistan is that it has not only attracted the literate populace, but also the illiterate ones who have benefited enormously from this technology," Leghari said.
