ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) restored approximately 96 percent sites which went down due to recent flash floods in country.

"At its peak, a maximum of 3,386 sites were down on August 28, 2022, out of which 3,251 sites have been restored (approx 96 percent of total)."

In order to ensure earliest restoration of telecom services in flood affected districts across country, authority in conjunction with telecom operators' teams has been vigorously and continuously pursuing earliest restoration of affected services since mid-August 2022. PTA field teams carried out extensive coordination with telecom operators, civil and military authorities for restoration of damaged telecom infrastructure.

Various obstacles were faced including accessibility to damaged sites, commercial power availability, equipment damage due to submersion and availability/delivery of fuel for generator sets etc, he said. However, continued efforts by PTA and telecom operators to restore connectivity in flood affected areas has resulted in reduction of non-functional sites count to 135 only 0.26 percent of total sites across country. Currently, non-functional sites are only those which are inaccessible in some areas of Balochistan and Sindh. However, other operational sites in those areas are ensuring that there is no communication blackout, said spokesman. He said over 120 cuts occurred to nationwide optical fiber backhaul connectivity in different flood affected areas. Now 100 percent backhaul fiber optic connectivity is restored.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 22 2022

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