Nayatel partners with Facebook to modernize fiber network

May 26, 2021

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Facebook is partnering with Internet provider ‘Nayatel’ to invest in fiber optic networks aimed at providing faster Internet speeds in Pakistan. The network will cover eight major cities over the next two years.

Nayatel said in a press release that the it will build, maintain and operate the infrastructure, while Facebook will invest in fiber development and support for network planning.

Nayatel statement reads: “By 2022, this high-speed fiber will connect thousands of websites and improve the capabilities and geographic coverage of Internet access for approximately 10-15 million people in 8 Pakistani capitals,”.

This is the major development in Pakistan where Giant like Facebook is part of a broader strategy to invest in the country and improve connectivity in the region, the statement said.

According to Wahaj-us-Siraj, CEO of NayaTel, roughly 6% of Pakistan’s telecommunication towers are connected to optical fiber, compared with 70-80% in the rest of the world, hence significant room exist for quality Internet services. As per the CEO, Mobile companies are using wireless networks instead of fiber because of the cost. Since spectrum and bandwidth are limited, quality of service suffers.

“The existing infrastructure is good for GSM and 3G services, but after the introduction of 4G, it started to choke. Now that the globally 5G is being introduced, Pakistan needs enhanced connectivity based on optical fiber. CEO Siraj further said that the proposed project is expected to provide low cost solution for high speed Internet.