Kabul - At least six telecommunication companies, including some foreign firms, have expressed interest in investing in Afghanistan ’s fiber optic sector, officials of Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA) said
The regulatory body has said it is assessing proposals submitted by companies to see which ones qualify.
At least six telecommunication companies, including some foreign firms, have expressed interest in investing in Afghanistan’s fiber optic sector, officials of Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA) said on Tuesday.
ATRA is now jointly assessing the recommendations sent by these companies to finalize the ones that meet the criteria, the officials added.
Investment in the telecom sector will help Afghanistan meet the demand for internet and telecom services and it will also improve Afghanistan’s reputation in the fiber optic transit sphere.
This new development takes place ten months after Afghanistan unveiled the “Open Access Policy” to encourage the private sector and foreign companies to invest in the fiber optic sector in the country.
“With the implementation of this and expansion of fiber optics, Afghanistan will get an extraordinary reputation in terms of providing better internet services, it will also help the domestic market to be in a better shape; this can be interpreted as a connecting bridge in the region and Afghanistan will change into a hub of fiber transit in the region,” said Atta Mohammad Yari, technical advisor of ATRA.
Economic commentators emphasize that the telecom sector plays a significant role in the economic development of Afghanistan, adding that the growth of telecom services can also help to promote good governance and reliable internet services to the public.
“Today there is the era of electronic governance in the world which guarantees transparency and public trust. Investment in the fiber optic sector will lead to the expansion of good governance, however investment in this sector needs comprehensive policies to attain the satisfaction of the investors,” said Abdul Wase Haidari, an economist.
The proposals for investments in Afghanistan’s fiber optic sector come at a time that the government plans to connect the country’s fiber optic network to the fiber optic networks in China and in the Middle East.
Afghanistan is currently connected to the fiber optics line coming through Pakistan but people in Afghanistan have been critical of the high cost and poor quality of internet services. (Tolonews)