www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Pakistan's Universal Service Fund (USF) has reportedly inked agreements with mobile network operator CMPak (Zong) and broadband provider Worldcall Telecom. Zong will be paid PKR1.57 billion (USD18.9 million) to launch basic telephony services in the Jaffarabad, Naseerabad and Jhal Magsi administrative divisions in Balochistan; the cellco is anticipated to offer services to around half a million people in 648 mauzas (villages) that are currently unserved. Worldcall, meanwhile, will be given PKR785 million to provide broadband connection in eleven districts in Southern Punjab. The CEO of the USF, Parvez Iftikhar, also unveiled that, having signed these two most recent agreements, the fund has surpassed the PKR10 billion mark in terms of subsidies granted to operators for rolling out services in underserved and unserved areas.
