Telecom operators body vows to boost digital economy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s long-awaited Telecom Operators Association (TOA) has been formed and held its first meeting here the other day.

TOA members include Jazz, Ufone/PTCL, Telenor, Nayatel, Cybernet, and TWA while new membership is open to all licence-holders of Cellular Mobile Operators (CMO), Long Distance International (LDI) Operators, Wireless Local Loop Operators (WLL), and Local Loop Operators (LL) (Fixed Line).

The board members nominated Aamir Ibrahim (CEO Jazz) as the first chairman of the association, while Wahajus Siraj (CEO Nayatel) was appointed as vice chairman, Naveed Butt (Group Chief Regulatory Officer PTCL & Ufone) as president of the Management Committee and Syed Fakhar Ahmed CC&RO Jazz as interim secretary general.

The association’s ultimate objective is to accelerate digitization of the Pakistani economy by advocating policy and regulatory interventions in the telecom and broadband industries.

The goal is to find favourable solutions that facilitate foreign investment, foster growth within the telecom industry and provide innovative and exciting services to hundreds of million customers in Pakistan. Furthermore, the association aims to foster digital inclusion, especially of marginalized communities and geographies, especially rural, youth and women.