The federal government has officially taken a major step to protect mobile and internet services. Today, authorities formed a high-level committee to stop electricity load shedding for telecom towers. Currently, prolonged power outages severely disrupt communication networks across the country. Therefore, this new committee will explore smart solutions to keep telecom infrastructure running continuously.
A Push for Uninterrupted Connectivity
The Secretary for Information Technology and Telecommunication will lead this special committee. Furthermore, the group includes the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and a member from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA). Representatives from the Power Division and the telecom industry have also joined the panel.
Specifically, the government established this task force following strong recommendations from the Auction Advisory Committee. Now, the team has exactly three months to submit its final recommendations to the federal government.
Why the Telecom Sector Needs Immediate Relief
Right now, several districts face up to 14 hours of load shedding every single day. Usually, telecom companies can easily keep their services active for three to four hours using backup generators. However, these extended outages completely overwhelm their backup systems. PTA officials clearly stated that operators simply cannot rely on generators for such long periods.
Moreover, telecom companies maintain a flawless 100 percent payment record. They never default on their power bills. Despite this perfect record, they still suffer heavily from scheduled power cuts. Additionally, Senator Kamran Murtaza highlighted another pressing issue. He pointed out that worsening law and order conditions in specific areas also contribute heavily to ongoing telecom service disruptions.
Smart Solutions to End Load Shedding for Telecom Towers
To solve this crisis, the committee is currently reviewing several smart solutions. First, they are considering providing a separate power supply to telecom towers whenever local electricity feeders shut down.
Second, they will examine granting the telecom sector an industrial electricity tariff. This specific change would significantly improve the financial and operational sustainability of the companies. Finally, officials from the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication offered a long-term alternative. They proposed making it strictly mandatory for telecom operators to install solar power systems at all their tower sites.
