ISLAMABAD: The National Telecom Corporation and the Supernet Telecom Group signed an agreement on Thursday to cooperate on developing business and support for information and communication technologies (ICTs), telecommunications solutions and the public sector`s data connectivity requirement.

A signing ceremony was held, during which both sides agreed to reach unserved and underserved public sector organisations and provide the latest telecommunications and broadband services.

NTC is the government`s official IT and telecommunications service provider, and has been mandated to provide telecommunications and ICT services to the armed forces, defence projects, and federal and provincial governments.

Speaking at the ceremony, NTC Managing Director retired Brig Viqar Rashid Khan said NTC has adopted technology and systems for innovative and reliable ICT services to its subscribers.

`Cooperation with private ICT businesses has helped the National Telecom Corporationreachun-served and underserved locations where the NTC did not have its own infrastructure,` Mr Khan said.

He added that the secure ICT infrastructure provided by the NTC would facilitate subscribers in automating and improving operations and processes.

Supernet and Telecard Group CEO Shamsul Arfeen commented that ICT plays a role in improving efficiency and transparency, and helps management enhance productivity.

`The cooperation makes sense to expand network to where NTC is not present.

Joining hands also means that we have certain initiatives and expertise that we can develop with NTC to provide secure networking for the public sector as well as generate revenues,` he said.

NTC is the first operator in Pakistan to establish a cloud-based National Data Centre for the public sector.

The corporation has grown by 359pc during 2015-16, and witnessed a 36pc increase in its broadband subscriber base. NTC has extended its services from 54 districts and cities to 87, including underdeveloped districts in Sindh and Balochistan.

Mr Khan said in the past, NTC also signed agreements with Microsoft to provide safer networking in the country through its cloudbased National Data Centre.

`Teaming up with the private sector under public-private partnerships is pursuing strategic partnership with private operators in the telecom industry to provide new services for its subscribers as well as introduce new apps, like Go-Smart, for its customers, and has extended 3G/4G mobile data connectivity to its subscribers under public private partnership,` he said.

Mr Khan said that in the future, NTC will establish a strategically vital submarine cable landing station in Gwadar as an alternate route to existing submarine cable networks.Staff Reporter