Iran's Minister of Information and Communication Technology Seyed Sattar Hashemi on Tuesday launched 347 projects in the southeast province of Kerman with a total investment value of US dollars 30,271,000.
Local provincial officials
including Governor General of Kerman Province Mohammad-Ali Talebi, provincial members
of the parliament, and ICT deputy ministers were present in the ceremony in
which Hashemi opened the infrastructure and development projects.
The projects were implemented in
line with the government’s communication and digital infrastructure development
programs and include projects in the fields of rural communication development,
fiber optics, mobile phones, post, information technology infrastructure and
the development of digital banking services.
In the rural communication
development sector, 96 projects were implemented. They included implementation
of 490 kilometers of rural fiber optic, the connection of 50 mobile phone
sites, connectivity to 10 rural telecommunications centers, the launching of
internet in 56 villages by installing and operating 24 mobile phone stations,
and the upgrading of technology in 12 existing sites.
These projects were implemented
with the aim of reducing the digital divide and expanding communication
coverage in less-privileged areas of Kerman province.
The Telecommunication Company of
Iran carried out the development of fixed and fiber optic networks at the
provincial level by implementing 13 projects. It includes the installation of
an NGN switch in Kerman city, the implementation of 25 kilometers of fiber
optic, the launch of 50 PTN transmission links, the development of the IPNI
network, and the launch of an operations control center for integrated network
management.
In the field of mobile phone
network development, Iran Mobile Communications Company, by implementing 194
projects, has optimized and renovated mobile network equipment in 2
telecommunications centers in Kerman city. It launched, upgraded technology,
and replaced the masts of 191 urban mobile phone stations, launched 44 new sites,
upgraded 86 sites, replaced 22 masts and 39 LTE-TD cases, and launched a fifth
generation (G5) site in the city.
The Irancell Mobile Company also
put into operation 37 projects, including the installation and launch of 36 new
mobile phone sites and a fifth generation (G5) site in Kerman city.
In the post sector, the National Post
Company of Iran by implementation of three projects, inaugurated the second
postal district of Rafsanjan, the post office in Ramshak city, and the postal
unit in the world-class village of Shafiabad.
Also, Post Bank Iran opened a project
in the New Arg Special Economic Zone, facilitating the access of industrial and
commercial units to digital banking services.
In the field of developing fiber
optic services, the Hi WEB Company, by implementing a major project inaugurated
the fiber optic project for homes and businesses in Bam city, with a length of
516 kilometers and 100% coverage.
In the infrastructure development
section of the ICT Ministry, two projects were implemented, including the
opening of the Kerman Province Communications and Information Technology
Complex and the launch of a 68.8 kW solar power plant.
These projects, with a total credit
of over US dollars 30 million are an
important step towards developing communication justice, improving the quality
of services, strengthening digital infrastructure, and realizing the goals of
the government for developing the digital economy in Kerman Province.
During his visit to the
provincial capital Kerman, Hashemi also met local officials and university professors
and took part in the meeting of the province’s executive council reviewing the
ICT status in the province.