By Moaaz Manzoor

The Universal Service Fund (USF) has expanded telecom and internet connectivity in underserved areas of Balochistan through a Rs365 million project that provided services to 40 previously unserved villages with a combined population of 54,236, according to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan.

The documents show that USF, operating under its mandate to extend telecom services to unserved and underserved areas, launched two projects in District Qilla Abdullah aimed at improving telecommunications and broadband internet access.

The initiative forms part of broader efforts to enhance digital connectivity in remote regions where communication infrastructure has historically remained limited due to difficult terrain, scattered populations, and low commercial incentives for private telecom operators.

According to the documents, urban and rural areas already covered independently by telecom operators are classified as served areas and therefore fall outside USF’s direct mandate. The fund primarily targets unserved and underserved rural areas where government support is needed to expand voice and broadband services.

Under the completed “Small Lot B-1” project, telecom services were extended to 40 unserved mauzas through the deployment of 13 telecom towers and two repeaters across the districts of Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, and Quetta.

The project enabled the provision of voice (2G) and data (3G) services to a population of 54,236 residing in previously disconnected areas.

The documents further show that Qilla Abdullah emerged as one of the main beneficiaries of the programme.

In the district alone, 22 unserved mauzas with a population of 39,736 were connected through the installation of nine telecom towers, including one repeater.

The expansion of mobile voice and internet coverage is expected to improve communication access for residents in remote localities where connectivity constraints have long affected daily life, information access, and digital inclusion.

The documents state that USF continues to expand telecommunications infrastructure to provide higher-speed broadband services and strengthen connectivity for millions of people living in remote and underserved regions across Pakistan.

The programme is also part of broader efforts aimed at narrowing Pakistan’s digital divide, particularly in Balochistan, where several remote districts continue to face infrastructure and connectivity gaps compared with urban centres.

The documents indicate that USF’s access programme remains focused on extending telecom infrastructure into commercially less viable regions where network expansion by private operators has remained limited.

The latest initiative in Qilla Abdullah highlights continuing efforts to strengthen digital infrastructure in remote areas and improve basic connectivity services for underserved communities across Balochistan.

Credit: INP-WealthPk