06 September 2014
BEIRUT: Telecommunications Minister Boutros Harb Friday unveiled a new strategy to modernize and upgrade the fiber optics network in order to increase the Internet speed.
Speaking at a news conference at the Telecommunications Ministry, the minister said the project involves replacing the current copper network with fiber optics cables. Eventually these will reach all houses, residential units, offices, buildings and sidewalks.
We have actually launched six pilot projects which rely on various techniques and methods, in collaboration with international manufacturers who provided advanced and free equipment to develop the service in different neighborhoods of Beirut and in some Lebanese regions, Harb explained.
The minister said he wanted to enhance the cooperation between the private and public sectors to improve the telecommunications sector in the country. I have decided to convene a one-day meeting with officials from the ministry, Ogero Internet service providers and Internet cable providers to discuss all the difficulties facing this sector and to review some laws pertaining to the telecoms sector, Harb said.
But the minister did not say how much the project would cost or how long it would take to switch from copper to fiber optics in Lebanon.
Former Telecommunications Minister Charbel Nahas had called for more investments in infrastructure and a switch to fiber optics, but the plan never materialized due to lack of funds.
Harb admitted that the Internet has not improved in some areas because the service points are not fully equipped to handle high speeds.
Lebanon has one of the worst Internet speeds in the world despite investments that successive governments have made in marine cables.
As everyone knows, the Internet service, or the broadband, which is better known as DSL, can only be introduced through the landline networks. But some of the service points are not equipped with DSLAM [equipment], Harb said.
He accused his predecessors of suspending maintenance contracts with Ogero, saying this caused enormous damage to the network and services provided to citizens.
Harb stressed that since he took office the ministry and Ogero installed 56,769 new landlines and that work continues to install more. The minister also highlighted that he has reduced Internet prices and increased capacity.
Some experts say that increased data consumption has drastically affected Internet speed in many areas, arguing that it would have been better to switch from copper to fiber optics before deciding to reduce the prices.
Copyright The Daily Star 2014.
