'Work to extend broadband network into southern region to start in 2016'

AMMAN — Work on connecting public facilities in the southern governorates to the National Broadband Network and providing them with high-speed Internet is scheduled to start in 2016, according to Cisco, which recently won the tender to implement the second phase of the national project.

Under the second phase of the multi-million dollar project, public facilities including schools and healthcare centres in Karak, Tafileh and Maan governorates will be connected to the network, Ziad Salameh, managing director at Cisco Gulf, Levant, Iraq and Pakistan and country manager for Jordan, told The Jordan Times in an interview at the Internet of Things World Forum, which was recently held in Dubai.

The government was able to float the tender for the second phase of the project after the allocation of JD90 million for the completion of the National Broadband Network from the Gulf Cooperation Council grant in 2014. 

Work on the network, which started in 2003 and of which 35 per cent has been completed so far at a total cost of $36 million, was halted several times over the past few years due to lack of financial resources.

“Connecting public agencies, schools, and healthcare centres and hospitals is a boost to Jordan towards becoming an ICT hub,” Salameh said.

“The broadband network is the main foundation for Jordan to start the digitisation of the country, provide e-government services and enhance inclusion.”

Calling for supporting start-ups in the ICT industry, the Cisco executive said the Kingdom's ICT sector is home to genuine talented human resources, noting that public and private partnerships are key to the advancement of the sector and supporting these start-ups.

“There are many success stories for Jordanian start-ups in the sector… It is also the job of the private sector to support them and help them grow,” said Salameh, highlighting the Kingdom's safety and infrastructure as some of the main factors that the government should build on to attract investors.

“Jordan is on the right path towards becoming the region’s ICT hub…sometimes there is slow movement but the country is on the right direction.”