‘Public facilities to be connected to broadband network by 2019’

AMMAN — Public facilities will be connected to the National Broadband Network by the end of 2019, the ICT Ministry said on Monday. 

The project to deliver high-speed Internet will be completed in the southern governorates by late 2017, while facilities in the northern governorates will be connected by 2018, a ministry official told The Jordan Times.

Work in the central region is expected to be completed in 2019 and by the end of that year, all facilities will be linked to the network, including schools, healthcare facilities and public agencies, the official added.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said connecting public facilities to the network will improve e-government services. 

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

Work on the broadband network, which started in 2003, was halted several times due to lack of funds.

The project is expected to boost e-education and e-health services in Jordan, according to ICT experts.