'Work to connect northern governorates to National Broadband Network to start soon'

AMMAN — The government said Tuesday that work to connect public facilities in the northern governorates to the National Broadband Network and provide them with high-speed Internet will start in the next few weeks.

The ICT Ministry is currently assessing bids by several companies to extend the cables and complete infrastructure work. It will announce the winning bidder by the end of this week so that the project can start, said Nader Dhneibat, secretary general of the ICT Ministry.

The ministry has already selected a company that will supervise the implementation of the scheme, under which public facilities, including public agencies, healthcare centres and schools, will be connected to the network, Dhneibat told The Jordan Times.

The governorates of Irbid, Ajloun, Mafraq and Jerash will be covered by the project, he added.

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 funds.

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