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UNMIK/PR/674
PRISTINA - A new telephone switch was installed by PTK at the Ilyria telecom center in Pristina on 13 December 2001, enhancing its capacity to provide new telephone lines to subscribers in Pristina. Thanks to the investments by EAR and the support of the UNMIK Directorate for Infrastructure Affairs/Post and Telecommunications, the latest available technology in telecommunications was installed to upgrade and expand the capacity of the switch originally located in the PTK Building, which was destroyed during the conflict. The new switch is designed for 23.000 subscribers and can be expanded to over 50.000 subscribers, as opposed to the old exchange, which had a capacity of only 10.000 subscribers. This will give PTK an enhanced capacity to give telephone lines to at least 13.000 new subscribers in Pristina. This technology will also allow the deployment of remote units to connect certain villages that have not been reconnected since the conflict. The establishment of the new exchange is a result of a joint effort between PTK, the former Department of Post and Telecommunications, EAR controlling agents, DeTeLine and Siemens. PTK's collaboration with EAR shall continue with a follow-up project for the local loop to be implemented early next year to upgrade the existing local network and further expand it to connect new areas of Pristina North. |