Four Salaam telecommunications sites in Afghanistan's Paktika province have been upgraded to 4G, expanding access to faster mobile broadband as authorities continue efforts to improve telecommunications infrastructure and digital connectivity across underserved areas.
The network upgrades are intended to improve mobile internet services for communities served by the four sites, providing subscribers with access to higher-speed data connectivity compared with previous-generation mobile technologies.
The development forms part of continuing efforts to expand modern telecommunications services across Afghanistan, particularly in provincial and remote areas where access to reliable broadband infrastructure remains limited.
Four mobile sites move to 4G
Upgrading the Salaam sites to fourth-generation mobile technology increases the data capabilities available through the existing network infrastructure in Paktika.
4G connectivity provides significantly greater capacity for internet-based services than older mobile technologies, enabling users to more effectively access online communications, information and other digital services through smartphones and connected devices.
For communities with limited fixed broadband availability, mobile networks can serve as the primary means of accessing the internet.
Mobile broadband can help close regional connectivity gaps
Extending modern mobile services beyond major urban centres remains important for improving digital inclusion.
Remote and less densely populated regions can be more difficult and expensive to serve through conventional fixed broadband infrastructure. Upgrading existing telecom sites provides operators with a way to improve internet access using established mobile network footprints.
The Paktika upgrades therefore represent a localized but practical improvement in broadband availability.
4G provides a foundation for digital services
Improved mobile broadband can support wider access to digital services as connectivity becomes increasingly important to everyday economic and social activity.
Reliable internet access enables users to communicate online and access digital information and services without requiring a fixed connection. For businesses and public institutions, stronger mobile connectivity can also improve access to online tools in areas where alternative infrastructure remains limited.
Expanding network quality alongside coverage is therefore important to ensuring communities can meaningfully participate in the digital economy.
Afghanistan continues gradual network modernisation
The upgrade illustrates the incremental nature of telecommunications development across Afghanistan.
Modernising individual network sites can progressively extend higher-speed services into provincial communities while making greater use of existing infrastructure. Continued expansion will depend on further investment in radio access, transmission capacity and supporting network infrastructure.
The four Paktika sites represent another step in that broader network modernisation process.
Source: https://meatechwatch.com/2026/08/11/afghanistan-upgrades-four-salaam-telecom-sites-to-4g-in-paktika/
