The Fiber Optic Options Available for Karachites

It seems fiber optic connections are all the rage in Pakistan at the moment. With all the advertising going on I thought to do a review of the options available to those looking to upgrade their services from regular cable and DSL connections. In this piece I attempt to do a review of only leading service providers offering their services in Karachi. Though some of them will have initiated offering services in cities like Lahore, this is only for people living in Karachi. I will do a following review of services available in Lahore & Islamabad.

First off it is important to highlight the main difference between DSL and cable versus fiber optic. Fiber optic is the latest technology in transmitting data through fiber as opposed to copper based wires. Previously internet operators were using the copper cables to provide you with the internet services to your home. Fiber on the other hand is much faster, simply because it is less dependent on electricity and is based on glass. Due to this fiber is immune to all sorts of interferences when it comes in contact with high – voltage equipment, etc.

Now that we have a small description of what the main difference is, we need to ascertain who is providing us fiber optic based connections in Karachi. I have covered some of the popular service providers such as, Optix, Satcomm and StormFiber. Having said this it is important to note that these services don’t have a large coverage areas yet, it is growing every day but the services aren’t available across all of Karachi just yet.

Optix – has recently launched in the last couple of months. Optix offers 2 Mb, 4Mb, 5Mb, 10Mb, and 20Mb packages for customers. Currently it offers its services across 11 geographical areas in Karachi such as Civil Lines, Frere Town, Clifton Block 2, Clifton Block 3, Clifton Block 8, Khalique-uz-zaman road, Bath Island, DHA Zamzama, DHA Phase 5, DHA Phase 6 and the General’s Colony in DHA Phase 5.  You can find the packages available below for ease of reference.

Satcomm – is a premium provider of fiber optic services. Satcomm offers 6 Mb, 8Mb, 10Mb, and 20Mb packages for varying level of users. Currently you can subscribe to their services if you are located in Defense, Clifton, PECHS, Gulshan Iqbal, Gilistan-e-Johar (till Mosamyat Chorangi), Korangi Industrial Area, Site, PIDC, Chundrigar. However, it is important to point out that the basic package is only available for subscription in certain areas and not in all locations. You can view their packages and associated costs below.

Stormfiber – is one of the providers with a growing reach. Though they are adding new locations to their covered geography every day, they still fall short of Satcomm. They offer 2Mb, 3Mb, 4Mb, 5Mb, 20Mb and 30Mb packages. The areas that they cover at the moment are as follows, DHA Phase 2, Phase 2 Extension, DHA Phase 4 (Gizri lanes only), DHA Phase 5, DHA Phase 6, DHA Phase 7, DHA Phase 7 Extension, DHA Phase 8 (Surrounding areas of the Place), General’s Colony in DHA Phase 5, Clifton Block 1, Clifton Block 2, Clifton Block 4, Clifton Block 5, Clifton Block 7, Clifton Block 8, Old Clifton, The Forrum, Ocean Mall, Bath Island, Civil Line.

If you are looking to upgrade your existing connection to a much faster fiber optic, make sure you make an informed decision based on the speed, data limits, installation costs, monthly recurring costs and any other benefits. Now days there are helpful comparison sites that can assist in making the process of deciding a lot easier. You can get the complete information beforehand and what is best you can apply for an installation through a few clicks – no more running after installation teams and contact center agents to get your job done.