The Syrian Arab Republic

Modernization of the Communications System 

(Subscribers Networks)

---

 

Loan No.:	384	Interest Rate:	4.5%
Beneficiary:	Establishment for Public Telecommunications	Grace Period:	5 years
Project Cost:	KD 218.5 million	Maturity:	22 years
Amount of Loan:	KD 30.0 million	Repayment:	35 semi-annual installments
Date of Loan Agreement:	31/05/1999	First Installment:	5 years following the first disbursement
Date of Effectiveness:	-

 

Objectives:

The project aims at improving local, national and international telephone services, along with satisfying the increasing demand for telephone services through adding and improving services to about 1.65 million telephone lines.

Description:

The project, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2002, involves the addition and replacement of about 1.65 million telephone lines distributed among 389 centers throughout all provinces. Of these centers, 225 will be located in new buildings while the remaining 164 will be located in existing buildings. The project includes the supply and installation of equipment and supplies necessary for new digital local and international exchanges, the replacement of old analog exchanges located in several cities with digital ones, along with the replacement of manual exchanges, located in the rural areas, with digital ones. The project also includes upgrading the local and international digital interconnection networks by equipping them with optical fiber and microwave links, extending subscriber networks, constructing and equipping new billing centers, operations and maintenance workshops, and the upgrading, operation and maintenance of existing training facilities. The project includes the following major components:

1- Local Subscribers Network Cables: This includes the following:

1. Primary, Lead-in Terminal and Self-Supporting Cables:

   The primary and lead-in terminal cables are copper cables, plastic insulated compound-filled and unarmored. They are of different sizes and capacities, having a total length of 8,100 km. The aerial cables are plastic insulated armored cables of different sizes and capacities, having a total length of about 6,800 km.

2. Secondary Armored Cables:

   These are PE insulated compound-filled, copper cables having a total length of about 26,400 km and made of different sizes and lengths.

3. Remote-Subscribers Cables:

   These are plastic, compound-filled and armored cables used to connect remote subscribers and interconnect the various exchanges. The total length of these cables is about 1 ,500 km and they have different sizes and capacities.

4. Distribution Groups and Boxes:

   These include about 347,000 boxes to connect the subscribers with the main networks and exchanges, along with about 12,600 distribution groups of capacities that range between 200-1,200 lines for connecting the main and secondary networks.

5. Connection and Suspension Materials:

   These are suspension and connection materials that amount to about 146,200 suspension materials of different sizes and about 700,000 connectors.

6. Measuring Instruments:

   These are about 2,200 miscellaneous measuring instruments.

2- Institutional Support: This includes the provision of consulting services, computer systems and programs, in addition to the provision of training needs, along with the acquisition of transportation equipment and machinery necessary for the successful execution of the project.