ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), terming the use of Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (Dect) 6.0 cordless phones illegal, announced to step up its efforts to eradicate the sale and use of this device.
Our technical team has found that the strong signals of Dect 6.0 interfere with the signals of mobile phone operators, that’s why we have banned the cordless in the country and sought law enforcing agency’s help in eliminating use of this particular device, said PTA official.
DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) is a digital wireless telephone technology, which has made cordless phones much more common in both businesses and homes. In Pakistan also, a large number of consumers are adopting this new technology due to its ease, voice quality and wide coverage area. Cost is another major factor, which has made this device popular; the consumers only pay the cheap cost of fixed line calls, while enjoying mobility and portability of an expensive mobile gadget.
We are not banning all cordless phones but only DECT 6.0 cordless phones, as they operate on the frequencies that cause service interference in the operations of authorised users of spectrum, who have paid us and we have no other way to ensure smooth functioning of cellular companies, except banning the devices, official said.
According to officials in order to stop the sale and use of devices, PTA Enforcement Division and its Zones in Karachi, Lahore, Muzaffarabad, Peshawar, Quetta and Rawalpindi have held several meetings with the officials of FIA, police, chambers of commerce, trade unions, importers, vendors and sellers of telecom equipments in their respective zones. The officials sought their help in apprehending the illegal importers, distributors, sellers and users of this device.
PTA also warns all the illegal importers, distributors, sellers and users of DECT 6.0 cordless phones, to refrain from such illegal activity otherwise legal action shall be taken against them through law enforcement agencies including FIA.
It is pertinent to mention that presently, telegraph act is the only legislation, on the basis of which PTA has initiated the drive. Can PTA deprive consumers from a worthy service on the basis of an old law, or under PTA act, a court of law can only interpret it.
There are still many questions, which need answers. While auctioning spectrums recently, does Pakistani IT ministry and PTA considered that Dect 6.0 phones could create hindrance, does PTA has required technical expertise to access and ban some futuristic technology and does the Federal Investigation Agency, which has mostly failed in the past to produce any tangible results, would be successful in eradicating use of these cordless phones in the country was granted special powers to stop electricity and gas theft in 2013 but the percentage of power theft kept has been piling up every year.
