KARACHI: Pakistan’s telecommunication services are facing a potential crisis as the dispute over the renewal of licenses and outstanding dues between the government and Long-Distance and International (LDI) operators remains unresolved.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has raised concerns that if this issue is not addressed soon, it could severely impact the country’s telecom infrastructure.
According to PTA, essential services like mobile networks, internet connectivity, ATMs, and satellite communications could experience significant disruptions.
The authority has formally informed the Ministry of IT, warning that if LDI licenses are not renewed promptly, up to 50% of mobile traffic could be affected. This could lead to mobile towers ceasing operations and a 10% reduction in internet traffic.
Furthermore, there is a possibility that 40% of bank ATMs across the country could go offline, and satellite services might also be interrupted.
The non-renewal of LDI licenses would necessitate transferring services to other operators, potentially affecting global mobile and internet connectivity as well. In remote areas, government offices could face communication blackouts due to the disconnection of vital communication links.
The dispute involves a substantial sum of Rs 76 billion, which is owed by 10 LDI companies to the government. These payments are due under the Access Promotion Contribution (APC) and Universal Service Fund (USF).
