ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) turned down reports about disruptions of ATMs and telecom services blackout due to the expiration of long-distance international (LDI) licenses.
The national telcom authority cleared air as several media reports claimed that licenses, held by operators responsible for international telecom calls, are set to expire and could cause nationwide disruption.
PTA said ten operators including Worldcall, Redtone, ADG-LDI, Telecard, Dancom, Wisecomm, Circlenet, Wateen, 4B-Gentel, and Multinet need to make the over due payment.
The telecom authority urged operators to clear their dues to extend licenses for another 20 years. IT and Telecom ministry formed a new committee to deal with this situation.
Over the weekend, PTA raised concerns about possible severe impacts on the telecom sector if LDI licenses were not renewed. It was quoted that disruptions could affect up to 50percent of mobile traffic, internet traffic, and ATMs.
PTA however said there are no issues with LDI networks that would disrupt IT or financial services, including ATMs. They confirmed that the expiration of these licenses has not led to any suspension of services.
The clarification comes in context of ongoing internet service disruptions in Pakistan, where users reported slower speeds and issues with social media platforms. Telecom Operators Association also urged PM Shehbaz Sharif to address these problems, which could potentially result in economic losses of up to Rs12 billion annually.
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