ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has imposed financial penalties totalling Rs3.41 billion on mobile network operators over the past four years for violations related to quality of service, network coverage and other service-related issues.
According to official figures, the telecom regulator also issued 86 show-cause notices and 20 warning letters to operators during the period as part of its enforcement action aimed at improving the quality of mobile services across the country.
Representatives of mobile phone companies, speaking exclusively to ‘The News’, expressed serious reservations over the penalties, arguing that operators are being held accountable for service quality at a time when mobile internet and data services remain suspended or restricted for extended periods in various parts of the country due to decisions beyond the companies’ control.
Industry representatives said that when the issue of prolonged internet shutdowns is raised with the PTA, operators are informed that such suspensions do not fall within the regulator’s decision-making mandate and are implemented on the directions of the relevant government and security authorities. The operators maintained that it was therefore unfair to attribute the entire impact of service disruptions to telecom companies when some of the factors affecting network availability were outside their operational control.
They said prolonged suspension of mobile internet services in different areas directly affects data consumption and consequently operators’ revenues. According to industry representatives, companies face financial losses from such shutdowns while simultaneously being subjected to regulatory penalties relating to service quality and coverage.
The representatives said telecom operators were required to continuously invest heavily in spectrum, network expansion, infrastructure, electricity and other operational requirements. Regulatory action, they argued, should therefore take into account circumstances beyond the control of operators as well as the financial impact of prolonged service restrictions.
They urged the government to undertake a comprehensive review of the regulatory framework governing penalties as well as the economic impact of internet shutdowns on the telecom sector.
“Regulatory oversight and enforcement are necessary, but the focus should not remain confined to imposing financial penalties. The underlying issues affecting mobile and internet service quality also need to be addressed,” industry representatives maintained.
Official records show that the PTA conducts Quality of Service (QoS) surveys to monitor mobile network performance and coverage and can initiate enforcement action, including warnings, show-cause notices and financial penalties, when operators fail to meet prescribed standards.
