The recent threat of data and signal load-shedding posed by telecom companies was not taken lightly by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
Details indicate that PTA has sent a letter to Telenor, Jazz, and Ufone requesting them to specify the difficulties that are preventing them from meeting the rollout requirement objectives.
PTA is aware of the financial challenges telecom firms are facing. The telecom regulator is also taking into consideration the cellular mobile operators’ (CMOs) request of raising charges to cushion the blow of the current poor economic conditions.
The letter further said that, under the terms of the newly signed licensing agreement, PTA has the power to allow CMOs a waiver of their rollout deadlines in the event of legitimate economic difficulties.
The CMOs sent the Director-General (DG) Enforcement PTA a letter in unison earlier this week. If the government is unable to fix the power situation, the telecom providers warned the PTA that the connection might be lost.
The period of load-shedding has outlasted the backup capacity, according to CMOs, who also said that they are finding it difficult to manage the situation despite having backup generators and batteries.
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