Tag: telecom operators

  • Telecom companies block 9,000 SIMs of non-filers under FBR directive

    Telecom companies block 9,000 SIMs of non-filers under FBR directive

    Telecom operators have taken action by blocking the mobile SIMs of approximately 9,000 individuals who have not filed their taxes, following directives from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

    According to a spokesperson from the FBR, this measure has been expedited, with telecom companies receiving updated data daily for the purpose of blocking SIMs.

    It has been revealed that the FBR has already provided data for around 30,000 individuals whose SIMs are earmarked for blocking.

    However, the spokesperson acknowledged that there is still a substantial number of approximately 506,671 individuals who have not filed their Income Tax Return for Tax Year 2023 but are obligated to do so.

    Initially, telecom operators were hesitant to execute this directive, citing various legal concerns. Nevertheless, they eventually consented to manually block SIMs in smaller batches.

    The FBR had issued an Income Tax General Order (ITGO) in late April, instructing the disabling of mobile phone SIMs belonging to over half a million individuals not appearing on the active taxpayer list.

    At the time of issuance, telecom companies were directed to furnish a compliance report by May 15 regarding this matter.

  • PTA reveals drop in mobile data users amid increasing complaints

    PTA reveals drop in mobile data users amid increasing complaints

    In November 2023, data from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) indicates a decline in various telecom metrics and an increase in user complaints compared to October 2023.

    The total number of cellular subscribers saw a decrease from 189.77 million at the end of October to 189.26 million at the end of November. Additionally, 3G and 4G users in Pakistan decreased from 126.92 million to 126.24 million during the same period.

    Cellular teledensity witnessed a decline from 79.32 per cent in October to 78.98 per cent in November, contributing to the overall teledensity drop from 80.4 per cent to 80.06 per cent.

    Furthermore, Next Generation Mobile Service (NGMS) penetration decreased from 53.05 per cent to 52.68 per cent.

    Provider-specific data reveals a decline in Jazz’s 3G users from 3.731 million to 3.569 million and 4G users from 43.172 million to 42.754 million between October and November.

    Zong experienced a decrease in 3G subscribers but an increase in 4G users. Telenor observed a decline in both 3G and 4G users, while Ufone’s 3G users decreased but 4G users increased.

    User complaints against telecom operators surged in November, with the PTA receiving 14,471 complaints. Notably, 98.9 per cent of these complaints were successfully resolved.

    The complaints spanned various telecom operators, including cellular mobile operators (CMOs), Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), long-distance international (LDI) operators, wireless local loop (WLL) operators, and internet service providers (ISPs).

    Cellular mobile subscribers constituted the majority of complaints, reaching 13,857, of which 99.1 per cent were addressed. Jazz, Telenor, Zong, and Ufone faced specific complaints, with resolution rates ranging from 98.2 to 99.7 per cent.

    Complaints against basic telephony and ISPs were also received, with resolution rates of 93.2 per cent and 95.2 per cent, respectively.

  • Telecom operators, govt suffer major revenue losses due to mobile internet shutdown

    Telecom operators, govt suffer major revenue losses due to mobile internet shutdown

    According to reliable sources, the suspension of mobile broadband services has had a devastating impact on the economy in Pakistan. Telecom operators have incurred a revenue loss of approximately Rs820 million, while the government has lost around Rs287 million in tax revenue.

    The suspension has also caused significant losses for digital app users, such as Careem, InDrive, and FoodPanda, as well as brought digital payments to a halt. The situation has caused widespread inconvenience and hardship for the general public, necessitating the immediate attention of the relevant authorities to resume data services.

    Furthermore, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter remained partially or fully suspended on the second day. Jazz CEO, Aamir Ibrahim, expressed his dissatisfaction through a tweet, emphasising that shutting down the internet is not a solution to any problem, but instead, it creates more problems than it solves. He stated that the impact on the economy is quantifiable, but the inconvenience to the people is incalculable.

    According to Brecorder, Muhammad Zohaib Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), strongly criticised the indiscriminate blockage of internet services in Pakistan due to the emergent political situation. He condemned the mindless and consultation-less decision and highlighted that the IT industry has come to a standstill since Tuesday evening.