ISLAMABAD (The Thursday Times) — Pakistan’s telecom regulator has told internet companies they may sell bandwidth only to operators it has licensed, as it moves against internet services run without authorisation.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority set out the rules on Thursday at a meeting at its Islamabad headquarters with Long Distance International (LDI), Fixed Local Loop (FLL), and Class Value Added Services operators. Dr Khawar Saddique Khokhar, the authority’s member for compliance and enforcement, chaired the meeting.
Under the rules, LDI and FLL licensees may provide bandwidth, including configured packages, only to operators holding valid PTA licences. They may not supply IP bandwidth, panel services, E1s, DPLCs, or similar services to unlicensed entities or distributors, the authority said.
Companies holding an Internet Services Class Licence may serve only end users and cannot sell wholesale bandwidth for resale. Cable operators licensed by Pemra and other last-mile providers can obtain bandwidth from FLL licensees under a District Class Licence.
Who sends the bill
“Internet service bills/receipts must be issued by the relevant FLL or Class Licensee, as applicable,” the authority said. That keeps billing for each connection with a licensed operator rather than with an unregistered reseller.
The authority did not announce penalties or a deadline. The operators at the meeting pledged to help raise awareness of licensing requirements and to support efforts to stop unauthorised internet services, it said.
Earlier this week, a PTA survey found that 12 of 28 local broadband networks had missed at least one of its quality targets.
