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PTA has issued new number of mobile phone subscribers in February 2009 which after the decline in two months (November & December 2008) going upward with a change of 0.38%. The overall subscribers has increased by 1.547 Million as compared to last year 1.541 million growth in February.

According to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the total number of mobile subscribers is Pakistan has crossed 90 Million during the last 2 months. Industry analysts are of opinion that cellular companies has gained this growth by reducing the rates to appeal customers. Customers are offered new value added services like damaged or lost SIM free activation, guidance for registeration of SIM etc. The companies have mainly invested in rural areas and a massive growth is seen in rural areas.

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While browsing ProPakistani.com blog, I came through an Open Letter to Chairman PTA Dr. Muhammad Yaseen drawing his attention towards a serious matter regarding the 5% extra deduction by Cellular Companies on recharge.  The letter consists of very valid points. Call me absent minded or whatever but I never noticed, I am paying 36% tax on every recharge (10% Withholding Tax, 21% GST, and 5% so called Withholding Tax). I appreciate someone’s effort to write the letter and representing  approximately half the population of Pakistan.

I hope but not sure that PTA will take any action against this 5% extra deduction on every recharge, this certainly makes no sense.  Please find below the letter (I would suggest the writer to send a hard copy to Chairman PTA, well… there are little to no chances that he would bother to read but still why not give it a try).

Honourable Chairman,
Pakistan Telecommunications Authority

Issue: Charging 5% on Recharge by all Mobile Companies

I would like to take this issue into your kind consideration that for the last few months, to be exact from August 2008, all mobile operators have been charging 5 % extra charges on recharging the balance. I would like to mention following points which are showing that these charges are against all the rules and regulation and make no sense;

• When all the mobile operators are reducing call rates there is no sense of charging 5 % without giving any reason to the consumer. We still see no further hiring for call centers or network expansion that could really better their service, as they had claimed.
• In all the businesses and transactions when you are paying any amount to any one, none has to pay penalty for that payment rather relief has been provided to customers throughout the world. Does this 5% extra charges make any sense.
• After deduction of 31 % taxes (10% with holding tax and 21 % General Sales Tax) all the money goes in to the account of the operators then why this 5 % charges being deducted on recharge. Are they now paying this 5% amount to any powerful personality?
• We have near 8 crore mobile customers in Pakistan. If we assume that 1 crore of them recharge their account, then it amounts over 100 crore recharge on daily basis. If we calculate 5% this extra deduction, it is estimated that 5 crore are being collected illegally. Why this 5 crore is being looted from innocent customers.

Dear Sir, I would like to make this case a history in the consumer right protection. Your Excellency, it is a matter of make or break. We have to stand up against all the forces which are killing the customer’s right with out any fear and discrimination.

Your decision in this case will be, definitely a wining situation of the consumers and build trust on our system of justice.

Me, and other 90 millions are waiting for your kind decision.

Yours truly,

0322-5088031
ismailads@gmail.com

Letter Source: www.propakistani.com

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February 6, 2009 Islamabad: PTA has formulated a Broadband Stakeholders Group (BSG) in persistence of different suggestions during Broadband Open Dialogue session. First meeting of said group was held in PTA Headquarters, Islamabad. This meeting was headed by Chairman PTA, Dr. Muhammad Yaseen and representatives from Ministry of Information Technology, Universal Service Funds, Pakistan Software Houses Association, PTA, Broadband Service Providers, Cellular Mobile Operators, Telecom Vendors and Academic Circle partook.

Dr. M. Yaseen highlighted the vision and mission of BSG. He said that the basic purpose of BSC is to improve the co-ordination between various industry players. The participants appreciated the initiative by PTA. After the discussion it was decided that the minimum limit for broadband services will not be less than 256 KBPS and the target set for next three years is 5 million users.

BSG members were briefed about the Broadband Infrastructure, Broadband Content and Application, Take Up, Broadband Policy and Regulation Frameworks and availibility of Broadband services in rural areas. Dr Aamir Mateen was selected as the Chairman of BSG.

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Monday, 19 January 2009: PTA officially released the number of customers of Mobile Operators in Pakistan and their Growth rate at the year end 2008. There is an increase of 24,859,955 customers overall from December 2007 but the growth rate has declined to 39.4% from 80.7% of last year.

Break up of total Subscribers (as on December 2009):

* Revised

Mobile Phone Density:

Note: Including AJK & NAs

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