The dispute between the government and LDI operators over license renewal and outstanding dues has brought Pakistan’s telecommunication services close to a potential crisis.
According to media reports, The PTA has warned that this stalemate may have a far-reaching negative impact on the entire telecommunication infrastructure of the country if not resolved at the earliest.
According to PTA, critical services, including mobile networks, internet connectivity, ATMs, and satellite communications, will face immense disruption.
The authority has written a formal letter to the Ministry of IT and also threatened that if the renewal of LDI licenses is not done in time, as much as 50% of the mobile traffic can get affected, adding that the implication is that as many as mobile towers will stop functioning and internet traffic will reduce by 10%.
Moreover, 40% of bank ATMs may also go out of service in the entire country, and satellite services may be suspended as well.
In case of non-renewal of LDI licenses, there will have to be a need for migrating services to other operators, which may impact the mobile and internet connectivity globally, as well. In far-flung areas, government offices may be plunged into a communication blackouts as their vital communication links would be disconnected.
In dispute is a huge amount of Rs 76 billion that 10 LDI companies collectively owe to the government. These payments are due under the Access Promotion Contribution and Universal Service Fund.
