PTA issues revised regulations for fixed broadband services

New regulations promise better quality of internet, faster speed

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has reviewed the existing Broadband Quality of Service Regulations 2014 and has issued revised broadband regulations.

“The regulations have been revised after due consultation with all the stakeholders,” said the authority in a statement. The new regulations shall be known as “Fixed Broadband Quality of Service (QoS) Regulations, 2022”.

These regulations have been updated keeping in view existing and emerging fixed broadband technologies including xDSL (Digital Subscriber Line), cable broadband (DOCSIS 3.x), fixed wireless, Fibre to the Home (FTTH) and satellite broadband. The aim is to better gauge the services agreed upon by service providers and the end users.

The new regulations include the directive that fixed broadband internet speeds for download data throughput should be at least 4Mbps (up from 256 kbps) and 2Mbps for upload.

“This is a positive step forward to modify and improve fixed-line broadband specifications,” said Parvez Iftikhar, an Information Communication Technology (ICT) expert. “Up till now, a download speed of 256 kbps was considered broadband, which appears to be a joke in this day and age. With this step, better quality of the internet will be ensured for fixed broadband subscribers,” he added.

“However, one cannot ignore the fact that there are hardly two to three million fixed broadband subscribers in the country. The penetration of optic fibres in Pakistan is lower than all regional countries, with the exception of Afghanistan. The government, as well as the regulator, must come up with out-of-the-box solutions to improve upon the service delivery,” noted Iftikhar. “The government should also think of investing in the most vital optic fibre infrastructure, rather than leaving it entirely to the private sector,” he suggested.

PTA, in a statement, said that “80% of the advertised download speeds should be available at all times to end users. Moreover, PTA will not only conduct QoS surveys and test the quality of services being provided to consumers but shall also implement and execute the recurring National Broadband Measurement Program (NBM)”.

The statement further stated that, “for this purpose, pre-configured devices shall be placed with a group of volunteers and line performance shall be measured all the time. The results shall be available on dedicated servers placed on designated places as decided by the authority. Such testing can either be undertaken by authorised PTA officers or through a designated agency hired for the purpose.”

SI Global Solutions CEO, Noman Ahmed expressed his optimism at this development and stated that “it is promising to see Pakistan strive continuously to regulate its broadband services in order to maintain quality. It is a welcome change as it will ensure that users experience optimum browsing speeds and are able to actually use the service in accordance to what they paid. Often broadband speeds are widely marketed to be functioning at much greater speeds than they actually do.”

“The 4mbps increase from the previous 256kbps is quite a dramatic and marked improvement,” he added.

“Overall, this is a promising initiative by PTA to introduce net neutrality in the country as well as increase internet permeability in accordance with emerging technologies. This is an upgrade that seems to be headed in the right direction,” remarked Ahmed.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2022.

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