Mobile operators true to tariffs: PTA

Billing systems of most CMOs have been discovered accurate and instances of overcharging are few and far between.

KARACHI: The billing systems of most cellular mobile operators (CMOs) have been discovered accurate and instances of overcharging are few and far between. In fact, in most instances the CMOs are charging their customers less than the advertised tariffs.

This was revealed by a computerised verification carried out by the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA).

For this study, scratch cards worth Rs100 were loaded on to the SIMs of all CMOs and calls of different durations ranging from 28 seconds to 175 seconds were made. The PTA opted to test the 30-second tariff packages for each CMO as it was discovered that most customers opt for the 30-second tariff package. Tariff packages based on one second, twenty seconds and sixty seconds are also available to subscribers.

The PTA discovered a few instances of overcharging by two of the mobile operators while the rest of the operators billed customers in accordance with their advertised tariffs. Instead, in most cases the operators were found to be undercharging customers as compared to their advertised rates.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2010.