Text and call bundle packages not to be discontinued, PTA clarifies
Says their directive only refers to chat rooms and not text/call packages.
PTA said their directive was only a continuation of their earlier one banning chat rooms. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) spokesperson said on Friday that its directive about discontinuing chat services did not include SMS and voice call "bundle" packages.
A statement issued by the PTA said that the decision to ban chat services was not a new one and was in fact, a continuation of their earlier letter that was issued on Novemeber 14, 2012.
The order did not pertain to text and call bundle packages, the spokesperson explained.
The telecommunication authority said that the earlier decision was taken after listening to concerns about the "negative social effects of late night packages" from Supreme Court of Pakistan, Standing Committee of the Parliament, various Senators and members of national and provincial assembly.
It added that the letter was only issued because some chat services were still being offered by cellular mobile operators.
However, a telecommunication official said that they still thought the bundle packages would be discontinued, unless a new directive was issued clarifying that it wasn't so, ProPakistani reported.
The official also said that "chat rooms" are not packages and should have been termed appropriately in the PTA directive.
ProPakistani had earlier reported that PTA's directive had ordered all telecom companies to discontinue text and voice call packages to customers at any and all tunes of the day and submit a compliance report on September2.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) spokesperson said on Friday that its directive about discontinuing chat services did not include SMS and voice call "bundle" packages.
A statement issued by the PTA said that the decision to ban chat services was not a new one and was in fact, a continuation of their earlier letter that was issued on Novemeber 14, 2012.
The order did not pertain to text and call bundle packages, the spokesperson explained.
The telecommunication authority said that the earlier decision was taken after listening to concerns about the "negative social effects of late night packages" from Supreme Court of Pakistan, Standing Committee of the Parliament, various Senators and members of national and provincial assembly.
It added that the letter was only issued because some chat services were still being offered by cellular mobile operators.
However, a telecommunication official said that they still thought the bundle packages would be discontinued, unless a new directive was issued clarifying that it wasn't so, ProPakistani reported.
The official also said that "chat rooms" are not packages and should have been termed appropriately in the PTA directive.
ProPakistani had earlier reported that PTA's directive had ordered all telecom companies to discontinue text and voice call packages to customers at any and all tunes of the day and submit a compliance report on September2.