Unethical practices: PTA asked to rein in cellular companies

ISLAMABAD:

Protesters have demanded that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) take strict measures to protect consumers from the unethical practices of cellular companies.

To mark World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD), TheNetwork for Consumer Protection held a protest demonstration outside the National Press Club, demanding that the PTA and cellular companies “fix phone rights”.

WCRD 2014 is being celebrated worldwide with the theme “Fix Our Phone Rights”.

TheNetwork Executive Coordinator Nadeem Iqbal said that alongside the high cell phone subscriber base in Pakistan, unethical business practices, high prices, misleading information were rife in the market.

Protesters urged service providers to honour consumers’ phone rights. They said that there was a dire need to revisit their agreements to make them consumer-friendly.

“There is intense competition in our telecom sector and while companies fight for market share, it is the consumer that is made to suffer through deceptive techniques,” Iqbal said.

To discuss consumers’ grievances, a focus group discussion was also held, where people shared their experience on the quality of services, cell phone billing, contracts, complaint registration and various unsubscribed services.

The most common complaint from the participants was about hidden charges placed by the service providers.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 16^th, 2014.