PTA clarifies its position on Warid’s 4G ads
PTA Chairperson says existing Warid license is technology neutral but not service neutral.
PHOTO: WARID TELECOM
ISLAMABAD:
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has for the first time clarified its position in response to Warid Telecom’s advertisement of its 4G/LTE services.
The four companies that took part in the 3G/4G auction of the next-generation technologies had expressed concern over Warid advertising 4G services.
PTA Chairperson Dr Ismail Shah briefed The Express Tribune about the complex issue on Sunday.
“The existing Warid license is technology neutral but it does not mean that it is service neutral,” Dr Shah said.
He said that all newly launched services require proper consent from PTA, for which Warid will have to send a proper request to the authority.
PTA will then consider such a request based on the license conditions and on the greater interests of the cellular industry, specially the bidders who had participated in the 3G/4G spectrum auction.
The offer of 4G/LTE services by Warid will have to go through a process as per their license and PTA’s requirements of assurance of proper coverage, quality of service, enhanced monitoring requirements and commencement permissions.
“Warid should provide details about how much spectrum would be carved out from the 8.8 MHz in 1800 band for LTE services and its impact on the existing GSM/GPRS/EDGE customers,” Dr Shah said, adding that not all releases of LTE are 4G.
Specific information about the version of LTE to be deployed have to be provided by Warid Telecom, the PTA chief said. “No plan has been shared with PTA yet.”
Without these details being made available, the claims made in Warid's advertisement cannot be endorsed in any manner, he added.
The PTA on May 3 had accepted Warid Telecom’s plea that it has no need to obtain a new licence to launch 4G services.
The PTA chairperson had said that Warid Telecom had approached the authority to start 4G service without obtaining any new licence. “However, we have asked the company to share its detailed work-out plan with the PTA,” Shah has said.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has for the first time clarified its position in response to Warid Telecom’s advertisement of its 4G/LTE services.
The four companies that took part in the 3G/4G auction of the next-generation technologies had expressed concern over Warid advertising 4G services.
PTA Chairperson Dr Ismail Shah briefed The Express Tribune about the complex issue on Sunday.
“The existing Warid license is technology neutral but it does not mean that it is service neutral,” Dr Shah said.
He said that all newly launched services require proper consent from PTA, for which Warid will have to send a proper request to the authority.
PTA will then consider such a request based on the license conditions and on the greater interests of the cellular industry, specially the bidders who had participated in the 3G/4G spectrum auction.
The offer of 4G/LTE services by Warid will have to go through a process as per their license and PTA’s requirements of assurance of proper coverage, quality of service, enhanced monitoring requirements and commencement permissions.
“Warid should provide details about how much spectrum would be carved out from the 8.8 MHz in 1800 band for LTE services and its impact on the existing GSM/GPRS/EDGE customers,” Dr Shah said, adding that not all releases of LTE are 4G.
Specific information about the version of LTE to be deployed have to be provided by Warid Telecom, the PTA chief said. “No plan has been shared with PTA yet.”
Without these details being made available, the claims made in Warid's advertisement cannot be endorsed in any manner, he added.
The PTA on May 3 had accepted Warid Telecom’s plea that it has no need to obtain a new licence to launch 4G services.
The PTA chairperson had said that Warid Telecom had approached the authority to start 4G service without obtaining any new licence. “However, we have asked the company to share its detailed work-out plan with the PTA,” Shah has said.