Zong irked by ‘sub-standard’ 3G spectrum

Complains to PTA over faulty band

ISLAMABAD: Cellular mobile operator Zong has complained to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) over what it says is a defective 3G spectrum.

The company stated that PTA and the Frequency Allocation Board (FAB) had put up a defective band for auction, which caused the company huge losses during the year.

PTA Chairman Ismail Shah, however, said that the authority was not served with a legal notice, but a letter “stronger than a regular complaint” in which the telecom service provider expressed its reservations over the faulty 3G service.

3G and 4G services cross minimum speed threshold

“We have held a meeting with Zong officials on October 12 and are working to fix the issues,” said Shah. “Disruption in 3G service is due to the unabated wireless services in the country which create distortion and interference.”

Zong Deputy Chief Executive Officer Niaz Abdul Malik said a legal notice has not been sent, but regular correspondence is being pursued.

“Sometimes we receive complaints from customers and then we share them with PTA,” he stated, adding that negotiations to improve services are under way.

Zong to invest more in 3G/4G network

Meanwhile, reports claimed that Zong was claiming damages to the tune of millions of dollars. As stated by Pro Pakistan, a telecom blog, “Zong counsel states that this situation has resulted in the provision of sub-standard next generation services which has caused losses in revenue and consequent investments and reputational damage to the company.

“Despite the issue being raised with PTA and FAB during mid-2014, the issue hasn’t been resolved yet. Paying advance fee for full spectrum in one go, the company has no reason to wait indefinitely for the spectrum to get cleared,” the blog added.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 20^th, 2015.

Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.