PTCL, Ufone snubbed over poor performance

Aftab Ahmed

Islamabad: State-run fixed-line monopoly—Pakistan Telecom Company Limited (PTCL)—and its subsidiary—Ufone—are under federal minister’s wrath for IT & Telecom for reported poor performance nationwide.

Syed Aminul Haque IT Minister, in his tweet from the official account of the Ministry, had snubbed Ufone and PTCL for poor performance.

“I have expressed strong anger over the below-par performances by PTCL & Ufone nationwide,” the minister said in his tweet, further adding, “PTCL lags far behind in the technology race, and it has begun to lose the trust of Pakistanis.”

It is interesting to mention that PTA—the regulator of CMOs—has already pointed out its monthly report about Ufone. It further says, “Ufone has issues of poor quality of services, coverage and overcharging (billing) in major cities. The cities include Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Okara, Karachi, and Lahore.

Similarly, PTA had already fined Ufone Rs 50 million over sales of grey SIMs over its franchise. The regulator further stated the actions taken by Ufone regarding Grey SIMs are non-serious, insubstantial, reactive. This is a mere eyewash by not penalizing its franchise involved in grey trafficking.

“Ufone signals and PTCL customer service performance is unsatisfactory,” laments the minister. Warning both state monopolies, the Minister further says, “if the company—PTCL—continues like this. It will soon lose the trust of people.”

Public complaints regarding PTCL smart Tv service are common. Other companies are taking the lead in an atmosphere of competition while PTCL remains a silent spectator, the minister observed.