Model Town Society Blackmails Telcos: Tower Renewal Issue

The administration of Model Town Society has warned the cellular companies that it will block their towers and discontinue the services in case they don’t increase the rent of their towers. The previous contract of the five mobile operators has been expired and now it’s a time to renew the contract.

The Model Town Society’s administration is now taking full advantage of the opportunity and have started blackmailing the cellular companies. Firstly, the administration has demanded to increase the rent up to 100% of the current amount, otherwise, the towers of all the five telecom companies will be blocked. Then it gave some relaxation on the request of telecom operators and demanded a 50% increase but after some time, it gave further relaxation and demanded a 35% increase in the rent.

Model Town Society Blackmails Telcos: Tower Renewal Issue

In response of that, all the five mobile operators including PTCL, Telenor, Jazz, Ufone, and Zong knocked the door of the Court and took a stay order against the decision of the Model Town Society’s administration. But the Model town management committee is not adhering to court orders by blocking access to one operator’s towers that have been shut down since the 2^nd week of May 2019 by the town’s administration.

These five operators have 48000 sites across Pakistan where they have fixed their towers. If they increase the rent of towers in Model town Society Lahore then they would also have to increase the rent for other tower sites and it will automatically put a financial burden on these five telecom operators.

PTA has also issued a legal notice to the administration of the Model Town Society in which it has clearly mentioned that they have no right to block the towers of the cellular companies. PTA stance is that this decision will affect the huge subscriber’s base.

Several renowned political and apolitical personalities are living there in the Model Town Society that’s why it is considered among posh areas of Lahore.

For reader’s information, the contracts of Telenor, Jazz, and Ufone with the Model Town Society’s administration expired in April 2019. On the other hand, the contract of Zong expired in Dec 2018.  Five telecom operators have sent cheques three times for contracts renewal, which are rejected by Model Town Society’s administration.

The administration of Model town is not agreeing on the current rent amount of towers. Previously, the shell petrol pump also faced these type of troubles made by the administration and at the end of the day shell petrol wind up their business in the model town Lahore.
Presently, the coverage of all the telecom operators in the model town Lahore is on risk.

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