PTA Records 20,000 Complaints Against Telcos in January 2024

In January 2024, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) received a total of 19,160 complaints from telecom consumers regarding various issues with different telecom operators and cellular services. Out of these complaints, the authority was able to successfully resolve 19,031 cases or about 99.3 percent of them. This indicates a high level of responsiveness and effectiveness in addressing consumer grievances within the telecom industry in Pakistan.

The official data indicates that the complaints lodged in January 2024 were directed against a range of telecom operators operating in Pakistan. These included cellular mobile operators (CMOs), Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), long-distance international (LDI) operators, wireless local loop (WLL) operators, and internet service providers (ISPs). This diversity suggests that consumers encountered issues across various telecommunications services and platforms, prompting them to seek resolution through the PTA’s complaint mechanism.

Report Reveals Rise in Indian Cyberattacks on Pakistan & China

Cellular mobile subscribers make up a significant portion of the overall telecom subscriber base in Pakistan. Unsurprisingly, they accounted for the largest share of complaints. Specifically, the data reveals that the total number of complaints lodged against cellular mobile operators (CMOs) by January reached 18,624. However, it’s noteworthy that a substantial majority of these complaints, totaling 18,515 cases or 99.4 percent, were effectively addressed and resolved.

The PTA data highlights the breakdown of complaints received against each major telecom operator in Pakistan and the corresponding resolution rates. Specifically:

• Jazz: The PTA received 7,968 complaints against Jazz, with an impressive resolution rate of 99.8 percent. Out of these complaints, 7,951 were successfully addressed.
• Telenor: A total of 3,132 complaints were lodged against Telenor, with a commendable resolution rate of 98.7 percent. Of these complaints, 3,091 were resolved satisfactorily.
• Zong: The PTA received 5,237 complaints regarding Zong’s services. The resolution rate for Zong stood at 99.6 percent, with 5,218 complaints being effectively addressed.
• Ufone: Finally, Ufone received 2,257 complaints, of which 98.6 percent were resolved. The telecom operator specifically addressed 2,226 complaints successfully.

These figures underscore the telecom operators’ commitment to addressing consumer concerns promptly, with the majority of complaints being satisfactorily resolved.

Pakistan Faces 17% Rise in Cyber Threats During 2023

In addition to complaints against cellular mobile operators (CMOs), the PTA also dealt with grievances related to basic telephony and internet service providers (ISPs) during January. Here’s a breakdown of these complaints:

1. Basic Telephony:
   • The PTA received 171 complaints regarding basic telephony services.
   • Impressively, 168 out of these 171 complaints were addressed, resulting in a high-resolution rate of 98.2 percent.
2. Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
   • A total of 351 complaints were lodged against ISPs during January.
   • With 335 out of 351 complaints successfully addressed by the ISPs, the resolution rate for these complaints was 95.4 percent.

These statistics demonstrate the PTA’s proactive approach to addressing consumer grievances across various segments of the telecommunications sector, ensuring a high level of consumer satisfaction and service quality.