PTA Suspends Telecom Tower License Over 10-Year Failure to Launch Operations

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has suspended the telecom tower license of Access Global Pakistan (Pvt.) Limited after the company failed to launch operations nearly a decade after receiving regulatory approval.

The enforcement action follows years of non-compliance by the licensee, which was granted a Telecommunication Tower Provider (TTP) license in March 2016 but never secured the mandatory commencement certificate required to begin commercial operations.

According to PTA, the license authorized Access Global Pakistan to establish, operate, lease, and manage telecom tower infrastructure across licensed regions. However, under regulatory requirements, telecom tower operators cannot provide infrastructure services or enter into commercial arrangements with telecom companies until the regulator verifies that the necessary network facilities have been deployed and issues a commencement certificate.

The regulator stated that it repeatedly contacted the company over the years, issuing multiple reminders between 2018 and 2024, directing it to obtain the required certification and fulfill its license obligations. Despite these notices, the company failed to take corrective action.

Following continued non-compliance, PTA issued a show-cause notice in January 2026, requiring the company to explain why enforcement proceedings should not be initiated and directing it to obtain the commencement certificate within 30 days.

The matter was later scheduled for a hearing before the Authority. However, PTA said the company neither responded to the notice nor appeared before the hearing despite being informed through its officially registered address.

As a result, the regulator proceeded with the case based on the available record and concluded that the licensee had violated applicable regulatory provisions and license conditions.

The decision was unanimously approved by a three-member PTA panel comprising Chairman Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman, Member Compliance and Enforcement Dr. Khawar Siddique Khokhar, and Member Finance Muhammad Naveed.

Under the enforcement order, the license has been suspended for one month or until the company obtains the required commencement certificate, whichever occurs earlier.

PTA further warned that if Access Global Pakistan fails to comply during the suspension period, its license will automatically stand terminated without any further notice.

In a related directive, the authority instructed all Long Distance and International (LDI), Local Loop (LL), Telecom Infrastructure Provider (TIP), and mobile network operators to immediately suspend any telecommunications facilities being provided to the company until further notice.

Industry observers say the case underscores PTA’s growing emphasis on regulatory compliance and its willingness to take action against inactive licensees that fail to operationalize projects despite holding telecom authorizations for extended periods.

The move is expected to reinforce accountability within Pakistan’s telecommunications infrastructure sector and ensure that valuable spectrum and licensing resources are utilized effectively.

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