Telenor in the Hot Waters Again as PTA Completes SCN Proceedings

Telenor Pakistan is into hot waters again. Recently, it was reported that the national telecom regulator PTA concluded proceedings of a Show Cause Notice (SCN) hearing against the telecom operator for below-par network quality service in Chitral. The telecom operator reported 10% revenue growth in Q2, still, the company is facing some issues. However in response to media reports on the issue, a  spokesperson from Telenor clarified that,

Regrettably, difficult terrain, unreliable power availability and limited transmission media, and import restrictions by the State Bank have significantly impacted our services. Chitral is a very important market for Telenor Pakistan as we are one of the first operators to bring connectivity to the region. We want to assure our customers that we are actively working with PTA to resolve these challenges as swiftly as possible.

Furthermore, according to a credible source, the national telecom regulator earlier started proceeding against the operator. These proceedings were initiated under the provision of the Telecom Act 1996, and therefore, a Show Cause Notice (SCN) was issued to Telenor on 10th March 2023.

As per the information available, Telenor rendered a reply of SCN to PTA on 10th April 2023. Subsequently, the hearing of the SCN was held in front of the PTA on 5th June 2023. The national telecom regulator is now in the process of issuing an enforcement order to Telenor over the subject.

Moreover, it is pertinent to mention here that a joint survey was also conducted with Telenor in the Chitral area. After hard and soft optimization, all the key performance indicators (KPIs) were found within the licensed threshold except 4G Data throughput. It is reported that an independent verification survey was also conducted between 27th February and 2nd March at different locations in Chitral.

During the survey, Telenor failed to meet the licensed threshold at all five locations. Therefore, the authority made the decision to start proceedings against the operator. On the other hand, during the same survey, it was noted that the network services rendered by another main operator in the area were considerably improved.  Also, there have been rumors that the PTCL group is eying to acquire major shares of Telenor Pakistan.

Also read:

Free PTA Mobile Registration for Overseas Pakistanis and Foreigners (Step-by-Step Guide)