Press Releases

PTCL signs revenue sharing agreements with major ISPs

January 2, 2009

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunications Company Ltd (PTCL) has signed revenue-sharing agreements with three major Internet Service Providers (ISPs) including Link dot Net, Sky Net and Comsats.

The signing ceremony was held at Pakistan Telecommunication Authority headquarters in Islamabad on Thursday under the chairmanship of PTA Chairman Dr Mohammed Yaseen, where representatives of PTA, PTCL and ISPs were also present.

The ISP industry, over the past few years, had not been making headway and facing difficulties in expanding its user-base in spite of low tariffs. Previously, internet dialup services had unlimited metering, however, on the request of PTCL and ISPs, PTA has agreed to change the pulse duration of 131 calls to 20 minutes, provided the ISPs do not charge the users for internet services.

This decision by PTA will go a long way in bridging the digital divide across the country. It is hoped that this will also benefit the development of telecommunication services in general and ICT services in particular. Other ISPs will also sign similar agreements with PTCL.

PTA chairman expressed hope that with this sense of cooperation and mutual trust, similar agreements will also be made for proliferation of broadband services in the country. Broadband users are expected to grow to 5 million by 2010 in the country, he added.

With the signing of this agreement with PTCL, ISPs will now offer internet services at zero tariffs to general public on postpaid mechanism.

The users will only be charged local call tariffs for 20-minutes pulse by PTCL, revenue for which shall be shared between PTCL and ISPs.

It is expected that internet will now proliferate to every nook and corner of the country as internet users will be able to avail free internet services of any ISP of their choice without the hassle of buying prepaid cards.

Media

PTCL signs revenue sharing agreements with major ISPs