Karachi: Wateen Telecom Limited, a wireless interent and telecom operator, followed its solgon “Jo Chaho” for complying telecom regulations, not paying its Rs 49.4 million USF contribution that irked Pakistan Telecommuication Authority (PTA) to warn the operator to pay dues or face the music.
PTA has asked Wateen Telecom to immediately pay its dues of December 2010 and January 2011, that are Rs 15.2 million and Rs 34.2 million, on the account of Access Promotion Contribution (APC) to avoid a heavy fine. It also has issued a show-cause notice earlier to operator in August given it 90 days time period for the submission of its due payment.
It is an irony that PTA being a semi-juducial body communicates to the operators about their non-payment of due share first, then it issues show-cause notices and ultimately uses its last option of warning to retrieve a legitimate amount, which operators commit to pay in their licenses.
Wateen Telecom, which rebranded itself and its technical and sales network last year, seems improving its growth of internet subscription and quality of servcies for the users. On the other hand, its non-compliance of regulations poises questions about the willing of the operator to obey country’s regulations.
So what will happen in the future? Will Wateen pay its heavy dues to USF or will PTA impose heavy penalty on it, which advertised its success in the print media being a high quality service provider.
Will the authority take action against the operator for not paying dues in given time or will leave the matter unaddressed and let the operator make losses to the national exchequer?
It is merit mentioning here that authority has given an enough time period as relaxation but it went in vain.
The complete details of PTA’s order can be viewed here.
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