Update: Voice and SMS Packages to Continue, Only Chat Rooms to End

[Geek]

It appears that the telecom sector was yesterday stormed with the biggest ever mis-understanding, as a directive coming from PTA ordered telecom operators to dis-continue Voice and SMS Packages. Same was interpreted by media and the telecom operators with whom we had confirmed the directive.




However, it is now emerging that that only voice and SMS chat rooms are to get blocked, and the usual SMS bundles and voice bundles that telecom companies offer are going to remain intact.




This mis-understanding was spread across the telecom industry as we had spoken with at least a dozen telco officials who were equally shocked at the decision.




PTAs yesterday letter which clearly read Packages Offered by CMTOs Contrary to Moral Values of the Society is now asked to interpret as chat rooms that are offered by cellular companies, with which their customers could chat anonymously with other subscribers.




While there was no mention of chat rooms in the letter, the term used as chat packages is apparently what had confused everyone.




Telco officials have confirmed ProPakistani that they have received verbal communication from PTA about the issue and it is likely that PTA will issue a follow-up directive or a clarification later today.




A telco official said that they still think that SMS and Voice bundles are to be stopped, unless there comes a new directive clarifying the situation. He said that PTA must had used the term Chat Rooms instead of Chat Packages as this is how telcos advertise the offering.




Furthermore, Chat Rooms are offerings, not packages and should have been termed accordingly, the official concluded.




We will update this story as soon as we receive the clarification from PTA, or any development on the story.

Source

 

[pkpatriot]

SMS packages should also be blocked....
People are wasting alot of time in texting for fun or so,,,

 

[Night_Hawk]

Text and call bundle packages not to be discontinued, PTA clarifies

By Web Desk
Published: August 30, 2013

PTA said their directive was only a continuation of their earlier one banning chat rooms. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) spokesperson said on Friday that its directive about discontinuing chat services did not include SMS and voice call bundle packages.
A statement issued by the PTA said that the decision to ban chat services was not a new one and was in fact, a continuation of their earlier letter that was issued on Novemeber 14, 2012.

The order did not pertain to text and call bundle packages, the spokesperson explained.

The telecommunication authority said that the earlier decision was taken after listening to concerns about the negative social effects of late night packages from Supreme Court of Pakistan, Standing Committee of the Parliament, various Senators and members of national and provincial assembly.


It added that the letter was only issued because some chat services were still being offered by cellular mobile operators.
However, a telecommunication official said that they still thought the bundle packages would be discontinued, unless a new directive was issued clarifying that it wasnt so, ProPakistani reported.
The official also said that chat rooms are not packages and should have been termed appropriately in the PTA directive.


ProPakistani had earlier reported that PTAs directive had ordered all telecom companies to discontinue text and voice call packages to customers at any and all tunes of the day and submit a compliance report on September2.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/597434/...ackages-not-to-be-discontinued-pta-clarifies/

 

[drkjke]

if Nawaz govt bans free govt uncensored media like sms and internet,than I hope that pti and other parties protest against this.the governments biggest threat is that people are now not turning to state media for their news,but more and more people are using smsm and internet to reach the true uncensored news

 

[drkjke]

SMS packages should also be blocked....
People are wasting alot of time in texting for fun or so,,,

but if you look at pros and cons of sms than you cant say that.not everyone is multi billionire like you ,one cant call each time if he has to call say for example 100 people per day.it will be cotly .a lot of people use sms for daily business and even inviting friends over to etc.you people don't want to ban interest or riba that is war against GOD but want to ban peoples cheap communications,.strange

 

[1234567]

IS THERE ANY UPDATE REGARDING OVERSEAS CALL RATES?:jazak:

 

[pkpatriot]

How you concluded
We are Billionare? and we dont want to ban interest or Riba?

If something has more disadvantage then disadvatages then there is no harm in banning it?

99.99% of texts are just useless, and this thing is expoiting the students and mostly the poor and lower middle class students are affected by it mostly, These hourly/daily packages are destroying the youth big times...... Either you are not in touch with the youth or you dont wanna know...

but if you look at pros and cons of sms than you cant say that.not everyone is multi billionire like you ,one cant call each time if he has to call say for example 100 people per day.it will be cotly .a lot of people use sms for daily business and even inviting friends over to etc.you people don't want to ban interest or riba that is war against GOD but want to ban peoples cheap communications,.strange