Telecom Consumer Awareness in Pakistan

Pakistan’s telecom sector has seen phenomenal progress during last ten years or so. It was deregulated in 1996 by the then government. Since then, there has been no looking back. It has more than 48 million cell phone users, and nearly 1.5 million wireless phone users. Landline is still dominant, but not the market leader anymore.



Though this phenomenal growth has brought huge benefits to the people of Pakistan, yet it has its bad effects also. As Pakistan has ineffective and outdated consumer protection laws, the consumers are being fleeced by every kind manufacturer/business including these giant telecom operators. Wrong billing, deceptive price formulas, connectivity, clarity of voice, sale of used prepaid cards, deceptive advertisements, and lack of any compensation for damages incurred due to bad service of telecom operator are only a few.



Pakistan Telecommunication Authority established a complaint cell back in 2002 ,mainly to “facilitate and resolve the complaints made by an individual or a group against Telecommunication services”. Consumers can report a company on a toll free number (0800-55055) or using an online form. However there is no public information about the volume of complaints or its rate of successful resolution of these complaints. Judging from the situation, PTA complaint cell performance has been unsatisfactory.



Customers’ lack of awareness about their rights augments the problem. Most of the people do not know that they can complain or even sue a company for bad service or overcharging. Their complaints are seldom listened and even rarely resolved. Some people have been in touch with an independent Consumer Complaint Cell being run by The Network for Consumer Protection in Pakistan and have come to know that small problems are not resolved by the companies for which people have to turn to Consumer Complaint Cell.


Experts believe that this is happening because telecom users are not organized and do not have any say in these affairs. Telecom users need to get organized and establish an Association: Telecom Consumers Association, Pakistan (TCPA) that represents them and guides them in telecom related issues. The Association could make demands on these companies on behalf of telecom consumers. If a company does not behave, it can ask its members to boycott such company.

Experts also suggest that the Association take up following functions:

1. create awareness among consumers about their rights with special focus on telecom consumers.
2. conduct quality and popularity surveys independently and let the consumers know which company offers best service.
3. keep an eye on the advertisements being aired by telecom operators and warn (or even sue) companies about unethical or deceptive advertisements.
4. inform its members and public about misleading advertisements of telecom operators.
5. have a good liaison with telecom operators to inform them about consumer issues and concerns.
6. mobilize telecom consumers to arrange peaceful protest rallies against companies that indulge in anti-consumer activities.
7. support and encourage Pakistan Telecom Authority to be tough on companies to protect consumers.
8. take up issues like reduction of broadband price and Mobile Number Portability and pressurize large companies to become consumer friendly.
9. mobilize policy makers/law makers to enact and implement consumer protection laws especially with provisions for compensation.