PTCL broadband service sees 35 per cent decline
ISLAMABAD (APP) – The broadband service of the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) is a huge question mark over the company’s performance as the number of subscribers is declining by the each day passing – thanks to the lethargic and ignorant attitude of the PTCL staff towards the complaints lodged by the subscribers.
The PTCL sources claim that the company’s broadband service saw a downside trend by 35 percent over the past six months due to the market competition and substandard service of the company. “Thousands of subscribers have disconnected their broadband connection due to the PTCL officials who pay no heed to the complaints lodged by the subscribers,” added the sources.
The sources said the company needed a total attitude change training towards the PTCL staff who are ignorant of the fact that so many competitors were already in the field to steal their chunk of the valuable subscribers.
Dr. Rukham Khan, a resident of the Sector G-7/1 of the federal capital, told APP that he had acquired the PTCL Broadband service at his office. However, he said during the recent rains, my DSL connection turned disconnected.
“Though the PTCL spends huge amounts over its advertisement campaign, its services are very poor. In my case, despite repeated attempts of almost three weeks, I was unable to restore my connection. Though I had contacted so many high-ranking officials of the PTCL, yet I was unable to reconnect to the PTCL broadband service,” he said.
Dr. Khan added that finally, he decided to switch to some other company. He subscribed to the DSL service of Wateen and he had no complaint against the company.
“I would suggest the PTCL officials to spend bit more over the training and attitude change of its officials so as the company could sustain its repute in the business community,” he opined.
Abdul Latif Chaudhry, a resident of Shahzad Town, told the APP that he was a subscriber of the PTCL broadband service for past so many months.
“However, my connection went faulty three days back. Since I had to send an urgent mail to my office, I contacted the Sub- Divisional Officer (SDO), PTCL, Mr. Naqi and requested him to get my connection restored in time so as I could avoid any business loss. Mr. Naqi told me that the relevant card of the DSL Service was running faulty and the connection would be restored once the card is changed. Despite continued efforts for the entire night, the PTCL staff paid no heed to my complaints and I could not get my connection restored,” said Mr. Chaudhry.
The subscriber added that in utter desperation, he contacted Mr. Babar, who is incharge of the Broadband Service in the federal capital for restoration of his connection.
“Mr. Babar arrogantly told me that he was not on duty. He advised me not to call him again and the connection would be restored after 24 hours. I also contacted Assistant General Manager (AGM) PTCL Mr. Farhan and Mr. Saeed Iqbal, General Manager, PTCL for the restoration of my connection. Thus, I went from pillar to post to restore my connection but to no avail. Finally I have decided to disconnect my PTCL subscription and would switch on to some other broadband service,” said Mr. Chaudhry.
Recently, the sources said, the PTCL also rejected the directive of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for reducing and rationalising the tariff of international bandwidth in line with the rest of the world to help increase the take-up of broadband services in the country, added the sources.
Instead of reducing the broadband rates, on the directive of PTA, the PTCL indicated that it would increase line rent charges of Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) connection for Internet Service Providers (ISPs), which would eventually be paid by the consumers.
“The PTCL provides shared bandwidth, and not Committed Information Rate (CIR), for $76,000 per month for an STM-1 full IP circuit, while half-circuit of international private lease from London to Karachi is quoted at $20,000 per month or less by various international telecom operators”.
The sources added that the PTCL provides the same at $185,000, which is nine times higher than other international telecom operators in the world offer.
“This is the reason that not a single IPLC half-circuit STM-I has yet been sold in the country by the PTCL,” added the sources.
Source: The Nation
Date:1/22/2009
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