PTA revises guidelines for

Marketing Practices in Telecom

Sector
Telecom companies in Pakistan have long been involved in the deceptive marketing and
advertising due to which customers have been facing several issues including the loss of
money.
Therefore Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has come up with a draft of
Telecommunication Services Retail Tariff Regulations, 2015 to provide guidelines to the
Telcos.

According to this draft, any operator will not use misleading statements while
announcing tariffs with an objective of misleading Consumers. Additionally, all those
tariff publications or tariff advertisements regarding the services shall be treated as
misleading in the following 12 cases:
1.

If the advertised call rate unit is different from the actual call rate unit.

2.

If the reduced call rate is advertised only without highlighting the call set-up
charge or higher charge on initial calls.

3.

If a reduced rate is advertised without mentioning that such reduced rate is

applicable only after some usage.

4.

Using titles which suggest absence of rentals in a Tariff package whereas in

reality there is a recurring fixed charge.

5.

If only rate is mentioned without highlighting that the rate is applicable only for
on-net usage.

6.

Using titles such as Unlimited whereas there is a ceiling on usage either by

way of fair usage policy or otherwise.

7.

If a discounted rate is advertised without highlighting that this discounted rate

is applicable only to specific time duration.

8.

If a discounted rate is advertised without highlighting the fixed charge to be

paid for availing such discounted rate.

9.

Advertising a Tariff package as Free without mentioning the ceiling on daily

usage.

10. If a discounted rate is advertised for making international calls without

mentioning the countries or networks (i.e. fixed or mobile) for which such
discounted rate is applicable.
11. If a discounted rate is advertised without mentioning the validity period, where
the discounted rate is available only for a specified period.
12. If the Authority believes, taking into account the overall contents of the Tariff
publication or Tariff advertisement, that it is misleading.
It is important to note that, Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) had also
revised its previous guidelines regarding marketing and advertising practices last
year, however, several telcos remained involved in violating these guidelines while
no action was being taken against them.
Now it remains to be seen that will the regulatory authority come into action on the
violation of these guidelines or the operators will keep on making fool out of
people through their false marketing practices to stimulate their profits.