Leading cellular mobile operators (CMOS) have submitted a letter to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) underlining that despite having generators and batteries as backup, they are unable to handle the situation due to the significant power outages. According to the telcos, power disruptions have lasted longer than their backup capacity.
The letter has called the telecom regulator’s attention to “important economy-wide variables” that are already seriously limiting operators’ capacity to achieve their quality of service standards and are predicted to get worse as a result.
The availability of backup for their base transceiver station (BTS) locations has reportedly been further restricted by the large increase in gasoline prices, according to the telecom companies.
The telecoms have cautioned that the scenario has made maintaining network availability a “huge problem,” adding that the extra fuel consumption to ensure backup also goes against the government’s goal of rationalising fuel consumption in the continued difficult economic circumstances.
The letter mentioned that the State Bank of Pakistan’s mandated 100 percent cash edge restriction on the import of organisational/enforcement hardware, including batteries, has further disturbed the situation.
The situation, according to CMOs, has negatively impacted their ability to carry out further destinations to satisfy the legal requirements of administration. The letter said that it has also severely impeded the expansion of further reinforcing capability to end blackouts.
The telecom companies have asked the PTA to support the company in continuing to provide the majority with basic telecom services.
PTA has been warned by the administrators that they will be “compelled to report force majeure circumstances under unique conditions” if the blackouts continue and other concerns are not resolved.
