Prepare for a loadshedding of phone calls

• Telecom companies warn the public to expect regular ‘phone call’ disruptions across the country, similar to electricity loadshedding.
• Members from the telecom industry expressed major reservations about the tax hike.
• Federal government increases the advance tax on imported fiber optic cable by 15%.

Following the federal government’s rise in telecom tariffs, telecom companies warn the public to expect regular ‘phone call’ disruptions across the country, similar to electricity loadshedding.

The news came out of a recent Senate Standing Committee on Finance hearing, where members from the telecom industry expressed major reservations about the tax hike.

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During the conference, telecom representatives stated that the federal government increases the advance tax on imported fiber optic cable by 15% while increasing duty by 20%.

They said that telecom businesses are already dealing with a number of issues, and that raising taxes on fiber optic cable will add to the industry’s burden.

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Telco representatives claimed that fiber optic cable is only used in 10% of towers across the country, and that until the government lowers fiber optic cable taxes, Pakistan will fall behind in the global connectivity race.

They asked the committee to suggest to the government that import duties on fiber optic cable be reduced to 8%. The telecom businesses were assured that their suggestions will be forwarded to the government by the committee.

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