CHITRAL, Jan 31: Customers of the wireless local loop phone service VPTCL in Chitral have alleged that the phone sets and their accessories are being sold in the black market. They also criticised the authorities for allegedly looking the other way.

Customers complained that the price of a wireless phone set and connection was only Rs2,000 but the same were available on the black market for anything between Rs2,750 and Rs3,000.

Last year the PTCL had extended its wireless service to the district and entrusted the customer service to its franchisee, including the sale of sets and connections, sale of accessories, Internet activation and instant solution to customer’s problem.

Accordingly, the franchisee didn’t open its office in the city thus leaving customers at mercy, in case a problem popped up. The local PTCL staff told the customers to contact the franchisee which was non-existent.

Customers further stated that only the VPTCL’s signboard was visible outside the room of a local hotel. They told that the external antennas were not available with the franchisee as these were being sold for Rs600 rupees per piece in the market instead of a fixed price of Rs150.

The wireless service covers the whole district as extension to landline phone was not possible due to the mountains all around. The number of customers had swelled to above 2,000 while the service still remained poor.

A local MNA, Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali had taken the matter on the floor of the Assembly, and the franchisee was served a notice. Later, on the complaint of customers, a team of the VPTCL visited the city for an inquiry but could not achieve any substantial results, lamented the customers.

The enquiry team installed banners carrying the price tag of a set and connection at Rs2,000 rupees at many places but the franchisee removed these as soon as the team had left the city, criticised the customers.