ISLAMABAD, Aug 1: Deadlock still exists between the Pakistan Telecommunication Company and the Internet Service Providers and Long Distance and International call centre over the compensation mechanism for the 11-day Internet crisis that had hit the country earlier last month.

Sources told Dawn here on Monday that two meetings between the PTCL and the Ministry of Information Technology officials and ISPs held over the past two weeks has ended inconclusively, as PTCL is yet to accept the amount of compensation demanded by the LDIs and the ISPs.

They said the ISPs and LDIs are of the view that they had suffered losses totalling up to $43 million and have demanded compensation in the form of 40 days of free of cost bandwidth services from PTCL. However, the PTCL authorities have agreed to provide only a 10-day free of cost services to the ISPs and LDIs.

The PTCL is of the view that it had charged nothing additional from the LDIs and ISPs during the 11-day internet crisis which had hit Pakistan after fault appeared in the undersea South East Asia-Middle East-Western Europe-3 (SEA-ME-WE-3) fibre optic cable, the country’s sole Internet link with the outer world.

The PTCL has maintained that it has the right to charge both the LDIs and ISPs for the satellite bandwidth services it had hired as back-up during the Internet crisis.

The company has further supported its stance and is of the view that it was not legally bound to pay even a penny to LDIs and ISPs as both had signed an agreement, according to which they could not claim any compensation for any disruption in the SEA-ME-WE-3 line even in case the fault took even months. The company has told the ISPs and LDIs that the offer of 10-day free of cost services should be considered a blessing in disguise and could be taken back by the company any time.

However, the sources said, ISPs and LDIs are of the view that the bandwidth cost was 25 per cent of their total operating costs. Their other costs including salaries, rental, collocation, marketing and other operating charges. So, if they had to pass on 10 days of additional free of cost services to the users, they should be given 40 days of free services by the PTCL.

Opinion

Editorial

Race against time
Updated 09 Feb, 2025

Race against time

While some bright spots emerged at Breathe Pakistan moot, we must streamline our climate governance.
Open door
09 Feb, 2025

Open door

THE door is still open for talks, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has reminded the PTI. What matters, however,...
Football suspension
09 Feb, 2025

Football suspension

ONCE again, Pakistan has been ousted from the global football family. FIFA recently suspended the Pakistan Football...
A year later
Updated 08 Feb, 2025

A year later

A war of egos has been fought between a handful of individuals at the cost of the well-being of millions of ordinary Pakistanis.
Wheat decision
08 Feb, 2025

Wheat decision

THE federal decision to stop setting the minimum support price for wheat and cease the staple’s procurement...
Dhanmondi attack
08 Feb, 2025

Dhanmondi attack

HISTORY has shown that unless states deliver development and equal rights to all, disenfranchised people can target...