Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has directed all the Long Distance and International (LDI) operators to ensure adequate disclosure of their tariffs in a discernable manner so as to avoid misleading advertisements in the print and electronic media that confuse the consumers about the actual tariffs charged on these operator' service.
The direction to these LDI operators came as the Telecom Authority observed advertisements given by the LDI operators either mentions only lower tariffs talk-time for different destinations while the charges for higher destination calls to mobile networks are not disclosed adequately.
Similarly it was also observed that the contents of the advertisements by these telecom operators do not essentially inform their consumers about the government taxes such as GST/Advance Income Tax included in their tariffs.
Under this scenario, the Authority believes that such type of misleading advertisements have resulted in misguiding the consumers as tariffs for certain destinations cost them substantially higher then the advertised tariffs.
In a press release issued here on Saturday says that the rationale therefore, behind the authority's present directive to the LDI operators is to 'minimise consumer complaints relating to the tariffs and to create better awareness among subscribers regarding the true tariff structure of these telecom operators."
In its directive, PTA has called upon all the LDI operators to clearly advertise each category of national and international long distance calls made to fixed numbers excluding government taxes.
The authority further directed that the higher tariffs for different destinations should also be publicised adequately while the terms and conditions of pulse duration, charges for first pulse and subsequent pulse and validity of the advertisement. In addition the ad must also specify 15 percent general sales tax (GST) and Advance Income Tax in clear terms.
These PTA's directives would require that all LDI operators make necessary modifications in their tariff brochures, ads and web-sites that aim at safeguarding the right of the consumers and to equip them with necessary knowledge before they exercise their right to choose their telecom subscriptions.-PR
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