Online education, business activities: Legal VoIPs, VPNs & video conferencing apps can be used: PTA

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Wednesday announced that all educational institutes and online businesses can use legal Voice over Internet Protocols (VoIP), Virtual Private Networks (VPN), and video conferencing applications to carry on their online activities without any restrictions.
The PTA spokesperson, Khurram Ali Mehran, said that all legal VoIPs and VPNs and video conferencing apps such as WhatsApp, Skype, Google Meets, Zoom, Blue Jeans, Cisco WebEx, Team viewer, Meraki VPN etc are available to be used for virtual education and business.
However, as per Telecom Rules and Regulations, the PTA is only taking action against those using VoIP and VPNs for terminating illegal traffic, which causes loss to the exchequer.
Therefore, an impression, being given by certain elements that the PTA has blocked all VoIP, video conference, and VPN solutions is incorrect.
Furthermore, the PTA is working in close coordination with the Ministry of IT and Telecom (MoIT&T) and Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) in facilitating and regularizing the operations of BPO/Call Center Industry.
To facilitate the industry, internet protocols (IP) applied for whitelisting through relevant service providers are processed for approval within 24 hours.
The PTA remains committed to serve as per its vision in ensuring that high quality ICT services are available to telecom users in Pakistan, the spokesperson added.
Currently 742 call centers/BPOs are whitelisted and not facing any issues, he added.
Mehran said that to streamline the IP whitelisting process and address the concerns presented by stakeholders, the PTA held a meeting with Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) and the PSEB on Tuesday.
The meeting was told that as per IP White Listing regulations available on PTA website, whitelisting requests are processed within 24 hours by the PTA for the facilitation of applicants.
Moreover, for the convenience of the applicant, options such as online payment and online submission of application/form are also being looked into.
The process for IP whitelisting is simple and the applicant needs to approach its service provider, which will lodge its whitelisting request with the PTA. For lodging whitelisting request, applicant needs to provide necessary technical detail, and the following information:
a. PSEB call center registration certificate (in case whitelisting is for call center); b. NTN number; c. CNIC copy; d. An undertaking on stamp paper that whitelisted IP will not be used for illegal voice operations; e. A pay order to PTA for which value is calculated based on IP addresses being whitelisted (Rs 500 per IP).
The IP whitelisting is the prerogative of the PTA licensee only.
The licensees may get IPs whitelisted as required and where applicable such as for call centers/video conferences etc.
Beside authorized PTA licensees, the PSEB registered call centers and other reputed companies can also get their IPs whitelisted for aforementioned purposes, he added.