Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has decided to open fixed local loop (FLL) licenses for Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, and Faisalabad telecommunication regions after it had suspended the FLL licenses in these regions on February 1, 2020, while keeping applications for licenses in 10 other zones open.
Keeping in view the market situation and on the basis of bi-annual assessment of market absorption capacity, PTA has decided to open the licenses again.
PTA issues FLL license for the provision of fixed-line (voice and data) telecommunication services within a telecom region using medium excluding wireless. PTA started awarding FLL licenses in 2004 and now there are 195 license holders in 14 telecom regions of Pakistan. According to PTA some companies also provide TV service but it has no link with the authority, as for TV service, a separate license is required from Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).
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According to sources, it is mandatory for companies, for this license, to provide fiber connections to a minimum of 200 people. Now PTA is planning to make it mandatory for companies to provide fiber connection to a minimum of 300 to 400 hundred people. The PTA decisions will help better connectivity as well as new business opportunities.
According to PTA officials, new companies are interested to invest in this field as there are business opportunities in these four major telecom regions. The fee for an FLL license is $10,000 and the license is applicable for 20 years.
