Lack of Proper Infrastructure:
First of all let’s talk about infrastructure. This is probably the Achilles heel of PTCL. They claim to be offering their services across Pakistan but the fact is that they have obsolete and outdated infrastructure and haven’t tried on improving and refining it with the latest technology advances. Even in major cities like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, PTCL services have been downright poor which is a surprise given the amount of customers and revenue they can generate if they give consistent services.

Lack of Investment in Future Technologies:
In wired connectivity PTCL is behind its competitors by still giving DSL broadband via copper cable whereas other competitors like StormFiber, Optix Fiber and Satcomm have already begun successful rollout of Fiber Optics based internet. Whereas other Broadband providers are taking the market by storm and getting a huge chunk of getting a rising number of broadband users onboard, the biggest telecom operator is  biting the dust and literally pays no heed to the need of the consumers and time both.

Then there also comes the issue of scalability I.e the telephone exchanges lack the capacity to handle new connections. Not just that, there are not enough feasibility checks before installing a new connection to ensure that the speeds commited will be delivered.

Trying to Do Too Much at One Time:
The situation is similar when it comes to  wireless technologies. PTCL  offers numerous wireless Mobile Broadband devices such as Evo Wingle and Charji Evo that boast of speeds between 9Mbps to 36Mbps however consumers are getting  speeds that are nowhere near even the promised speeds by the telecom operator. The underlying reason for this is inferior technology such as EV-DO which is  based on CDMA networks whereas every other ISP/Telco is offering services using 3G/4G networks which offer much better speeds and coverage. This is false advertising and the claims are too good to be true. PTCL is busy offering humongous packages ranging from 20-100Mbps however they are unable to give satisfactory speeds to even 2,4 or 8Mbps users.

Customer Service Issues:
In the end let’s talk a little about Customer Services. This is the backbone of any telecom operator as they handle queries and complains by new and existing customers. However due to the lacking quality of services, the customer services and support department are always overburdened with calls with the users complaining about lack of speeds. Obviously the customer support representatives are short on time and are thus forced to give unsatisfactory and pre-written replies that only aggravates the consumer further and thus a customer thinks of switching the ISP.

We believe that PTCL can surely make things better if they do a self-assessment and prioritize resolution of issues to retain existing customers instead of generating new business. Based on our limited understanding, we propose possible solutions to these variety of issues
1)  Discontinue or limit higher speed packages to specific areas in major cities only and  start giving consistent services to 2-8Mbps subscribers.

2) Initiate a roll out of Fiber Optics based internet services as soon as possible in major cities of Pakistan and communicate the rollout plans  to your existing customers.
3) Upgrade the infrastructure where the number of active consumers is the highest to the latest technology along with increasing network capability to offer better quality of services and improved coverage.

4) Offer promotions/packages that are backed by consistent and reliable quality of services that are not just for short term financial gains.
5) Coordinate with the CSR department to know of the complains being faced by customers and setting up technical support in such a way that addresses such qualms in real-time or as soon as possible basis.

5) Put such SOPs in place that once a customer lodges a complain against the service, it reaches the desired department and is effectively resolved by the respective technical and support staff.

Final Word:
In lieu of the above mentioned issues PTCL should now seriously consider and improve at the earliest because it’s high time PTCL got its act right and upped its game and really showed its competitors that it’s Pakistan’s largest telecom operator having the most coverage but at the same time offering consistent and satisfactory speeds to its consumers as well. We do hope that the word is spread and someone at PTCL with the right authority and capability takes notice of these shortcomings and strives to improve on the brand name and bring back loyal customers as well as attract new customers towards choosing PTCL as their telecom and internet services provider.

Khurram Zahid

The post It’s High Time PTCL Got Its Act Together! appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

Will 3G end the market for Conventional Broadband Service Providers in Pakistan?

In a word, NO!

Based on current infrastructure, Pakistan is some ways off in even launching proper 3G service, let alone 4G.  The market for trial 3G services is not even a month old and only offered in limited geographical zones within the popular urban centers of Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.

The average smart phone user is still figuring out, on how to use, the limited 3G trial services currently available.  It was less than 2 weeks ago that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authorities formally awarded 3G licenses to the successful bidders of last month’s 3G and 4G auction.

The nature of 3G technology is such that it will be quite some time before it makes older technologies like DSL, Wimax and Cable irrelevant. In his 2012 article for PCMag, Sasha Sagan presents the technological elements of  the Wimax vs 3G and LTE debate.  While the article focuses primarily on mobile phone networks, the implication is clear.  Customers will always opt for higher bandwidth that is consistent. Towards that end, they will ultimately opt for 3G and 4G.

However, based on infrastructural, product and pricing constraints, Pakistan is still a long way off from this switchover.  In a recent report for Express Tribune, Farooq Baloch presents some of the infrastructural challenges that have to be met before 3G and 4G service is even widely and properly available. Some of the comments for this article are equally instructive including this exercpt from the optimistic commentator Garam Aaanday:

“………In a Nutshell 3G+4G Deployment requires less than 1 year to be implemented throughout Pakistan.”

Until then, it will be difficult to see the real effects of the switch over from DSL and Wimax to 3G and LTE.  Nonetheless, even after successful implementation of 3G and LTE networks, the Pakistani internet user is not likely to completely discard older technologies.

This study by Delta Partners highlights that the latest technology might not always be the most optimal for every user. The usage patterns, as highlighted in this study, are actually quite paradoxical and show that it is rural users who will benefit more from 3G and LTE networks as opposed to existing urban users in higher population densities.  Urban users who still be better served by continuing with their DSL and Wimax service providers.

In a country like Pakistan, it is difficult to see Wimax, DSL and cable becoming obsolete in the near future. Aside from infrastructural concerns, it makes more sense to view the newer 3G and LTE services as complimentary products to the existing Wimax, DSL and Cable services currently being offered.

One must not forget that these existing services represent those companies that have survived intense competition.  These companies also include the semi-private PTCL – a national behemoth that provides multiple products and whose existing infrastructure is unbeatable in the short run.

Similarly, even if it is premature to talk of pricing, one can safely argue that the successful bidders for 3G and LTE services need to recoup their auction bid.

(At this point, and for the purposes of this article, it is pointless to highlight the alleged problematic nature of the auction where the successful bidders will simply be adjusting their existing receivables with the PTA).

With Data usage packages being quoted at Rs.20/Mb (Zong) and comprehensive bandwidth packages likely to cost multiple times the existing bandwidth packages, the 3G and LTE customer is already looking at a hefty increase in their internet costs.  Furthermore, the market for such services is also restricted by the smart phone owner market in a developing country like Pakistan. Segment the 3G and LTE market further and this niche market shrinks even further as the price range for smart phones supporting LTE makes such a service affordable to only a select few. This is likely to make pricing even more uncompetitive compared to existing technologies.

There is no doubt that video steaming and video calling appear very enticing but how large is this market segment in Pakistan?

With increasing censorship and the prevailing ban on YouTube, the compelling attraction to switch to 3G and LTE reduces further. In the long run, DSL, Wimax and cable may well go the way of the dial up internet connection. However, studies show that that is a slow and gradual switch over even in developed economies.  In a country like Pakistan, the introduction of 3G and LTE will simply serve as an incentive to the World calls and Qubees to further improve both their service and their pricing.  The Pakistani customer can finally be introduced to a technology that has been enjoyed by its Indian and Afghan neighbors for nearly a decade.  For an upbeat conclusion, that is not a bad place to be as a consumer.

Image courtesy www.jehzlau-concepts.com

Khurram Zahid

The post Will 3G end the market for Conventional Broadband Service Providers in Pakistan? appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.