The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has indicated that the pace of mobile terminations would make off-net calls still cheaper (MTR).
The MTR plays a vital role in protecting smaller actors and automating the rationalisation of retail tariffs, especially on off-net calls, according to official documents. The changing market structure of Pakistan’s mobile cellular sector needs the current MTR to be checked at the rate of 90 paisas a minute.
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The MTE is the amount to be paid when calling to another network by the reception operator. In 2010 a MTR of 90 paisas per minute was created, with no operator charging less.
Given the prevailing dynamics in the industry, mobile operators were called to reduce MTR and the PTA demanded a study of all the stakeholders.
Following in-depth discussions, the PTA has reduced the MTR from the 90 paisa mobile telephone calls to 80 paisa from 1 January 2019 for all forms of calls (local, long-distance and international telephone calls), and the rate was further reduced by 2020 to 70 paisa telephones.
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The MTR will then be reviewed in line with international best practises in the coming years. The revised MTR is expected to contribute to low consumer tariffs and to high rates reduction.
The documentation also shows that the PTA regularly inspects and confirms whether cellular mobile operators charge retail tariffs for their customers as per the rates announced.