PTA tells telcos to enforce uniform SIM policy

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has instructed the country's three major mobile network operators to enforce a standard SIM policy concerning expiry dates and recharge amounts, following complaints that two carriers, Zong and Telenor Pakistan (now merged with PTCL), were not following the required terms. The regulator found that these companies were demanding customers maintain a minimum balance throughout the SIM's active period, after which the SIM would be cancelled if the balance fell below this amount. Additionally, they weren't carrying over the remaining balance to the next recharge.

The PTA clarified that the active period of a SIM is 90 days, with a quarantine period of 180 days. After the quarantine period, the SIM can be recycled, allowing the ownership of the SIM to change. Jazz, one of the operators, has a policy where a dormant SIM—unused for up to 720 days—can be recycled, but after this period, it becomes totally recycled and the previous owner loses any claim over it.

The PTA mandated that all telecom companies must implement a minimum validity period of 180 days for any recharge or balance on a SIM. This decision aims to prevent the forfeiture of unused prepaid balances and ensure that the balance is reinstated upon subsequent recharges during the SIM's active life, as per the Telecom Consumers Protection Regulations.

The new policy will be enforced starting October 1, with the regulator emphasizing that telecom companies must avoid unfair commercial practices while implementing this change.