PTCL disables connectivity of CITL without notice

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) on Wednesday disabled the connectivity of country's active operator of Long Distance and International (LDI) Callmate Telips Telecom Limited (CTTL) without prior notice. This move has compelled the operator's services to a complete halt for its users.
Sources told Business Recorder that the service was suspended over non-payment of Rs 500 million by the card payphone company to PTCL. Imran Mehmood, Chief Executive Officer of CTTL termed the PTCL step unjustified and said that his company had paid over Rs 300 million by June 20 in instalments as per the court order. Even then, PTCL was insisting on further payment of Rs 500 million and set the deadline of June 30 for the payment. He further said that PTCL disabled their connectivity on June 27, before the deadline.
He said that PTCL's step would sabotage company's image, which was known as country's largest card payphone company. If the service was not restored immediately the company would lodge complain with the Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA). He said we may move court. He said that his company had paid Rs 2.5 billion to PTCL during the last two years in terms of service charges.
However, PTCL sources confirmed the suspension and said that company had failed to its commitment for paying the dues to the PTCL as directed by the court and the PTA.
Sources declined to reveal the actual amount that had to be paid by the company. It may be mentioned here that PTCL had partially restricted the services of seven LDI operators who had over Rs two billion payable against PTCL in August 2006. This step was taken on the back of non-payment by the operators. PTCL had written time and again to these LDI operators time and again for the clearance of the pending liabilities but they failed to make the payment of outstanding dues.
The PTCL ultimately resorted to the regulator ie PTA and afterwards their services were restricted partially keeping in view the convenience of the customers. These LDI operators had not declared default and this step was a warning to them. However, the switched were put on later on as the operators had made partial payments.