Pakistan Telecommunications Corporation Limited has begun converting copper landline networks to fibre optic infrastructure in parts of Karachi, and in the process, many longstanding landline subscribers are being informed that they must purchase PTCL’s internet packages to keep their phone connections active. Residents from Defence Housing Authority Phase I and other localities told Dawn that their landlines stopped functioning for weeks, and PTCL representatives subsequently contacted them stating that the only way to restore service was to sign up for the company’s internet offering.
Several consumers expressed frustration at being put in this position, noting that they previously cancelled PTCL internet service in favour of alternative providers that offer satisfactory performance for their needs. One subscriber in DHA Phase I said they were being asked to pay as much for PTCL internet service as they pay to their current internet provider, leaving them unwilling to switch but fearing loss of their decades‑old phone number should they refuse. Residents reported being repeatedly contacted by PTCL to accept the new requirement, which they described as heavy‑handed and unwelcome.
The new network being installed uses fibre optic technology capable of delivering 5G internet services, and PTCL has offered some customers what it describes as a three‑month waiver on billing after subscribing to the bundle. However, confusion remains over whether users can opt out after the initial period, as some were told service charges would be applied in advance. A PTCL landline user in Nazimabad shared that company representatives have been regularly calling, urging conversion to fibre optics with internet included, or warning that landline services will be terminated if the switch is not accepted.
Complaints over the approach have also come from other parts of the city such as Gulistan‑i‑Jauhar, Gulshan‑i‑Iqbal, and Federal B Area, where residents say they face the same dilemma of potentially losing their landline numbers if they do not agree to an internet package. In response to written complaints cited by one subscriber, PTCL said that with the transition to its fibre service, the internet product is “our primary product” and standalone landline service is no longer offered, apologising for any inconvenience caused.
Dawn attempted to obtain PTCL’s official perspective on these developments but did not receive a response from the company spokesperson by publication time. The situation highlights ongoing challenges for legacy landline users as telecom providers upgrade networks to modern broadband infrastructure, even as customers balance service preferences, costs, and technological changes in the sector.
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