Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has partnered with Pakistani accessibility technology company ConnectHear to introduce an AI-powered sign language solution at its customer care centers. The initiative will begin at customer centers in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, with the technology designed to help Deaf customers communicate directly with customer service representatives through sign language. ConnectHear’s solution, called SILA, is an AI-powered sign language agent intended to make customer service interactions more accessible without requiring customers to depend on a human interpreter. The partnership represents an expansion of the organizations’ existing work focused on improving accessibility for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.
Through SILA, customers who communicate using sign language will be able to convey their queries and requirements within the customer service environment while interacting with PTCL representatives. The introduction of an AI-based system is intended to reduce communication barriers that can make conventional customer service interactions difficult for people with hearing impairments. PTCL said the initiative is part of its efforts to create a more inclusive customer experience and provide customers with greater independence when accessing its services. The deployment will initially cover the three major cities of Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, although the available announcement does not specify a timeline for installation at individual centers or whether the solution will subsequently be introduced across all PTCL customer locations.
PTCL Chief Marketing Officer Amad Khan said the company’s relationship with ConnectHear has developed over time, beginning with efforts to sensitize and train customer-facing teams before moving toward technology-based solutions for accessibility barriers. He said the company views connectivity as meaningful when it allows everyone to participate and that the use of technology can help customers engage with PTCL with greater dignity and independence. ConnectHear Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder Azima Dhanjee said the partnership demonstrates how sustained technology-focused initiatives can bring sign language accessibility into everyday customer service environments. The company described the deployment as another step toward incorporating accessibility into routine services in Pakistan.
The collaboration also builds on earlier accessibility initiatives carried out by PTCL and ConnectHear. One of these is SUNO, an AI-powered early warning system designed to deliver emergency alerts in Pakistani Sign Language through WhatsApp. The system was developed to help members of the Deaf community receive important information during natural and human-caused emergencies. ConnectHear has also worked on virtual sign language interpretation technology, while PTCL Group has previously collaborated with the company on sign language training for its teams. The latest customer-center deployment extends this work from awareness and training toward direct use of Artificial Intelligence in customer interactions. Neither company has announced the total number of centers that will receive SILA, the financial value of the partnership, or a nationwide rollout schedule.
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