Karachi consumers complain of coercion as PTCL links landlines to internet packages

KARACHI: Residents across Karachi, including Defence Housing Authority (DHA), are reporting that Pakistan Telecommunications Corporation Limited (PTCL) is effectively forcing them to purchase its internet packages in order to retain their landline connections.

Several consumers told Dawn that their copper-based landlines have been disconnected after PTCL installed new fibre optic cables in the city. The company informed users that landlines will only function if they subscribe to PTCL’s internet service.

A resident of DHA Phase 1 said the landline at his home had been inactive for over a month. He noted that he had already moved to a private internet provider during the Covid-19 lockdown due to repeated service failures and did not want to switch back to PTCL. “I’m being forced to buy PTCL internet to keep my landline. Money doesn’t grow on trees,” he said.

Other consumers from DHA and Nazimabad echoed similar concerns, saying PTCL representatives repeatedly called them to convert their connections, warning that refusal would lead to disconnection. Some residents expressed frustration, describing the move as coercive.

PTCL’s fibre optic upgrade provides high-speed 5G internet, and the company has offered a three-month billing waiver for those who purchase its packages while retaining their landlines. However, some users reported that they were billed in advance, and clarity over the trial period remains limited.

Consumers from Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Federal B Area and other areas of Karachi also reported receiving similar notices. PTCL, when approached for comment, did not respond to repeated inquiries.

Residents are now faced with a choice between losing their long-held landline numbers or paying for an internet service they do not want, raising questions about consumer rights and fair practices.