My God, what this news is saying…around 40,000 call centers were shut down in Pakistan on directions of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. I was able to get couple of evidences of this news on “Daily Post” and “Online News Agency”

I had to double check the number of closed call centers, and also the date; but alas everything seems fine with my eyesight.

According to Online, PTA passed the directions of closing the voice ports of all call national and international centers operating in Pakistan. Agency, citing some resources said that PTA asked CWFAI, a fiber optic communication provider in Pakistan to block the voice ports of all working call centers; consequently thousands of Pakistanis will go jobless who work in these call centers.

Call centre representatives, who were effected by the decision, told that News Agency that their call centers were shut down without any prior notification, while the PTA officials negating the blame, have claimed that they had already informed them about the action through a proper notification.

The PTA officials further said that the call centers owners have not registered themselves and were conducting their business with out license; assuring that all could continue their call centers after obtaining their licenses and registration numbers.

I can recall similar thing happened almost 10 days ago, when PTA had asked TWA to close all voice ports, leaving call centers without any internet means; we know that PTCL had blocked voice ports long ago.
Covered in Daily Times by Romail Kenneth, on June 10th, 2008, claims that PTA had asked ACCO to provide the list of call centers, registered with PSEB. The scenario gets very interesting, see call centers are registered with PSEB, and PTA has been asking ACCO… in another news item published in ‘The News’, (sorry I don’t have its link) claimed that a meeting held at PTA headquarters that involved PSEB, PTA, Call centers, ISPs and PTCL representatives had resolved the issue. Then it was decided that PSEB and PTA will collectively devise a way out to register call centers; hence allowing voice traffic to only legal call centers.

But with-in a week, call centers are again shut down? PTA should have given more time to call centers, the way they are favoring cellular companies in blocking illegal SIMS. I guess there is something seriously wrong with PTA, either its PTA, PTCL, ACCO or PSEB someone is really making troubles for call centers’ industry, hence risking thousands of Jobs, Pakistan’s image and weakening economy

According to an estimate about 40,000 call centers have been shut under the current action of PTA rendering about 1 million peoples jobless through this stance.

Updates Expected in few hours….

NexExpress has just reported that this news was baseless, quoting a press release issued by PTA.  According to PR, the news items published regarding the closure of 40,000 call centers do not reflect the actual situation.

According to a press release issued here Wednesday the PTA said in fact, it has never issued any directive to close call centres. The PTA has only asked backbone operators to allow voice to legitimate stakeholders i.e. LDI operators and Call Centres registered with Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), which is in line with government rules & regulations.

“As far as the figure of 40,000 call centres is concerned, it may be clarified that the total number of call centres registered with PSEB is just 516 so blocking of 40,000 call centres is out of question.”

Interesting scenario this is. Now what i drive from these news items and PTA’s press release is, that they directed to block the voice port of all those call centers which are neither registered, nor they were given time to get themselves registered. Another thing, that number of call centers in Pakistan is still not confirmed by any of authority