Sindh High Court has suspended recently issued local loop licenses to Zong (for all 14 regions), we have confirmed with officials.
SHC issued this interim order while hearing a petition which had plead that these local loop licenses issued to Zong — and other telecom operators – were granted with expired telecom policy.
A Pakistan Telecommunication Authority official confirmed ProPakistani about the suspension of Zong’s LL licenses.
Court also restrained authority from issuing any new LL licenses till the conclusion of the case.
It maybe recalled that Zong was recently issued Local Loop licenses for 14 telecom regions of Pakistan. Along with Zong several other players were also granted Local Loop licenses.
Telecom Policy, which was formulated in 2004, was set for renewal in 2009.
Old license holders want to get this telecom policy renewed before issuance of new licenses. This will buy these old operators more time till they see competition. Moreover, they also want the license fee to be revised (hiked) in the new telecom policy so that new entrants are charged higher to get into the business.
Industry experts are questioning if these petitioners – or even the court – has enough courage to question those concerned officials, who were responsible for renewing the telecom policy but they didn’t.
They said that people of Pakistan are deprived from technology due to negligence and incompetence of those who were responsible for renewing policy but they didn’t. They urged proper prosecution for such people who are now causing this nation a technological loss.
[images via propakistani]
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