Residents of Islamabad report deceptive tactics, unwanted internet charges
ISLAMABAD, APR 21 /DNA/ – Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) is facing serious allegations from multiple residents of the capital city, who accuse the telecom giant of fraudulently installing internet connections and billing customers for services they never requested.
Several customers, including residents from multi-unit buildings and flats, claim that PTCL staff assured them they were only being provided voice services—landline telephone—without any internet. However, when the monthly bills arrived, internet charges were included, leading to confusion, frustration, and financial burden for users who never intended to use PTCL’s broadband service.
One such case involves a customer using landline numbers 2266165 and 2261960, who had specifically requested only voice services, stating that they were already using internet services from another private company. Despite repeated assurances from PTCL personnel that no internet would be activated, the customer was shocked to find broadband charges added to the bill.
To make matters worse, the same flat, which had two separate PTCL landline connections, was reportedly equipped with two separate PTCL internet connections, both billed independently—again, without explicit consent or demand from the user.
“This is blatant misrepresentation and exploitation,” the affected customer told reporters. “We made it clear from the outset that we only needed landline service. They told us this was only voice. Now we’re being charged for internet we don’t use.”
Multiple similar complaints have emerged from other sectors of Islamabad. In some cases, elderly residents and those unfamiliar with broadband services were allegedly misled into accepting what they thought were telephone-only lines, only to discover recurring internet charges in their bills later on.
Consumer rights advocates say these actions, if proven true, may amount to systematic mis-selling or service fraud, with serious implications for PTCL’s accountability and reputation.
“It appears that PTCL is prioritizing connection figures and revenue over transparency and customer consent,” said a representative from a consumer protection group in Islamabad. “Such practices not only violate the basic rights of consumers but also raise legal and ethical concerns.”
Meanwhile, customers are calling for an inquiry into the matter by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and relevant consumer courts.
Many also demand that PTCL immediately halt the practice of bundling internet services with landline connections without clear, written customer consent, and issue refunds for any unauthorized charges.
If the trend continues unchecked, consumer advocates warn, the trust deficit between service providers and the public may widen—an issue Pakistan’s telecom sector can ill afford.=DNA
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