ISLAMABAD: Mobile phone users will have to pay more after major telecom operators increased call and data package prices, with some packages going up by as much as 33%.
According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the hike in various packages included the daily, two-day, three-day, weekly, fortnightly and monthly offers by Jazz, Zong, Ufone and Telenor.
The increases apply to hybrid packages combining calls, mobile data and text messages, as well as data-only bundles. According to the revised tariff sheets, annual increases across selected packages range from about 19% to 33%.
As per media reports, a big increase has been made in monthly packages and long-duration bundles. The prices of some monthly hybrid call and data packages have risen by as much as Rs500, while selected 15-day bundles have become up to Rs300 more expensive.
The increases are expected to have the greatest effect on subscribers who rely on monthly or fortnightly bundles for regular calls, internet access and text messaging. The weekly hybrid packages have increased by up to Rs130, while selected three-day bundles are now up to Rs21 costlier.
Two-day packages have risen by as much as Rs20, while increases in one-day hybrid bundles have reached up to Rs5. The size of the increase varies by operator, package category, validity period and the combination of data, call minutes and SMS allowances included in each bundle.
The PTA officials disclosed that for the awareness of the users, the relevant section of the website has been updated showing complete tariff sheets of all 15 hybrid and data-only packages. The new tariff sheets provide complete details of the current packages, prices, duration and facilities of different mobile companies so that users can easily compare the packages of different companies.
