PTA Eyes Stricter Rules for Leading Telcos

Telecom operators with more than 25 percent of revenues in a relevant market may be presumed to have Significant Market Power (SMP) under amendments proposed by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), potentially subjecting them to stricter pricing and tariff controls.

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• PTA Problems 300 Licences to Expand Internet Access Throughout Pakistan.
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• Under the proposed amendment, a 25 percent revenue share would serve as an initial threshold for determining market power.
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For context, the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has prepared the draft Telecommunication Competition Rules, 2026, to promote fair competition and prevent discriminatory practices in the telecom sector. PTA Problems 300 Licences to Expand Internet Access Throughout Pakistan.

Under the proposed amendment, a 25 percent revenue share would serve as an initial threshold for determining market power. While operators above it may be identified not to have SMP if a broader market assessment does not backing the determination, nevertheless, operators below the threshold could still be declared to have SMP.

PTA may consider a number of factors when assessing market power, including market concentration, spectrum holdings, financial and technical strength, control over essential infrastructure, subscriber and distribution access, economies of scale, vertical integration, entry barriers and network effects.

Operators designated as having SMP could face extra obligations, including pricing and tariff controls, greater transparency, accounting separation, interconnection and infrastructure access, wholesale service and national roaming requirements, and measures against discriminatory or exclusionary practices. Stay Connected with ProPakistani.

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For now, PTA Eyes Stricter Rules for Leading Telcos remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.